VOA常速英语2008年-Condoleezza Rice Downplays Speculation on Vice

By David Gollust
State Department
08 April 2008

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is downplaying recent media reports that she might be a potential running mate for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee¹, Senator John McCain. Rice says she wants to return to the faculty² of Stanford University after the current administration ends. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Rice, who was President Bush's national security adviser³ before becoming secretary of state, was seen by some political analysts⁴ two years ago as a potential Republican presidential candidate for 2008.

She consistently dismissed the idea of having presidential ambitions, and now - with the Republican nomination⁵ assured for Senator McCain - she is downplaying talk that she might be interested in being the party's vice⁶ presidential nominee.

The latest flurry of speculation⁷ about Rice was spurred by a weekend assertion by a Republican political operative, Dan Senor, that Rice has been "actively⁸ campaigning" for the second spot on the Republican ticket.

Senor, the former spokesman for the U.S. provisional authority in Iraq, told a television interview show Rice had promoted her interest in running by, among other things, recently meeting privately⁹ with a conservative Republican policy group.

State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack tried to quash the speculation Monday, saying Rice has made her dis-interest in being Vice President clear on many occasions.

Rice took a question on the issue at a joint¹⁰ news conference Tuesday with the foreign ministers of Canada and Mexico, Maxime Bernier and Patricia Espinosa.

She heaped praise on Senator McCain but insisted she has no plans to run with him.

"Senator McCain is an extraordinary American, a really outstanding leader, and obviously a great patriot," she said. "That said, I'm going back to Stanford, back to California, west of the Mississippi. I very much look forward to watching this campaign and voting as a voter."

Rice was a top administrator¹¹ at Stanford University and has stressed that she is only technically¹² on leave from the prestigious¹³ California school.

Despite her claims of disinterest, Rice has discussed domestic political issues more frequently of late, including race relations.

She is the top-ranking African-American and woman in the Bush administration and is seen by some political observers as someone who would bring demographic balance to the Republican ticket, if Senator Barak Obama wins the Democratic nomination.

Other analysts however argue that having Rice on the ticket would link Senator McCain too closely to the invasion of Iraq and other unpopular actions by the Bush administration.

Rice herself told the Washington Times newspaper a few days ago that "it is time for new blood" in Republican politics.

Senator McCain for his part has been complementary of Rice, calling her overall record very meritorious¹⁴. But he said Sunday that if Rice is sending signals that she wants to be his running mate, he has missed them.

1 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

2 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

3 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 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。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

8 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

9 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

10 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

11 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

12 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

13 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

14 meritorious   

adj.值得赞赏的

参考例句：

• He wrote a meritorious theme about his visit to the cotton mill.他写了一篇关于参观棉纺织厂的有价值的论文。
• He was praised for his meritorious service.他由于出色地工作而受到称赞。