VOA标准英语2008年-McCain, Obama Battle as Clinton Keeps Fighting

By Jeffrey Young
Washington
30 May 2008
 

With only three relatively¹ minor² primary elections for U.S. president left - Puerto Rico, South Dakota, and Montana, Democratic White House-hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton continues to campaign aggressively for her party's presidential nomination⁴. But her Democratic rival, Senator Barack Obama, is now focused on presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee⁵ Senator John McCain and the November general election. VOA's Jeffrey Young has this week's Political Wrap.

Democrat³ Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are already locked in head-to-head combat. Despite delegate shortfalls, Hillary Clinton still insists that she, not Obama, should be the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.

"Who would be the best president?" she asks. "And, who would be the stronger candidate against [presumptive Republican nominee] Senator [John] McCain? I believe I am."

Clinton's pleas come amid fading chances. Lawyers for the Democratic National Committee [DNC] say that only half of the combined 368 delegates from Michigan and Florida may be seated at the party nominating convention. The DNC penalized⁷ those states for holding primaries before the party said they could. The party could make a final determination May 31.

One of Clinton's most visible supporters now says the Clinton-Obama contest for so-called superdelegates is effectively over. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, on Bloomberg TV. "I'm a realist, and I think [that] most likely, the superdelegates will give Senator Obama the votes he needs," Rendell said. "It is very unlikely that Senator Clinton can prevail."

Meanwhile, in the battle between the two parties, Republican John McCain has broadened his attacks on Obama. "Now, why is it that Senator Obama wants to sit down with the president of Iran, but has not yet sat down with General Petraus, the leader of our troops in Iraq?" asks McCain.

Obama reacted to that barb⁸ [verbal attack] by stating that McCain and the Republican Party's strategy in Iraq is a failure. The Democratic front-runner also made fun of a Phoenix⁹, Arizona closed-door fundraiser for McCain by President Bush.

"No cameras, no reporters, and we all know why. Senator McCain doesn't want to be seen hat-in-hand [asking for a favor] with a president whose failed policies he promises to continue for another four years," Obama said.

John McCain fueled running mate speculation¹⁰ last Sunday by having dinner with former rival Mitt⁶ Romney, Florida Governor Charlie Christ, and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindahl.

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 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。

7 penalized   

对…予以惩罚( penalize的过去式和过去分词 )； 使处于不利地位

参考例句：

• You will be penalized for poor spelling. 你拼写不好将会受到处罚。
• Team members will be penalized for lateness. 队员迟到要受处罚。

8 barb   

n.（鱼钩等的）倒钩，倒刺

参考例句：

• The barb of his wit made us wince.他那锋芒毕露的机智使我们退避三舍。
• A fish hook has a barb to prevent the fish from escaping after being hooked.鱼钩上都有一个倒钩以防上了钩的鱼逃走。

9 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

10 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。