voa标准英语2008年-Time Running Out For US Presidential Campaign

The major party candidates for president of the United States are campaigning almost non-stop in the final hours before Election Day. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports both Democrat¹ Senator Barack Obama and Republican Senator John McCain are focusing on a handful of key states.
　

Senator John McCain in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, 02 Nov 2008

They include Pennsylvania and Ohio - neighboring states that could have a big impact on the election.

Barack Obama leads in vote-rich Pennsylvania, but the race is tightening². And that is why John McCain is making last-minute personal appeals to undecided voters in the state, while at the same time seeking to energize³ his own Republican base.

At a rally in the Philadelphia suburbs, he predicted victory.

"We are a couple of points behind in Pennsylvania," said John McCain. "The pundits⁴ have written us off, just like they have done before. My friends, the Mac is back!" [McCain is coming back!]

At the same time, his running mate - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin - was campaigning in Ohio where some polls show the race virtually tied. No Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio, and the state has voted with the winning presidential candidate in the past 11 presidential elections.

Palin urged voters to side with the Republicans again, saying John McCain has the experience to keep the country safe and cure the nation's economic ills.

"We do believe that America is still that shining city on the hill that Reagan used to speak of," said Sarah Palin. "And I thank God that we have a man who is ready and worthy⁵ to lead it, someone who inspires us not just with words but with heroic and trustworthy deeds. That man is John McCain!"

But Palin did not have the Ohio spotlight⁶ all to herself. Barack Obama had multiple appearances in the state - underscoring its importance on Election Day.
　

Senator Barack Obama in Columbus, Ohio, 02 Nov 2008

"After 21 months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are two days away from changing America," said Barack Obama. "And it is going to start right here in the great state of Ohio!"

Earlier, officials with the two presidential campaigns discussed their last-minute strategies during television appearances.

On the Fox News Sunday program, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis predicted a major upset. He said John McCain will once again defy the odds⁷ in crucial states like Ohio, Florida and Virginia - states that voted for George Bush in 2004, but are still very much in play in 2008

"He has been counted out before and won these kinds of states, and we are in the process of winning them right now," said Rick Davis.

Appearing on the same program, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said he is optimistic but taking nothing for granted. He said the focus now is on voter turn-out.

"Obviously, we need great turn-out on Tuesday," said David Plouffe. "There are still undecided voters out there, so in these last 48 hours we are continuing to talk about the economy, Barack Obama's plans for the middle class, and we are just trying to turn out every single supporter we have so we have historic turn-out on Tuesday."

Both campaigns have launched massive get-out-the vote operations, using telephone calls, leaflets, and volunteers to encourage supporters to go to the polls and back their candidates on Tuesday.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

3 energize   

vt.给予(某人或某物)精力、能量

参考例句：

• It is used to energize the city.它的作用是为城市供给能量。
• This is a great way to energize yourself and give yourself more power!这种方法非常棒，可以激活你的能量，让你有更多的活力！

4 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

5 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

6 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

7 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？