2007年VOA标准英语-Thompson Hopes To Shake Up Presidential Race

By Cindy Saine
Washington
11 September 2007
  
 

After months of what he called "testing the waters," former U.S. Senator and actor Fred Thompson finally took the plunge¹ into the presidential race the first week of September.  Some critics say he waited too long as the other eight candidates for the 2008 Republican nomination² scurried³ across key early primary states.  But Thompson's supporters believe he can fire up Republican voters who, polls show, are lukewarm about his opponents.

Fred Thompson making the announcement on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 5 Sep 2007

As a veteran actor, Fred Dalton Thompson knows how to make an entrance.   "We are where we need to be right now, and that is one of the things I want to talk to you about; I am running for president of the United States."

He chose to announce his candidacy Hollywood-style, on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", a popular late-night television talk show.   The venue⁴ emphasized the very thing his rivals fear most -- Thompson's star-power.  

The next day, the 65-year-old told voters in Iowa why he decided⁵ to run. "I am determined⁶ that we make the decisions that leave us a stronger nation, a more prosperous nation, and a more united nation and that is why I am running for the presidency⁷ of the United States."

The former senator and attorney from Tennessee made a smooth transition from Congress back to an acting⁸ career in 2002, when he joined the cast of NBC's crime series "Law and Order."  

He made a career of playing tough but fair authority figures--aided by his two meters height and heavy brow.

Even before he officially got in the race, surveys showed Thompson towering over many of his rivals, coming in second only to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani in national polls.  Some political experts are asking if Thompson will rescue the Republican Party, pointing to dissatisfaction with other candidates. 

John Fortier is an expert on presidential politics. "Especially when Rudy Giuliani and John McCain were the front-runners," he says, "Republicans were really looking around for somebody else--a more conservative candidate.  They were hoping for Ronald Reagan to come back and he was not available, but they saw Fred Thompson as a possible figure in that regard." 

Others have also drawn⁹ the comparison with late President Reagan. Larry Sabato directs the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "Thompson also has a Reaganesque quality about him because of his connection to Hollywood.  Republicans always try to nominate Ronald Reagan, just like Democrats¹⁰ always try to nominate John F. Kennedy."

Thompson's southern drawl and conservative voting record are made to order for the Republican Party's important base of southern conservative voters.  He is pro-gun rights and anti-abortion, and has made clear he wants the United States to do whatever it takes to prevail in Iraq.

But some experts point to flaws.  There was turnover¹¹ among his staff before he even announced, some said involving clashes with his wife Jeri -- herself a political consultant¹².  So far, Thompson has had little success raising money, and many on the campaign trail say he does not always relish¹³ the rigors¹⁴ of political life -- as Larry Sabato points out. "With all due respect to Senator Thompson, he is not known as the most energetic politician around.  Even some of his former staffers say he was relatively¹⁵ lazy as a member of the Senate. 

Now that Thompson has taken his place on center stage, it is up to him to deliver the performance of a lifetime to try and win the 2008 nomination and a real-life role in the White House.

1 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。

2 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。

3 scurried   

v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She said goodbye and scurried back to work. 她说声再见，然后扭头跑回去干活了。
• It began to rain and we scurried for shelter. 下起雨来，我们急忙找地方躲避。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

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 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。

8 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

9 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。

10 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》

11 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

12 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

13 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

14 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。

15 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。