VOA标准英语2008年-African Americans Proud, Cautious about Obama's

By Cindy Saine
Washington
05 June 2008

African Americans are reacting with pride to Senator Barack Obama's becoming the first person of color to be the presumptive presidential nominee¹ of a major U.S. political party. For some though, the joy is mixed with the fear of bitter disappointment if Obama fails to win the general election against Republican candidate-in-waiting Senator John McCain in November. VOA Correspondent Cindy Saine reports Washington.
　

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama speaks to the media while in flight 5 June 2008

African Americans are savoring² Barack Obama's triumph, and for many it as an emotional moment. Some watched on television Tuesday night in awe³ and disbelief as Obama claimed the nomination⁴ after winning the required number of delegates. Curtis Pree is a real estate agent and political commentator⁵ in the Washington, DC area.

"Many people I know probably cried, and there are a few that were short of crying, but they said they will save their tears for November."

Christopher Parker is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Washington in Seattle. Parker teaches a course in African American politics, from the pre-civil war South, through segregation⁶ and discrimination against blacks, to the civil rights movement and beyond. He said to him Obama's win was an emotional issue.

Parker said it is hard to describe what Obama's candidacy means to African Americans.

"Black folks feel such a sense of pride in seeing him and the way that he has represented himself and us," he said. "It is such, it is just such tremendous pride. I mean I can't - it's really difficult for me to even put into words."

Parker said his grandparents had grown up under the so called Jim Crow laws, in force from 1876 to 1965 in parts of the United States, that mandated⁷ segregation of the races in public schools, public places and public transportation. The civil rights legislation in the 1960s ended legalized racial segregation.

Obama is set to give his nomination speech to the Democratic National Convention in Denver on August 28, 45 years to the day after civil rights leader Martin Luther King gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington.

But some African Americans fear that the dream of having the first black American president could turn into a nightmare if Obama loses to McCain in November.

"If he does not win, and the exit polls indicate that race was important, and that those people who believe race was important, they voted for McCain, I fear that our country will suffer an irreparable setback," Parker explained.

Ron Walters is a professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland. Asked if he is excited about Obama's chances, Walters was careful.

"I am more cautiously optimistic as an analyst⁸ because I think on the one hand I see this, and I am pleased and proud about it," he explained. "On the other hand, I know that the challenges he will face, both in the general election, and if he wins, in the administration, are formidable."

Curtis Pree points out that Obama has a multi-racial background, as the son of a Kenyan and a white American mother.

"The thing that makes this victory such a historic one is that Barack Obama is a multi-racial individual, who went to Harvard, white mother and a black father, and he is being judged by the content of his character as opposed to the color of his skin," he noted⁹.

Many younger Americans agree, saying they do not view Senator Obama in terms of a color at all, but cast their votes on the basis of who is the best candidate.

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 savoring   

v.意味，带有…的性质( savor的现在分词 )；给…加调味品；使有风味；品尝

参考例句：

• Cooking was fine but it was the savoring that he enjoyed most. 烹饪当然很好，但他最享受的是闻到的各种味道。 来自互联网
• She sat there for a moment, savoring the smell of the food. 她在那儿坐了一会儿，品尝这些食物的香味。 来自互联网

3 awe   

n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧

参考例句：

• The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

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 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

6 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

7 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

8 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。