2007年VOA标准英语-US Presidential Candidate Calls for Impeachment

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
25 April 2007

A House lawmaker, Dennis Kucinich, has introduced articles of impeachment¹ against Vice² President Dick Cheney, asserting that actions Mr. Cheney has taken have harmed U.S. national security and deceived Congress and Americans. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, the Ohio Democrat³ rejects suggestions his move, which is opposed by leaders in his own party, is designed to help his presidential campaign.

Dennis Kucinich announces Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney, 24 Apr 2007

Kucinich, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2004, represents the far left of the Democratic party and has been among the sharpest critics of the Bush administration since the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003.

He appeared at a Capitol Hill news conference Tuesday to outline his 18-page document.

"These articles are about the conduct of the vice president of the United States, that he deceived the people of the U.S. to take this country into a war [in Iraq], that he continues to exhibit a pattern of conduct that could take this country into another war based on false pretenses," said Dennis Kucinich.

Kucinich's articles of impeachment focus on what he calls the vice president's manipulation of intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and his longstanding insistence⁴ on a connection between Iraq and al-Qaida.

But he also accuses Mr. Cheney of attempting to move the U.S. closer to an attack on Iran, despite what he says is the absence of evidence that Iran poses a threat to the U.S.

In the House of Representatives, a member's case for impeachment of an elected official must be reviewed by the judiciary committee which would decide whether to conduct an inquiry⁵.

However, any go ahead for such an inquiry would have to come from the full House, and Kucinich faces formidable obstacles from leaders in his own party.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has long made it clear she will oppose any drive for impeachment proceedings⁶, saying that to do so would divert energy from Democrat's most important agenda items, and play into the hands of Republicans.

Acknowledging he did not consult with Speaker Pelosi, Kucinich denies that political motivations underlie⁷ his move.

"As much as I admire the speaker, as much as I voted to support her, I feel that it is my obligation as a member of Congress to introduce these articles of impeachment, and I believe the American people will be the final arbiters⁸ as to whether or not these articles should go forward," he said.

A Cheney spokeswoman responded to Kucinich's move by saying the vice president is focused on the serious issues facing our nation pointing to what she called his 40 years of honorable service.

Vice President Cheney, right, speaks to the press about the war in Iraq on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stands at left

In a surprise appearance before reporters on Capitol Hill, the vice president said nothing about Kucinich's impeachment drive, but did use the opportunity to sharply criticize congressional Democrats⁹, specifically the Senate majority leader Harry¹⁰ Reid, over legislation to fund the war in Iraq.

"It is cynical¹¹ to declare that the war is lost, because you believe it gives you political advantage," said Dick Cheney. "Leaders should make decisions based on the security interests of our country, not on the interests of their political party."

The House is scheduled to take up a House-Senate conference report on Iraq-Afghanistan military funding Wednesday, with the Senate to follow the next day.

1 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

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 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。

4 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

5 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

6 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

7 underlie   

v.位于...之下，成为...的基础

参考例句：

• Technology improvements underlie these trends.科技进步将成为此发展趋势的基础。
• Many facts underlie my decision.我的决定是以许多事实为依据的。

8 arbiters   

仲裁人，裁决者( arbiter的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In the forensicfield, the final arbiters of quality are the courts. 在法医学领域，质量的最后仲裁者是法庭。
• They are, increasingly, arbiters of which types of borrowers get credit. 它们正越来越多地充当决定哪几种借款人可获得信贷的裁决人角色。

9 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》

10 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

11 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。