VOA标准英语2008年-Obama Seeks to Bolster Foreign Policy Credentia

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama travels to the Middle East and Europe next week as he seeks to bolster² his foreign policy and national security credentials³ with U.S. voters. Obama is also expected to visit Iraq and Afghanistan soon. Obama's Republican opponent, Senator John McCain, is already well known overseas, and Obama's trip amounts to an introductory international tour of sorts for a man who could become president next January. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.
　
Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama listens to panelists at a roundtable discussion on nuclear non-proliferation held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, 16 July 2008

Senator Obama will head first to Jordan and Israel, followed by stops in Germany, France and Britain.

Obama supporters hope his trip will bolster the contention⁴ that he is ready to lead U.S. foreign policy and be commander in chief of the military.

Public opinion polls give Republican John McCain the edge in those areas at the moment, and Obama has spent a lot of time recently talking about foreign policy and national security issues as he campaigns around the country.

"Instead of alienating⁵ ourselves from the world, I want America, once again, to lead," he said. "As president, I intend to pursue a tough, smart and principled national security strategy, one that recognizes that we have interests beyond Baghdad."

Obama has pledged to withdraw most U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office. He has also vowed⁶ to send more troops to Afghanistan to bolster the war effort there.

Senator McCain opposes a timetable for withdrawal⁷ in Iraq and accuses Senator Obama of ignoring the success of the Bush administration's military surge strategy.

McCain is quick to emphasize his own experience in both the military and Congress to highlight Obama's relatively⁸ short tenure⁹ as a first term U.S. senator from Illinois.
　
Republican presidential candidate John McCain listens to a question during a town hall meeting at the General Motors Design Center in Warren, Michigan, 18 July 2008

"In wartime, judgment¹⁰ and experience matter," he said. "They matter. In a time of war, the commander-in-chief does not get a learning curve. If I have that privilege [of being President], I will bring to the job many years of military and political experience, experience that gave me the judgment necessary to make the right call in Iraq a year and a half ago."

Political experts say Obama's trip is essential for two reasons. First, it provides Obama an opportunity to demonstrate his foreign policy expertise¹¹ to American voters, an area that polls suggest he needs to improve.

Second, it will allow Obama to open a dialogue with foreign leaders, as he makes his first appearance on the international stage as a potential president.

Stephen Hess is a political scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

"In the case of particularly Senator Obama, who is very new on the political scene, it, I think, was incumbent¹² on him to at least touch base in many parts of the world, parts of the world in which he may not have spent any time," he explained.

Public opinion polls show more Americans believe that John McCain is ready to be commander-in-chief than Barack Obama.

But McCain is facing a major challenge of his own with regard to the domestic economy, which voters now regard as the number one issue in the campaign.

Polls show the public believes Obama would do a better job than McCain in trying to turn the economy around.

Democratic pollster Doug Schoen says that is one reason why Obama continues to lead McCain in public opinion polls.

"What Americans want in a president is somebody who can provide new direction and new leadership for the country," he said. "They see the economy in a seriously deteriorating¹³ state. They are concerned about our position overseas and they want new and fresh leadership."

University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato says Obama has the advantage of being a Democrat¹ in what should be a good year for Democratic candidates.

But Sabato says both Obama and McCain have weaknesses they need to address, and that is one reason Obama is traveling overseas.

"The minuses for Obama, I think, no question race and inexperience," he explained. "Those are the two big minuses. For McCain, his great advantage is his biography and his experience. He is a reassuring¹⁴ figure. The minuses for McCain, you can start with President Bush and you can end with President Bush."

Recent polls give Obama a lead of anywhere from two to nine points over McCain. Pollster Doug Schoen says he expects a close result on November 4.

"Well, it is a close election. It is within five points now, and I think that John McCain, certainly while he is behind, has a real fighting chance to win the election," he noted¹⁵.

The next major opportunities for both candidates to win over voters will come at the national party conventions where Obama and McCain will be officially nominated. The Democrats¹⁶ meet the last week of August in Denver, while the Republicans will gather the following week in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

　

 

1 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。

2 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

3 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。

4 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

5 alienating   

v.使疏远( alienate的现在分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等）

参考例句：

• The phenomena of alienation are widespread. Sports are also alienating. 异化现象普遍存在，体育运动也不例外。 来自互联网
• How can you appeal to them without alienating the mainstream crowd? 你是怎么在不疏忽主流玩家的情况下吸引住他们呢？ 来自互联网

6 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

7 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

8 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。

9 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

10 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

11 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

12 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

13 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

14 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

15 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。

16 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》