VOA标准英语2011--Gingrich Brings Strengths, Weaknesses to US Presidential Nomination Bid

Gingrich Brings Strengths, Weaknesses to US Presidential Nomination¹ Bid

Voters in the United States will begin the process of choosing the next president January 3rd in the state of Iowa, where Republicans will gather in groups and vote for candidates running for their party’s nomination. One of the leading contenders is Newt Gingrich.

For decades Newt Gingrich has been one of America’s best known Republican politicians and now, at the age of 68, he wants the nation’s top job. “I am announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” he announced.

Gingrich says he has the best chance among Republicans of beating the incumbent². “Barack Obama will not have a leg to stand on in trying to defend a record that is terrible and an ideology³ that is radical,” he stated.

Gingrich burst on the national political scene when he led Republicans to success in the 1994 congressional election, ending 40 years of majority rule by the Democratic Party.

He was rewarded by being elected Speaker of the House.

A self-described revolutionary, he is known for coming up with big ideas to solve America’s problems.

“The energy and the revolutionary character are the strength, but there are some doubts as to whether he will be a stable, solid candidate who will withstand a long campaign because of those same traits,” Political scientist John Fortier said.

Early in his campaign Gingrich had to answer questions about a high flying lifestyle, including millions of dollars in private jet travel.

That includes a million-dollar home outside of Washington and expensive jewelry⁴ from Tiffany’s for his wife.

A luxury cruise through the Greek Isles⁵ during the campaign led much of his senior staff to resign, and his campaign plunged⁶ into debt.

“Newt Gingrich is a wonderful off-the-cuff [impromptu] guy. He is a horrible political organizer and does not have any [campaign] money," explained Professor Allan Lichtman of American University.

Gingrich has also had to deal with questions about his personal life.

He has been married three times and has acknowledged having extramarital affairs.

“In my case I have said up-front openly I have made mistakes at times," Gingrich acknowledges. "I have had to go to God for forgiveness. I have had to seek reconciliation⁷.”

In early December, Gingrich had a strong lead in opinion polls, but that advantage eroded⁸ recently following a furious barrage⁹ of negative ads from his opponents.

Ron Paul Campaign Commercial: “Newt Gingrich, this guy hasn’t got skeletons in his closet; he’s got a whole graveyard¹⁰ in there.”

Through it all, Gingrich has pledged to remain positive.

Gingrich Campaign Commercial: “These are challenging and important times for America. We want and deserve solutions. Others seem to be more focused on attacks rather than moving the country forward.”

Republican voters have changed their minds repeatedly in the early months of the campaign.

As Gingrich heads to the first contest in Iowa, two-thirds of likely voters in a CBS News survey say they are still willing to change their minds.

1 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。

2 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。

3 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

4 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

5 isles   

岛( isle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the geology of the British Isles 不列颠群岛的地质
• The boat left for the isles. 小船驶向那些小岛。

6 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

7 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

8 eroded   

adj. 被侵蚀的，有蚀痕的 动词erode的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The cliff face has been steadily eroded by the sea. 峭壁表面逐渐被海水侵蚀。
• The stream eroded a channel in the solid rock. 小溪在硬石中侵蚀成一条水道。

9 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

10 graveyard   

n.坟场

参考例句：

• All the town was drifting toward the graveyard.全镇的人都象流水似地向那坟场涌过去。
• Living next to a graveyard would give me the creeps.居住在墓地旁边会使我毛骨悚然。