2006年VOA标准英语-Democrat Mark Warner Decides Against US Preside

By Jim Malone
Washington
12 October 2006

Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner surprised fellow Democrats² Thursday by announcing he will not run for president in 2008.  Many Democrats considered Warner a viable³ alternative to Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, who is widely seen as the front-runner for the party's presidential nomination⁴ two years from now. 

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Mark Warner at a news conference in Richmond, Virginia , Oct. 12, 2006   
  
In a written statement, Mark Warner said his decision was not based on politics, but on what was best for his wife and three daughters.

Warner said that, while it seemed the right time to take the plunge⁵ politically, he wanted a real life, and did not wish to put his family through the rigors⁶ of a presidential campaign.

The announcement stunned⁷ Democrats, especially those who considered the popular former Virginia governor a moderate alternative to Hillary Clinton in 2008.

Warner has been out campaigning for Democratic candidates in recent weeks, and testing the waters for a presidential bid.

He recently spoke⁸ at a political picnic in the early contest state of New Hampshire.

"The most distinctive⁹ American value in my mind is that everybody ought to get a fair shot.  We cannot guarantee you success, but you ought to get a fair shot, and our society ought to provide you the tools to make sure you get that fair shot," he said.

Independent political analyst¹⁰ Stuart Rothenberg says Warner's decision not to run for the White House in 2008 is bound to disappoint some Democrats.

"It takes away the Democrat¹ who was seeming to emerge as the alternative to Senator Clinton, the more moderate Democrat with broader appeal," he said. "Senator Clinton now does not know as much as she and her strategists did about where the challenge to her is going to come from."

 
Sen. John McCain 
  
Senator Clinton leads other Democrats in most public opinion polls as the top choice to run for president in 2008.  But some party activists¹¹ and analysts¹² question whether she can win a contest against a Republican like Senator John McCain of Arizona, widely seen as a top contender for the Republican Party presidential nomination.

Clinton has said she will decide on a presidential run after the congressional elections in November.

"For the Democrats, it is a tragedy.  He was the premier¹³ centristm" said Larry Sabato, who directs the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "He could have won a general election, whereas many of the Democratic candidates are too far left to win a general election."

Several other Democrats are considering a White House bid in two years, and the Warner decision to forego the race could encourage them to enter the race.

Sen. John Kerry (file photo)  
  
Among those possibly interested in a White House run are Senator John Kerry, the party's 2004 nominee¹⁴ and his vice¹⁵ presidential running mate, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards.

Others on that list include Senators Evan Bayh of Indiana, Joe Biden of Delaware, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.

Some Democrats also mention Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a former U.N. ambassador, as possibilities, as well as former Vice President Al Gore¹⁶, who narrowly lost the presidency¹⁷ in 2000 to George Bush.  Gore says he has no plans to run in 2008.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 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》

3 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

4 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。

5 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

6 rigors   

严格( rigor的名词复数 )； 严酷； 严密； （由惊吓或中毒等导致的身体）僵直

参考例句：

• The rigors of that lonely land need no further description. 生活在那个穷乡僻壤的困苦是无庸赘言的。
• You aren't ready for the rigors of industry. 你不适合干工业的艰苦工作了。

7 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

10 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

11 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

14 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。

15 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。

16 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

17 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。