VOA标准英语2008年-Obama, McCain Favorites in New Hampshire Presid

By Jim Malone
Manchester, New Hampshire
08 January 2008

Unusually warm winter weather and intense interest are fueling a strong turnout of voters in the Northeastern state of New Hampshire in the first presidential primary of the 2008 election year.  VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has been talking to voters and has a report. 

Voters streamed into a polling station at a church in Manchester to cast their primary ballots¹.

Among them was Heidi Perry.  She voted for Democrat² Barack Obama.

"I am a schoolteacher and I just feel that he is going to help with the schools," she said.  "I teach here in the city and we are out of paper and supplies.  I just liked his demeanor³ better. I just thought he was for the people and I just liked his calmness."

The latest polls show Obama with a significant lead in New Hampshire in the Democratic primary over Senator Hillary Clinton of New York.  An Obama victory following his win last week in the Iowa caucuses⁴ would make him the clear frontrunner for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination⁵.

In the Republican race, the polls indicate Senator John McCain of Arizona has a lead over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt⁶ Romney.

Voter Diane Beaudrey of Manchester says leadership and experience were important factors in her decision.

"I voted for John McCain," she noted⁷.  "I just think that he is a solid, grounded person, and I respect him.  He has done a lot for his country and sacrificed a lot for his country and I think he has got the experience that we need."

But there is a split in the family.  Diane's daughter, Ellie, voted Democratic.

"I voted for John Edwards, actually.  So, I am more of a Democratic liberal and I just think that he is very globally conscious, and I am trying to think of my future," she explained.

Republican McCain and Democrat Obama are hoping to appeal to independent voters in New Hampshire.  They make up more than 40 percent of the electorate⁸ and are allowed to vote in either party's presidential primary.

A McCain victory in New Hampshire would put him back in the top tier of Republican contenders along with former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who won last week's Iowa caucuses.

Other Republican contenders include former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee and Congressmen Ron Paul of Texas and Duncan Hunter of California.

In the Democratic race, the top contenders are Obama, Clinton and Edwards.  But New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson did win the support of Jill Swenson from Manchester.

"Bill Richardson.  I just like him," she noted.  "I was very undecided, but that was one of my main reasons."

Richardson tells VOA he will continue on in the presidential race no matter what happens in New Hampshire, and is focusing on later primaries in some of the Western states.

"In Nevada, we will be strong, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, the February 5 [primaries]," he said.  "We are making the war the main issue and it is working well.  Get out of Iraq, get all the troops out."

Voters in New Hampshire say they are most concerned about the war in Iraq, national security and the domestic economy.

New Hampshire is a key stop on the 2008 presidential campaign trail.  In the next few weeks, the campaign will move west and south with presidential nominating contests in Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina and Florida.

1 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 demeanor   

n.行为；风度

参考例句：

• She is quiet in her demeanor.她举止文静。
• The old soldier never lost his military demeanor.那个老军人从来没有失去军人风度。

4 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

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。

8 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。