VOA标准英语2008年-Friday's US Presidential Debate Remains in Doub

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are taking a rare break from the campaign trail to join President Bush and congressional leaders at the White House for a meeting on the U.S. financial crisis. McCain and Obama are scheduled for their first debate Friday, but that event is now in doubt. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.
　
Senator John McCain (center) in the U.S. Senate office bulding, 25 Sep 2008

Before returning to Washington to deal with the financial crisis, both candidates spoke¹ to former President Bill Clinton's annual meeting of his Global Initiative Project in New York.

Senator McCain said he is confident Congress and the Bush administration can agree on a financial bailout plan within the next few days.

But McCain stood by his decision to suspend his presidential campaign and a call to delay Friday's first presidential debate at the University of Mississippi.

"A great deal is being asked of the American people, and great care must be taken to ensure their protection," he said. "As most of you know, I am an old Navy pilot and I know when a crisis calls for all hands on deck. That is the situation in Washington at this very hour when the whole future of the American economy is in danger. I cannot carry on a campaign as though this dangerous situation had not occurred or as though a solution were at hand, which it clearly is not."
　
Senator Barack Obama in St. Petersburg, Florida, 25 Sep 2008

McCain's Democratic Party opponent, Senator Barack Obama, also addressed the Clinton conference by satellite from Florida, where he is preparing for Friday's debate.

Obama echoed McCain's call for swift congressional action on a bailout plan that includes safeguards for taxpayers² and homeowners.

"It is outrageous³ that we find ourselves in a situation where taxpayers must bear the burden and the risk for greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and Washington," he said. "But we also know that failure to act would have grave consequences for jobs, for savings⁴ and retirement⁵ for the American people."

Obama and McCain also want to prevent Wall Street executives responsible for the financial crisis from benefiting from the bailout plan.

But Obama also made it clear that he intends to attend Friday's scheduled presidential debate in Mississippi.

"Our election is in 40 days, our economy is in crisis and our nation is fighting two wars abroad," he said. "The American people, I believe, deserve to hear directly from myself and Senator McCain about how we intend to lead our country. The times are too serious to put our campaigns on hold or to ignore the full range of issues that the next president will face."

McCain's surprise call to delay the first of three presidential debates appeared to catch the Obama campaign off guard and has added a new element of uncertainty⁶ to the presidential race.

Many Republicans have praised McCain for suspending his campaign, saying it shows he is willing to put the country's needs above politics.

But many Democrats⁷ have criticized McCain for what they say is a political stunt⁸ that will do little to bring about a compromise bailout plan in Congress.

 

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

3 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

4 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

5 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

6 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

7 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。