U.S. President Barack Obama is preparing to deliver his State of the Union Address at a time of political turmoil in Washington. Voter anger is high, and a Republican Senate victory in Massachusetts has sent shock waves through the president's Democratic Party.
正值华盛顿政局波动之际，美国总统奥巴马准备发表他的国情咨文。选民的愤慨之情高涨，而麻萨诸塞州共和党人在参议院赢得的胜利震撼了总统的民主党。
White House officials say they understand why emotions are running high. The president's top political aide says President Obama has had to take unpopular action to deal with an economic crisis far worse than anyone expected when he took office.
白宫官员说，他们理解为什么选民的愤慨情绪高涨。总统的高级政治顾问大卫.阿克塞尔罗德说，奥巴马总统一直不得不采取有失人心的行动来应对经济危机，而这次经济危机的严重程度大大超过他就职时的预计。
David Axelrod says he warned the president early on that his public approval ratings were likely to drop. "I said to him a year ago, Mr. President your numbers are going to be considerably worse a year from now than they are today because you can not govern in an economy like this without great disaffection," he said.
阿克塞尔罗德说，他曾经提醒总统公众支持率很可能会下降。阿克塞尔罗德说：“一年前我曾对他说，总统先生，一年后你的得分会比今天糟糕得多，因为当你治理这种状况的经济时，人们的强烈不满是不可避免的。”
Axelrod told the ABC television program This Week that he believes the president did the right thing. "I have no regrets about that. I think history will look back and say the President of the United States met his responsibilities," he said.
阿克塞尔罗德在美国广播公司的“本周”电视节目上说，他认为总统的行动是正确的。阿克塞尔罗德说：“我对此并不感到遗憾。我认为当人们回顾历史的时候会说：这位美国总统是称职的。”
But Republicans say the win by Scott Brown in usually reliably Democratic Massachusetts shows the public vehemently disagrees with the president's policies - most notably his drive to get legislation through Congress to overhaul the nation's health care system.
但是共和党人说，斯科特.布朗在通常是民主党人稳坐江山的麻萨诸塞州赢得的胜利显示，美国公众激烈反对总统的政策，其中最引人注目的是他努力推动国会立法、全面改革美国的健保制度。
On NBC's Meet the Press, the top Republican in the U.S. Senate, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, said polls show the vote in Massachusetts was largely about health care reform. "The American people had a victory in Massachusetts. And they were sending us the message - stop and start over," he said.
高层共和党人、美国参议院少数党领袖麦康奈尔在全国广播公司的“面对媒体”节目上说，民调显示在麻萨诸塞州的这次选举多半和健保改革有关。麦康奈尔说：“美国人民在麻萨诸塞州赢得了胜利。而且他们向我们发出了这条信息：罢手，从头做起。”
One of the president's chief advisors, Valerie Jarrett, makes clear Mr. Obama is not about to give up.
奥巴马的首席顾问之一瓦莱丽.贾勒特明确表示，奥巴马不会放弃。
She also appeared on Meet the Press, saying, "What the president is always going to do is push hard for the American people. He is not going to give up on that because of one election in Massachusetts."
她也在“面对媒体”节目上露了面。贾勒特说：“奥巴马总统始终准备为美国人民而尽力争取。他不会由于麻萨诸塞州的一次选举而放弃健保改革。”
But there are already small incremental signs of change at the White House and the Democratic Party headquarters following the Massachusetts election.
但是已经有更多迹象显示，白宫和民主党在麻萨诸塞州的选举后略有改变。
The man who led the successful Obama presidential campaign, David Plouffe, will help the party prepare for Congressional elections in November. And President Obama is making a greater effort to show the American people that his policies can change their lives for the better - particularly when it comes to creating jobs.
成功地主导奥巴马总统竞选活动的大卫.普洛非将帮助民主党准备11月间的国会选举。而奥巴马总统则更加努力地向美国人民显示他的政策能让他们生活更美满，尤其在创造就业机会方面。
Jarrett indicates that will be a focus of the State of the Union Address, saying "he will be able to set forward his priorities and they will be focusing on the middle class - our middle class is struggling out there, they are frustrated, they are angry."
贾勒特指出那将是国情咨文的一个要点。贾勒特说：“他将会展现自己的首要任务，而这些任务的重点对象是中产阶级，我们的中产阶级在不断奋斗，他们感到失望，也觉得愤慨。”
The president will deliver his State of the Union Address to Congress and the American people on Wednesday.
奥巴马总统将在星期三向国会和美国人民发表他的国情咨文。 |