VOA常速英语2008年-Former President George HW Bush Endorses McCain

By Greg Flakus
Houston
18 February 2008

In Houston, former President George H.W. Bush, the father of the current president, stood beside Senator John McCain to offer his endorsement¹ for the Republican presidential nomination². VOA's Greg Flakus reports from Houston.

Senator McCain and the former president came together in a hangar at Houston's Hobby airport and stood side by side with their wives as the 41st president offered his endorsement.

"In the coming election we do not have the luxury of taking a pass on our unique role and responsibilities in the world and the indisputable fact that unites the greatest number of Republicans," Mr. Bush said, "the most independents and many good Democrats³ as well is that no one is better prepared to lead our nation in these trying times than Senator John McCain."

Senator McCain made note of the fact that he and President Bush had two things in common, both had been naval⁴ aviators⁵ and both had been shot down. Bush was shot down in the Pacific during World War II and rescued from the water shortly afterwards. McCain was shot down over North Vietnam and was held as a prisoner of war under brutal⁶ conditions.

At the meeting in Houston, McCain thanked the former president for his support and spoke⁷ of the need to bring the Republican Party together.

"I believe that his endorsement and sign of support honors me and I also think it is very helpful in continuing our effort to unite our party," he said.

McCain faces a deep divide among Republicans. Many conservatives see him as a liberal who has too often compromised with Democrats in order to move legislation through Congress.

One of McCain's biggest problems with conservative Republican voters came two years ago when he co-sponsored an immigration reform bill that they said amounted to an amnesty for 12 million foreigners who had entered the United States illegally. McCain says he now believes the border must be made secure before any other program can be implemented⁸, but he still backs a guest worker program and a path to citizenship⁹ for immigrants already here who do not have a criminal record.

Former President Bush addressed conservatives in making his endorsement of McCain, saying that the senator's credentials¹⁰ as a conservative are solid.

"If you have been around the track, you hear these criticisms and I think they are grossly unfair," the former president said. "He has got a record that everyone can analyze¹¹ in the Senate, a sound, conservative record, and yet he is not above reaching out to the other side."

Senator McCain's only remaining viable¹² opponent in the race for the Republican nomination is former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who is campaigning in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin before its primary Tuesday. Huckabee told reporters there he intends to stay in the race despite the momentum¹³ that Senator McCain has developed and the backing he has received from party leaders.

1 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

2 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。

3 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》

4 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

5 aviators   

飞机驾驶员，飞行员( aviator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Analysis on Sickness Status of 1149 Aviators during Recuperation. 飞行员1149例疗养期间患病情况分析。
• In America the whole scale is too big, except for aviators. 在美国整个景象的比例都太大了，不过对飞行员来说是个例外。

6 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

9 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

10 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

11 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

12 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

13 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。