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　　In 2008, then-Senator Barack Obama won the U.S. presidency¹ in large part because of strong voter turnout from young people, minorities, women and independents. For this year's midterm congressional elections, analysts³ say that Democrats⁴ need to motivate those same groups to get out and vote again to retain their majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

　　2008年，奥巴马赢得总统选举，很大程度上是因为年轻人、少数族裔、妇女和独立选民踊跃投票。分析人士指出，今年国会中期选举，民主党需要动员那些选民再次前往投票站投票，才能保住民主党在参众两院的多数。

　　Over the years, Democrats and Republicans have tended to face challenges in congressional midterm elections. Voters typically turn out in smaller numbers than when they go to the polls to elect a president, and that places a priority on making sure that a party's core supporters vote.

　　多年来，民主党人和共和党人都面临国会中期选举的挑战。和总统选举相比，参加中期选举投票的选民通常比较少，这就使得确保一个党的核心支持者参加投票成为工作重点。

　　This year, by all accounts, Republicans are energized⁶ to support their candidates, especially through activists⁷ loyal to the grassroots conservative Tea Party movement.

　　今年，从各方面来看，共和党人都积极支持本党的候选人，特别是通过忠于基层保守派茶党运动的活动人士支持共和党候选人。

　　With that in mind, President Obama is spending more time trying to fire up core supporters in his Democratic Party to get out and vote on November 2, especially young people who played an important role in Mr. Obama's election victory two years ago.

　　有鉴于此，奥巴马总统用了更多的时间，激励民主党的核心支持者、特别是两年前为奥巴马胜选起了重要作用的年轻人11月2日参加投票。

　　The president recently spoke⁸ with university journalism⁹ students in a conference call from the White House.

　　奥巴马总统最近对大学新闻专业的学生发表讲话时指出：

　　"You can't sit it out," said President Obama. "You can't suddenly just check in once every 10 years or so on an exciting presidential election and then not pay attention during big midterm elections, where we have a real big choice between Democrats and Republicans."

　　“你们不能坐在那儿不闻不问。你们不能每10年、在某次激动人心的总统选举中突然参与一下，然后对重要的中期选举漠不关心。中期选举是我们在民主党和共和党之间做出重大选择的时刻。”

　　Mr. Obama was even more forceful in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, saying it would be inexcusable and irresponsible for Democrats to sit out the election.

　　奥巴马在接受《滚石》杂志采访时口气更强硬。他说，民主党人置身选举之外，是不可原谅的和不负责任的。

　　Public opinion surveys suggest that Democrats need to do more to energize⁵ their base supporters, especially given that Republicans believe they have enough political momentum¹⁰ to win back control of the House and possibly the Senate.

　　民调显示，民主党人需要更努力地动员基本票源，特别是考虑到共和党人相信自己有足够的政治势头，能赢回众议院、也许再加上参议院的控制权。

　　California Representative Kevin McCarthy was among several Republicans who spoke when they unveiled their governing agenda for Congress known as the "Pledge To America" - a call for lower taxes and cuts in government spending.

　　加州众议员凯文·麦卡锡和另外几位共和党人在谈到所谓“对美国的承诺”时都呼吁减税和削减政府开支。

　　"More than 60 percent of Americans believe our country is headed in the wrong path," said McCarthy. "They are right. The pledge is a governing agenda that we will pursue today in order to turn the country around and put us on the right track."

　　麦卡锡说：“百分之60以上的美国人都认为我们国家正走在错误的道路上。他们是对的。这个承诺是我们要推动的一个治国方略，以便让我们的国家重新回到正确的轨道上来。”

　　With surveys showing Republicans energized to vote in November, Democratic political strategists are urging the president to take a more active role in ensuring that groups that lean Democratic - like minority voters, younger voters and women voters - show up at the polls on Election Day.

　　在民调显示共和党人将踊跃参加11月的选举投票之际，民主党政治谋士敦促奥巴马总统发挥更积极的作用，确保倾向民主党的选民--例如少数族裔、年轻人和妇女--在选举日那天到投票站去。

　　Celinda Lake is a Democratic pollster and political strategist. She says Democrats must rely on President Obama and Vice¹¹ President Joe Biden to generate enthusiasm during the next several weeks.

　　赛林达·莱克是民主党民调专家和政治谋士。她说，在今后几个星期里，民主党人必须依靠奥巴马总统和拜登副总统，动员民主党选民的投票热情。

　　"This is a powerful team to go mobilize the Democratic base," said Lake. "I hope that they give the president a one-way [plane] ticket and he doesn't come back [to Washington from campaigning] until the elections because he can have an enormous influence out there, laying out our economic plan and also energizing¹² Democrats. And that is going to be a very, very important part of the equation."

　　她说：“这是一个强有力的组合，可以动员民主党的基本票源。我希望他们给总统一张单程机票，让他到选举日那天再回华盛顿，因为他对选民有巨大的影响力，可以陈述我们的经济计划，还可以激励民主党人。这将是这个等式中一个非常非常重要的部分。”

　　But energizing Democratic voters could be a major challenge this year. The public has a negative view of the economy, and that is reflected in weakening approval ratings for President Obama.

　　不过，激励民主党选民今年会非常困难。民众对经济感到悲观，这反映在奥巴马总统不断下滑的支持率上。

　　In addition, conservative and libertarian activists under the banner of the Tea Party movement are energized this year, urging voters to make a statement against the president's economic policies and against the Democratic majority in Congress.

　　除此之外，保守派和自由派活动人士今年在茶党运动的旗帜下斗志昂扬，他们敦促选民表明立场，反对总统的经济政策，反对民主党在国会的多数地位。

　　John Fortier is a political analyst² at the American Enterprise Institute here in Washington.

　　美国企业研究所政治问题专家约翰·福蒂埃分析说：

　　"In general, I think the atmosphere is greatly improved for Republicans by the Tea Party," said Fortier. "A focus on economics and small government is good for the Republican Party. And the voters who will come out to support their candidates will generally bring them to victory."

　　“总的来看，茶党使现在的气氛对共和党来说改善了许多。把重点放在经济和小政府上，这对共和党有利。那些出来支持自己候选人的选民通常会使这些候选人获胜。”

　　Democrats are spending a lot of time trying to motivate younger voters this year because, historically, they have been less likely to vote in congressional midterm elections than older voters.

　　This year, that could be a serious problem for Democrats, says pollster Celinda Lake.

　　"Younger voters are the most Democratic voters," said Lake. "Seniors remain the toughest for us. And if there is a story line in this election that is slightly different than the past, it is the animosity of seniors who will show up to vote."

　　The Tea Party movement is popular with many older voters who are upset about the size of government and who want to cut taxes and government spending.

　　Both major parties will be spending millions of dollars in the final weeks of this year's election campaign, hoping to persuade their core supporters to go to the polls on November 2.

　　民主党和共和党在今年选战的最后几个星期都将花费数百万美元，希望自己的核心支持者11月2日那天能够到投票站参加投票。