VOA标准英语2009年-Obama, Republicans Wrapping Up Campaigns f

By Jim Malone
Washington
02 November 2009
U.S. voters go to the polls in a handful of elections Tuesday that could have implications for President Barack Obama, his Democratic allies in Congress and opposition² Republicans.

Voters in Virginia and New Jersey³ will elect governors on Tuesday, and Republicans appear poised⁴ to take back the governor's mansion⁵ in Virginia after a streak⁶ of Democratic governors in recent years.

Republican Bob McDonnell leads Democrat¹ Creigh Deeds by a large margin⁷ in public-opinion polls in Virginia. McDonnell appears to be attracting some of the same moderate voters that supported Barack Obama in last year's presidential contest in Virginia.

Mr. Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Virginia since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

A close race is being held for governor in New Jersey where the Democratic incumbent⁸, John Corzine, is trying to hold off Republican challenger Chris Christie and independent candidate Chris Daggett.

 
President Barack Obama arrives at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, to campaign for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, right, 01 Nov 2009
 
President Obama has done some last-minute campaigning in New Jersey in the hope of helping⁹ Corzine win a second term.

"We need leaders who are committed to moving this country forward," he said. "We need leaders who are committed to moving New Jersey forward, and that is John Corzine, which is why you need to work hard on Tuesday!"

A Republican sweep will be seen by some as a rejection¹⁰ of President Obama's policies and could embolden¹¹ Republican efforts to win congressional seats in 2010.

Political experts say early indications are that Republicans appear more energized¹² than Democrats¹³ for this election year.

"Right now, what is driving Republicans towards success is the intensity¹⁴ gap," said Norman Ornstein, a political scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. "If you look at those who are most inclined to be involved in politics right now, the dynamic shifts to the minority party."

In addition to the two governor's races, there are two vacant congressional seats to fill, one in California and one in New York.

The House race in upstate New York is getting a lot of attention after the Republican candidate pulled out, leaving a Democrat and a challenger running under the Conservative Party banner. The Conservative Party candidate has had strong support from the conservative wing of the Republican Party.

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh says grass roots activists¹⁵ are demanding that Republicans adhere to conservative principles in advance of next year's midterm elections.

Limbaugh was interviewed on Fox News Sunday.

"The Republican Party needs to learn something," he said. "If it goes country-club blue-blood moderate, it is going to lose. If it goes [Ronald] Reagan conservative and commits to it, it is going to win landslides¹⁶."

Some Democrats, including White House advisor¹⁷ David Axelrod, believe conservatives are trying to purge¹⁸ moderates from the Republican Party.

Axelrod appeared on the CBS program Face the Nation.

"And I think it sends a clear message to moderates within that party that there is no room at the inn for them, and that is why you see Republican identification in polls at a historic low," he said.

In addition to the races for governor and Congress, voters will elect mayors in several large U.S. cities, including New York, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Detroit and Pittsburgh.

Voters in several states will also decide ballot¹⁹ measures on a number of issues, including same-sex marriage, medical marijuana and legalized gambling²⁰. 

1 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。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

4 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

5 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

6 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

7 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

8 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

11 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。

12 energized   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的过去式和过去分词 )；使通电

参考例句：

• We are energized by love if we put our energy into loving. 如果我们付出能量去表现爱意，爱就会使我们充满活力。 来自辞典例句
• I am completely energized and feeling terrific. 我充满了活力，感觉非常好。 来自辞典例句

13 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》

14 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

15 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 landslides   

山崩( landslide的名词复数 )； （山坡、悬崖等的）崩塌； 滑坡； （竞选中）一方选票占压倒性多数

参考例句：

• Landslides have cut off many villages in remote areas. 滑坡使边远地区的许多村庄与外界隔绝。
• The storm caused landslides and flooding in Savona. 风暴致使萨沃纳发生塌方和洪灾。

17 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

18 purge   

n.整肃，清除，泻药，净化；vt.净化，清除，摆脱；vi.清除，通便，腹泻，变得清洁

参考例句：

• The new president carried out a purge of disloyal army officers.新总统对不忠诚的军官进行了清洗。
• The mayoral candidate has promised to purge the police department.市长候选人答应清洗警察部门。

19 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

20 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。