2007年VOA标准英语-US Senator John McCain Making Second Run for Pr

By Jim Malone
Washington
28 September 2007

In the crowded field of Republican presidential contenders, perhaps no one is better known than Senator John McCain of Arizona. McCain is making his second run for the White House in 2008, and VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has a profile from Washington.

John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone in 1936.

As the son and grandson of U.S. Navy admirals, McCain's military career took him to the Naval¹ Academy, and then into combat as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War.

After his plane was shot down over North Vietnam in 1967, McCain spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war, endured brutal² beatings and came home a national hero.

McCain says his war experience makes him uniquely qualified³ to be president.

"I can hit the ground running. I do not need any on the job training," he said. I have seen the face of evil. I know the face of war. That will be the issue. That is why I will be President of the United States."

In his four terms as a senator, McCain has earned a reputation as a hawk⁴ on foreign policy and defense⁵ matters, but as a political maverick⁶ on domestic issues.

In 2000, McCain lost his bid for the Republican Party's presidential nomination⁷ to then Texas Governor George W. Bush.

McCain hopes to appeal to both conservative and independent voters in his second try for the White House in 2008, with an emphasis on national security.

"Do not tell me we cannot make our country stronger and the world safer. We can. We must," he said. "And when I am president, we will."

The Arizona senator was a driving force behind a campaign finance reform bill and supports legalizing illegal immigrants already in the country.

Both stands have hurt him with conservative Republicans.

Larry Sabato directs the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

"Everything from his position on campaign finance reform, immigration, his running against President Bush in the 2000 primaries, which caused great angst and division in many of the places in the Republican Party that you have to do well in to win," he noted⁸.

At one time, McCain was considered the frontrunner among Republican presidential contenders. But his campaign faltered⁹ during much of 2007 and he trails rivals like former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee.

Among all the Republican candidates, McCain has been the most vocal¹⁰ in support of President Bush's military surge strategy in Iraq.

"The war is far more important than any political ambition that I have," he said. "I believe that if we fail, there will be chaos¹¹ and genocide in the region and that they will follow us home."

Experts note that during his career McCain has always relished¹² the role of a political underdog.

John Fortier is with the American Enterprise Institute.

"Can he come back? He still does fairly well in the polls. He is a dynamic figure," noted Fortier. "The Republican race is uncertain, so I would not rule him out."

At 71-years-old, McCain would be the oldest person to assume the presidency¹³ should he win the 2008 election, surpassing his political hero, Ronald Reagan, who was inaugurated at the age of 69.

1 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

2 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

3 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

4 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 maverick   

adj.特立独行的；不遵守传统的；n.持异议者，自行其是者

参考例句：

• He's a maverick.He has his own way of thinking about things.他是个特异独行的人。对事情有自己的看法。
• You're a maverick and you'll try anything.你是个爱自行其是的人，样样事情都要尝试一下。

7 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。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

10 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

11 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

12 relished   

v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望

参考例句：

• The chaplain relished the privacy and isolation of his verdant surroundings. 牧师十分欣赏他那苍翠的环境所具有的幽雅恬静，与世隔绝的气氛。 来自辞典例句
• Dalleson relished the first portion of the work before him. 达尔生对眼前这工作的前半部分满有兴趣。 来自辞典例句

13 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。