Democrats Officially Nominate John Kerry for President

 

By Meredith Buel

Delegates at the Democratic National Convention have formally nominated John Kerry as the party's candidate to challenge President Bush in the November election. The nomination¹ came after vice² presidential candidate John Edwards received an enthusiastic reception.

"Ohio takes great pride tonight in being the state to put this voting over the top and making John Kerry's candidacy official as we cast 159 votes for the next president of the United States John Kerry," he said.

Former astronaut John Glenn, an American hero, announced that the battleground state of Ohio, which is expected to play a critical role in the upcoming election, cast the votes from the convention floor that put John Kerry over the top, giving him the Democratic Party's nomination for president.

The vote, which was never in doubt, came just after Mr. Kerry's pick for his vice presidential running mate, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, was given a passionate³ reception by the delegates and electrified⁴ the convention with a stirring speech.

Mr. Edwards, who was born in a small town and raised by working-class parents, urged his supporters to wage a positive campaign that offers hope to all Americans.

He charged the Bush administration with running a negative campaign. "They are doing all they can to take the campaign for the highest office in the land down the lowest possible road. But this is where you come in," he said. "Between now and November you, the American people, you can reject this tired, old, hateful, negative, politics of the past. Instead you can embrace the politics of hope, the politics of what's possible because this is America, where everything is possible."

Mr. Edwards paid tribute to America's soldiers who died or were severely⁵ wounded during the continuing violence in Iraq.

The vice presidential candidate highlighted Senator Kerry's record as a war hero in Vietnam, saying the country needs a president who understands from personal experience what men and women in the military are going through.

Mr. Edwards said the men who served with Mr. Kerry have first hand knowledge about his bravery.

"They saw up close what he is made of. They saw him reach into the river and pull one of his men to safety and save his life," he said. "They saw him in the heat of battle make a decision in a split second to turn his boat around, drive it through an enemy position and chase down the enemy to save his crew. Decisive, strong, is this not what we need in a Commander in Chief?"

The Democrats⁶ are promoting Mr. Kerry's military background to convince Americans he has the qualifications to protect the country and fight terrorism.

A group of retired⁷ U.S. generals and admirals, including former Chairman of the Joint⁸ Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili, reinforced that theme by endorsing⁹ Mr. Kerry's candidacy at the convention.

"As a young man he heeded¹⁰ his country's call to service when that country of ours needed him," he said. "He commanded in combat and did so with bravery and great distinction. And so he knows from experience a commander's responsibility to his troops. So he stands with our troops and with their families and that is why I stand with John Kerry."

Earlier, Senator Kerry arrived in his hometown of Boston, which has nourished his political career for decades.

Mr. Kerry was greeted by U.S. Navy veterans who served with him on small combat boats during the Vietnam War.

With the men he calls his band of brothers, Mr. Kerry crossed Boston harbor by ferry, in what campaign officials say was a symbolic¹¹ moment -- the nominee¹² for president once again leading his crew toward shore.

Mr. Kerry says his campaign is ready for the political battle to come. "No retreat. No surrender. We are taking this fight to the country, and we are going to win back our democracy and our future," he said.

Thursday night Senator Kerry will accept his party's nomination for president, marking the climax¹³ of a unified¹⁴ convention.

Late next month in New York delegates from the Republican Party will nominate President Bush, which will kickoff what is expected to be a bruising¹⁵, closely contested campaign.

Meredith Buel, VOA News, Boston.

注释：
enthusiastic 热情的
candidacy 候选资格
cast 投（票）
running mate（竞选副总统的）竞选伙伴
stirring 激动人心的
wage 发动
highlighted 突出的
split second 瞬间
decisive 决定性的
Commander in Chief 总司令
admiral 海军上将
Joint Chiefs of Staff 参谋首长联席会议
endorse 认可
climax 高潮

 

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 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

4 electrified   

v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 )；使兴奋

参考例句：

• The railway line was electrified in the 1950s. 这条铁路线在20世纪50年代就实现了电气化。
• The national railway system has nearly all been electrified. 全国的铁路系统几乎全部实现了电气化。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

6 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》

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

9 endorsing   

v.赞同( endorse的现在分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• Yet Communist leaders are also publicly endorsing religion in an unprecedented way. 不过，共产党领导层对宗教信仰的公开认可也是以前不曾有过的。 来自互联网
• Connecticut Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman is endorsing Republican Senator John McCain. 康涅狄格州独立派参议员约瑟夫。列波曼将会票选共和议员约翰。麦凯恩。 来自互联网

10 heeded   

v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She countered that her advice had not been heeded. 她反驳说她的建议未被重视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I heeded my doctor's advice and stopped smoking. 我听从医生的劝告，把烟戒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

12 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

13 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

14 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

15 bruising   

adj.殊死的；十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式)

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• He slipped and fell, badly bruising an elbow. 他滑倒了，一只胳膊肘严重擦伤。 来自辞典例句