VOA常速英语2007年-Obama, Clinton in Tight Race in Democratic Pres

By Jim Malone
Washington
20 November 2007

A new public opinion poll shows a very close race between Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in the early contest state of Iowa. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone reports from Washington.

The latest survey of Iowa Democrats¹ by ABC News and the Washington Post has Obama in the lead with 30 percent, followed by Clinton at 26 percent. Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards is running third with 22 percent, followed by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson with 11 percent.

Clinton continues to hold a wide lead over Obama in national surveys.

The latest Iowa poll indicates Obama is gaining strength and comes in the wake of the latest Democratic debate in which Obama questioned Clinton on the issues of trust and credibility.

"What the American people are looking for right now is straight answers to tough questions and that is not what we have seen out of Senator Clinton," said Obama.

Clinton responded that she has become the subject of attacks from her Democratic rivals for a simple reason.

"People are not attacking me because I am a woman," she said. "They are attacking me because I am ahead."

The latest survey indicates those who are most interested in a candidate with strength and experience prefer Clinton, while those who want change are drawn² to Obama.

Iowa begins the presidential nominating process with its presidential caucuses³ for both parties on January 3.

University of Virginia political analyst⁴ Larry Sabato says Iowa represents the best chance for Clinton's Democratic rivals to narrow her lead in the national polls.

"I think it is entirely⁵ possible that Clinton is going to be given a good run for her money in Iowa," said Sabato. "It is conceivable that she will lose Iowa, and if she does lose Iowa, then it becomes a real contest for the Democratic nomination⁶.

Professor Sabato is the guest on VOA's Talk to America Web chat.

Less than a week after Iowa, the candidates are scheduled to compete in the nation's first presidential primary in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner told the C-SPAN public affairs network that voters there have a tradition of not committing to one candidate until the very last minute.

"Most people in New Hampshire, most voters, are going to make up their minds at the very end because there is no need to be for someone to the exclusion⁸ of everyone else right now," said Gardner.

There is plenty of uncertainty⁹ in the battle for the Republican Party's presidential nomination as well. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads the national polls among Republican voters. But surveys in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire indicate former Massachusetts Governor Mitt⁷ Romney is currently leading the Republican field in both states.

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 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

3 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

4 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。

5 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

6 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。

7 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

8 exclusion   

n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行

参考例句：

• Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
• He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

9 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。