Bush Pursues 2nd Term in the

 

By Paula Wolfson

George W. Bush is seeking the prize that eluded¹ his father, a second term in the White House. Four years after an election that divided the country, President Bush is facing an electorate² still split over his leadership.
On January 20, 2001, George W. Bush took the oath of office as the 43rd President of the United States. He assumed the presidency³ following one of the most controversial elections in U.S. history. Election night stretched on for weeks, as the vote tally⁴ in one state, Florida, hung in the balance. In the end, the Supreme⁵ Court determined⁶ the outcome by putting an end to the recount demanded by Democrats⁷.
And so it seemed somehow fitting that President Bush took power on a gray day with a cold drizzle⁸ in the air, a day that some said matched the mood of an election-weary nation. "America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be citizens."
He delivered a speech full of optimism, promising⁹ a new era of civility in American politics, and a domestic policy built on what he called "compassionate¹⁰ conservatism."
It seemed so long ago, a time when the nation tried to catch its collective breath, after an exhausting election marathon.
All that changed on a September morning that dawned bright and full of promise. On September 11, 2001, terrorists struck the United States. The nation and the president, would never be the same. "A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America."
Three days later, he went to New York City, standing¹¹ on a pile of twisted metal and ash, all that remained of the two World Trade Center buildings that once touched the sky. Rescue workers at the site started chanting, and handed him a megaphone. "I can hear you. I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon."
Within weeks, U.S. forces launched attacks on al-Qaida terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, and drove the Taleban regime from power. By 2002, the president was talking about a possible new battleground in the war on terror, Iraq. "I will not wait on events, while dangers gather. I will not stand by, as peril¹² draws closer and closer."
The issue split the United Nations Security Council, and created friction¹³ with some of America's allies, most notably¹⁴ France and Germany. On March 19, 2003, President Bush announced the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition¹⁵ forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm¹⁶ Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger."
Saddam Hussein was driven from power relatively¹⁷ quickly, and by May, the president said major combat operations were over, addressing the nation from the deck of an aircraft carrier, decorated with a banner that read "Mission Accomplished¹⁸."
But the violence did not end, despite the capture of the ousted¹⁹ Iraqi leader, and the rationale for war began to come into question from his political opponents. George W. Bush, who ran in 2000 as a compassionate conservative, found himself seeking a second term as a war president. "I wish I wasn't the War President. Who in the heck wants to be a War President? I don't. But this is what came our way." It could be the issue that decides this election. The president's popularity was very high after the September 11th attacks, and the invasion of Afghanistan. It began to slip as the death toll²⁰ increased in Iraq.
John Fortier is an expert on politics and the presidency at the American Enterprise Institute here in Washington. He says the president's approval ratings, though still positive, are entering dangerous territory. "He is sort of in the middle. He hasn't fallen too much in popularity. He is not in great shape in the election. He is a president on the brink²¹."
Some presidents who have led the country during a time of war have won easy re-election. Others have faced defeat or given up their dreams of a second term before the campaign even began. The key for President Bush, says Steven Hess of the Brookings institution, is whether the public views the conflict in Iraq as just. "He certainly isn't responsible, I don't think he's responsible, for 9-11. But again, Iraq, yes, he is responsible for that. His objective, his vision if you will, is what led the nation into that particular engagement very decidedly. I'm sure. Very definitely. I wouldn't say otherwise."
In January 2001, for only the second time in the history of the United States, the son of a former president assumed the highest office in the land, and put forward his vision for America. The first to accomplish that feat²² was John Quincy Adams in 1825. But he only served one term in office. George W. Bush is aiming for two.
Paula Wolfson, VOA news.
注释：
elude 躲避，未实现
electorate 选民，选区
controversial 争论的
democrat 民主党人
weary 疲倦的，厌倦的
compassionate 富于同情心的
conservatism 保守主义
megaphone 扩音器
peril 危险
friction 摩擦
grave 严重的
banner 横幅，标语
rationale 基本原理，真正意义
brink（峭岸、崖的）边缘
decidedly 果断地，断然地

 

1 eluded   

v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到

参考例句：

• The sly fox nimbly eluded the dogs. 那只狡猾的狐狸灵活地躲避开那群狗。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The criminal eluded the police. 那个罪犯甩掉了警察的追捕。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 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》

8 drizzle   

v.下毛毛雨；n.毛毛雨，蒙蒙细雨

参考例句：

• The shower tailed off into a drizzle.阵雨越来越小，最后变成了毛毛雨。
• Yesterday the radio forecast drizzle,and today it is indeed raining.昨天预报有小雨，今天果然下起来了。

9 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

10 compassionate   

adj.有同情心的，表示同情的

参考例句：

• She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
• The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。

11 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

12 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

13 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

14 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

15 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

16 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

17 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

18 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

19 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

20 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

21 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

22 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。