浮夸辩论对选民产生影响

Voters Influenced by Flashy Debates 浮夸辩论对选民产生影响

Much attention has been paid to the U.S. presidential elections that are still 14 months away.

The Republican party has held two televised debates that were watched by millions of people. They have been loud, colorful and intense. In the most recent debate last week, 11 candidates crowded a stage in California. When they weren’t critical of the Democrats¹, they insulted each other. 

Republican presidential candidate, businesswoman Carly Fiorina, makes a point during the Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Sept. 16, 2015.Republican presidential candidate, businesswoman Carly Fiorina, makes a point during the Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Sept. 16, 2015.

The race on the Democratic Party side has been calmer. Leading candidate Hillary Clinton has been holding small, private events to meet with citizens and donors². Her closest competitor, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, has been drawing large crowds across the country. But, so far, the Democrats have not held any debates.

While Mr. Sanders talks with his audiences about issues, he has not attracted as much media coverage³ as Mr. Trump⁴ and Ms. Clinton. Some critics say it is because he is not as charismatic as the other candidates.

Much of the election discussion has been centered around the personalities⁵ of the candidates. Headlines focus on businessman Donald Trump, who is described as brash and incendiary. Those stories are often paired with news about how Ms. Clinton is considered cold and aloof⁶.

How much do those personalities impact what Americans think and how they vote? What issues are most important to Americans?

According to the latest research from longtime polling company, Gallup, “no one issue dominates Americans’ perception,” at the moment. Unlike elections in the past, “the 2016 presidential campaign may be fought over a variety of issues,” Gallup says.

However, the top issues for American voters are immigration, economy and government, the pollster says.

Immigration

Gallup notes that recent political talk may influence what voters name as important to them at the time. The high number of Americans who say immigration is a top problem “may reflect the emphasis it has received in Donald Trump's presidential campaign.”

Events like the migrant crisis in Europe, and young immigrants coming from Latin America to the U.S., may also influence those who answered the poll.

However, in June, before immigration became a campaign theme, the Pew Research Center asked Americans about immigration. Pew found that 72 percent of Americans said undocumented immigrants in the U.S. should be allowed to stay under conditions.

Pew said that response was the same as over the past two years. 

Economy

Americans are most concerned about the economy and jobs, according to other polling and research companies, as well.

Pew reports that 56 percent of those polled say they cannot keep up with family expenses. Nearly half say they have lost a job, cannot pay for health care, or have been unable to pay bills. Many say that their families have had at least one “serious financial problem” and local jobs were “difficult” to find.

“The public’s views of the national economy … remains⁷ bleak,” Pew says in a September 4 report.

Government

Voters say their unhappiness with government is at the top of  "most important" issues, too, according to Gallup.

Seventeen percent of those polled – that’s four percent higher than last month -- reported dissatisfaction about “Congress, politicians, poor leadership, corruption⁸ and abuse of power.”

Candidates like Mr. Trump and brain surgeon Ben Carson may be doing better in the polls because they do not have government experience. That might appeal to voters who are dissatisfied with government, Gallup says.

As summer comes to an end, polls also find that Mr. Trump’s popularity numbers have dipped. According to Rasmussen Reports, another research organization, Republicans they surveyed “lowered Donald Trump’s chances for the … presidential nomination⁹ for the second week in a row.”

Words in This Story

televised -- v. aired or broadcast over the airwaves on television or the Internet

donors -- n. people who give money to a cause, person or event

competitors -- n. people or situations that are reaching for the same goal

charismatic -- adj. very likeable and atrractive

brash -- adj. bold to the point of insulting

incendiary -- adj. starting a fire, conflict or argument

aloof -- adj. distant, not connecting with others

dominates -- v. uses force to control others

emphasis -- noun special attention paid to something

expenses -- n. the cost to do or make something

financial -- n. relating to finance and money

dissatisfaction -- v. unhappiness, disappointment, not pleased 

surgeon -- n. -- a medical doctor who operates, or uses a surgical knife to explore the body

1 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》

2 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

6 aloof   

adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的

参考例句：

• Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。
• On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

9 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。