VOA常速英语2008年-Clinton, Obama, McCain Winners in 'Super Tuesda

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
06 February 2008
 

Democrats¹ Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama split victories in primary elections and caucuses² Tuesday, known as Super Tuesday, when voters in two dozen American states voiced their preference for presidential nominees³. Mike O'Sullivan reports, John McCain scored important wins over two rivals, Mitt⁴ Romney and Mike Huckabee, to claim the title of frontrunner in the Republican race.

Arizona Senator John McCain won races in New York, New Jersey⁵, California and a number of other key states. He called them important victories in the closest contest the country has to a national primary election.

"We've won primaries in the West, the South, the Midwest, and the Northeast," McCain said. "And, although I've never minded the role of the underdog and have relished⁶ as much as anyone come-from-behind wins, tonight I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party frontrunner for the nomination⁷ for president of the United States."

In Democratic races, Senator Hillary Clinton won her home state of New York and neighboring New Jersey and also scored other key wins around the country.

"Tonight in record numbers you voted not just to make history, but to remake America - People in American Samoa, Arkansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee and the great state of New York," Clinton said.

Hispanic support helped Clinton clinch⁸ a win in California, which offers the largest number of delegates to the nominating conventions of both parties. However, as in most states, California's delegates will be proportioned among the vote-getters

Clinton's Democratic rival, Senator Barack Obama, scored important wins in his home state, Illinois, and in other parts of the country, from Alabama and Georgia in the South to the western states, Colorado and Utah.

"Our time has come," Obama said. "Our movement is real and change is coming to America."

On the Republican side, former Governor Mitt Romney had victories in states that include his home state, Massachusetts in addition to Utah, Colorado and Montana.

"One thing that's clear is. This campaign is going on," said Romney.

Republican Mike Huckabee won his home state, Arkansas - where he served as governor - and four states in the South: West Virginia, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. The one-time Baptist minister had limited financing, but challenged critics who said he was out of the race.

"Over the past few days, a lot of people have been trying to say that this is a two-man race," said Huckabee. "Well, you know what? It is. And we're in it."

The presidential contests continue for both parties, with upcoming primaries in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia February 12, and Ohio and Texas March 4.

1 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

3 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

4 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

5 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

6 relished   

v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望

参考例句：

• The chaplain relished the privacy and isolation of his verdant surroundings. 牧师十分欣赏他那苍翠的环境所具有的幽雅恬静，与世隔绝的气氛。 来自辞典例句
• Dalleson relished the first portion of the work before him. 达尔生对眼前这工作的前半部分满有兴趣。 来自辞典例句

7 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

8 clinch   

v.敲弯，钉牢；确定；扭住对方 [参]clench

参考例句：

• Clinch the boards together.用钉子把木板钉牢在一起。
• We don't accept us dollars,please Swiss francs to clinch a deal business.我方不收美元，请最好用瑞士法郎来成交生意。