VOA常速英语2008年-Obama Addresses Racial Divisiveness in Presiden

By Jim Malone
Washington
18 March 2008

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama sought to defuse a brewing¹ political controversy² Tuesday when he condemned³ inflammatory statements made over the years by his former pastor⁴, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright of Chicago.  Obama's remarks came during a speech on race in America delivered in Philadelphia.  VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington. 

Senator Obama condemned racially charged comments made by Reverend Wright in some of his sermons, calling his view of the United States profoundly distorted.

Over the years, Reverend Wright accused the U.S. government of being the source of the AIDS virus and said the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States were retribution for U.S. foreign policy.

Obama is seeking to become the first African-American president and said Wright's comments offended both blacks and whites and have the potential to widen the racial divide in America.

"Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy?  Of course," Obama said. "Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church?  Yes.  Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views?  Absolutely, just as I am sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors⁵, priests or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed."

Wright retired⁶ recently and was known for fiery⁷ sermons, like this one in 2003 that focused on what he believed were U.S. government efforts to mistreat blacks.

"The government gives them drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing God Bless America," Wright said. "No, no, no, not God Bless America, God damn America!  That is in the Bible for killing⁸ innocent people.  God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human!"

Obama met Wright more than 20 years ago and described him as someone who helped introduce him to his Christian⁹ faith.

Despite his criticism of Wright's racially-tinged comments over the years, Obama said he will not disown his former minister.

"As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me," Obama said. "He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding and baptized my children.  I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community.  I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother."

Obama also attempted to spark a frank discussion of race as an issue in U.S. politics.  Obama acknowledged that blacks and whites had different views of the state of the problem, but said the answer was openly confronting those differences to bring the country together.

"I would not be running for president if I did not believe with all my heart that this is what the vast majority of Americans want for this country," Obama said. "This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected."

The controversy over Wright's comments has been a major distraction¹⁰ for the Obama campaign in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination¹¹ with Senator Hillary Clinton.

Obama and Clinton next face off in the Pennsylvania primary on April 22.  A new poll gives Clinton a 12 point lead in Pennsylvania as she tries to overcome Obama's continuing lead in the delegate count.

1 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

2 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

3 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

4 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

5 pastors   

n.（基督教的）牧师( pastor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Do we show respect to our pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers? 我们有没有尊敬牧师、宣教士，以及主日学的老师？ 来自互联网
• Should pastors or elders be paid, or serve as a volunteer? 牧师或长老需要付给酬劳，还是志愿的事奉呢？ 来自互联网

6 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

11 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。