voa标准英语2008年-President Bush Maintains Low Profile Ahead of T

In the final days of the presidential campaign, Americans have been flooded with messages from John McCain and Barack Obama. One person who has maintained a conspicuously¹ low profile is the man both candidates hope to replace: President Bush. Far from providing a boost to fellow-Republican McCain, Mr. Bush is widely viewed as having a detrimental² effect on the Arizona senator's chances of winning the election, due to his record-low public approval ratings, a troubled economy and a war effort in Iraq that has lasted more than five years. Monday, the White House acknowledged President Bush's unpopularity while restating Mr. Bush's support for Senator McCain. VOA's Michael Bowman reports.
　

President George W. Bush

As a rule, outgoing presidents hit the campaign trail in support of their party's presidential nominee³. But not this year. President Bush did not attend the Republican National Convention in September, and has not appeared in public with Senator McCain since then.

Not that Mr. Bush has been forgotten. On the campaign trial, Democrat⁴ Barack Obama has spoken about President Bush almost as much as John McCain - and sought to link the two.

"John McCain has ridden shotgun [alongside] as George Bush has driven our economy towards a cliff," Obama said. "And now he wants to take the wheel and step on the gas."

Far from defending the president, McCain has protested the Illinois senator's suggestion that he and Mr. Bush are political bedfellows.
　

Senator John McCain in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, 02 Nov 2008

"I am not George Bush, McCain said. "If Senator Obama wanted to run against George Bush, he should have run for president four years ago."

That comment from the campaign trail stands in sharp contrast to McCain's assertion in March, when he appeared with the president at the White House after it became clear he would win the Republican presidential nomination⁵.

"I intend to have as much [many] possible campaigning events together [with Mr. Bush] as is in keeping with the president's heavy schedule," he said.

In fact, McCain has not shied from criticizing President Bush on his handling of the economy. In a television advertisement, McCain noted⁶ that "The last eight years have not worked very well, have they?"

Asked about being shunned⁷ by both presidential aspirants⁸, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Mr. Bush understands today's political climate.
　

Dana Perino (file)

"We are realistic about the political environment that we are in," she said. "We are also cognizant that the Republican Party wanted to make this election about John McCain. And that is appropriate."

Perino acknowledged the American people's desire for change, but said President Bush has remained true to his ideals while confronting difficult challenges. She dismissed any suggestion that Mr. Bush is resentful of McCain's criticism of the president.

"Everybody would like to be popular. We can all remember that back in high school," she said. "Everyone really wanted to be popular, and some of us just were not. We are supporting this candidate [McCain] and trying to be respectful of what they [Republicans] have thought is the best way to run their campaign."

It is not at all clear that the McCain campaign welcomes Perino's comments, coming one day before the election. Last week, Vice⁹ President Cheney voiced his support for McCain - an endorsement¹⁰ that was immediately picked up by the Obama campaign and used in a television advertisement attacking the Arizona senator.

Perino says President Bush will remain in the White House Tuesday to watch election returns. Mr. Bush is expected to congratulate the winner once final results are known.

1 conspicuously   

ad.明显地，惹人注目地

参考例句：

• France remained a conspicuously uneasy country. 法国依然是个明显不太平的国家。
• She figured conspicuously in the public debate on the issue. 她在该问题的公开辩论中很引人注目。

2 detrimental   

adj.损害的，造成伤害的

参考例句：

• We know that heat treatment is detrimental to milk.我们知道加热对牛奶是不利的。
• He wouldn't accept that smoking was detrimental to health.他不相信吸烟有害健康。

3 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

4 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。

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 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。

7 shunned   

v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was shunned by her family when she remarried. 她再婚后家里人都躲着她。
• He was a shy man who shunned all publicity. 他是个怕羞的人，总是避开一切引人注目的活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 aspirants   

n.有志向或渴望获得…的人( aspirant的名词复数 )v.渴望的，有抱负的，追求名誉或地位的( aspirant的第三人称单数 )；有志向或渴望获得…的人

参考例句：

• aspirants to the title of world champion 有志夺取世界冠军的人
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out. 考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 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。

10 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。