VOA常速英语2008年-Record Turnout Expected in Tuesday's US Preside

By Cindy Saine
Washington
04 March 2008

Record turnouts are expected in the U.S. presidential race as primary voters go to the polls in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont.  The latest public opinion polls show Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama locked in very close contests in the delegate-rich states of Texas and Ohio.  On the Republican side, Senator John McCain could secure his party's nomination¹ with victories Tuesday over former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.  VOA Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from Washington.

Senator Hillary Clinton is fighting to keep her dream alive of becoming the first woman elected president of the United States.  Polls show the race for the Democratic nomination too close to call in Texas, and give her a slight lead in Ohio, where she will await the results Tuesday night.  Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, had asserted that she needs to win both Texas and Ohio to keep her campaign going. 

But speaking from Texas on Comedy Central's The Daily Show late Monday, Clinton indicated she may fight on even if she does not win both states.

"It is still a very close contest in terms of the popular vote and the number of delegates," she said.

Senator Barack Obama, who is vying² to become the first African-American U.S. president, has more committed delegates than Senator Clinton and is coming off 11 straight victories in primaries and caucuses⁴ since Super Tuesday on February 5.  His campaign would love to deliver Clinton a "knockout blow" by winning both Texas and Ohio. 

But campaigning Monday with his wife Michelle in Texas, Senator Obama asked his supporters not to take anything for granted.

"We have got to work in these last few hours.  If you voted, then you have got to go find somebody who has not voted," he said.  "If you already planned to caucus³, you have got to round up five more friends to go to caucus with you."

Texans can choose to cast ballots⁵ in the Democratic or Republican primary, and then attend a caucus held by that party after the polls close.  Turnout has already been high in Texas, with an estimated 60 percent of voters casting their ballots in early balloting⁶. 

Polls show Obama with a strong lead in Vermont, and Clinton leading in Rhode Island.

Republicans are also voting in the same four primaries, with a total of 256 Republican delegates at stake.  Senator John McCain only needs 177 additional delegates to clinch⁷ his party's nomination at the national convention in early September.

His chief remaining opponent, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has said he will stay in the race until someone obtains the required number of delegates.  Senator McCain has already been focusing his energy on his Democratic rivals for the White House.

1 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。

2 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

3 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

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 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》

6 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

7 clinch   

v.敲弯，钉牢；确定；扭住对方 [参]clench

参考例句：

• Clinch the boards together.用钉子把木板钉牢在一起。
• We don't accept us dollars,please Swiss francs to clinch a deal business.我方不收美元，请最好用瑞士法郎来成交生意。