VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Poll Ratings Strong Despite Weak Eco

The U.S. jobless rate rose to 9.5 percent last month -- the highest figure in 26 years. In the short term, the jobs report is a political setback¹ for President Barack Obama and his economic policies. But the latest opinion polls suggest the president continues to hold public support despite the weak economy.
　
Pres. Barack Obama comments on innovation and jobs at the White House in Washington, 02 Jul 2009

President Obama acknowledged the disappointing jobs report at the White House, but quickly urged Americans to be patient as the country waits for the economy to improve.

"As I've said from the moment I walked into the door of this White House, it took years for us to get into this mess and it will take us more than a few months to turn it around," he said.

The modest increase in unemployment was higher than most experts had predicted, says economist² Stuart Hoffman.

"The job market is still weak; it is still tough to find a job. Layoffs³ have slowed down. Not as many people are getting laid off, but there is still very little hiring," said Hoffman.

Despite the struggling economy, Mr. Obama can take a measure of solace⁴ from recent public opinion polls.

The latest survey from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut shows the public, for the most part, is staying behind the president despite the weak economy.

"What we have found is that President Obama is still quite popular with the American people. He has a 57 percent job approval rating, which is quite healthy. It's down a little bit since when he took office, obviously, but that is not terribly surprising," said Quinnipiac pollster Peter Brown.

In other recent polls, Mr. Obama's approval rating ranges from 56-65 percent, with disapproval⁵ ranging from 31-37 percent.

Quinnipiac pollster Peter Brown says his latest survey suggests that a number of people who had been reserving judgment⁶ about the president now disapprove⁷ of his job performance, in part because the economy remains⁸ sluggish⁹.

Brown says the president's approval ratings have dropped by 8-10 points among some key voting groups since the last poll in early June.

"And these are people and groups that disproportionately did not vote for him in November. We are talking about men, Republicans, evangelical white Christians¹⁰ and white Catholics. And so these people, who you would expect to not be supporters of the president based on history, have been giving him a tryout, so to speak, in their minds and they have decided¹¹ he is not their cup of tea," he said.
　
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele (File)

Opposition¹² Republicans are taking some of the credit for that drop in support for the president, and for growing public concern about the national debt and deficit¹³ spending.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says the latest jobs report proves that the president's stimulus¹⁴ plan is not bringing about economic recovery.

It is a theme Republicans like House of Representatives Minority leader John Boehner have been sounding for weeks.

"I think the question is: where are the jobs? We all remember the trillion dollar stimulus bill. Democrats¹⁵ promised it would be about jobs, jobs and jobs. And clearly, all it has turned into is about spending, spending and more spending," he said.

Republicans also have been arguing that it is time that voters hold President Obama responsible for the weak economy and stop blaming his predecessor¹⁶, former President George Bush.

But pollster Peter Brown says that so far, Americans still seem to think the bulk of the responsibility for the economy rests with Mr. Bush, not President Obama.

"So far, he seems to be able to convince the American people that the economic problems they are facing were not his fault, but the result of his predecessor, and that is why his job approval rating is so high. When people start blaming the economic conditions on him, his job numbers will come down," said Brown.

The president faces another important domestic test beginning July 13, when the Senate Judiciary Committee opens confirmation¹⁷ hearings for his nominee¹⁸ for the U.S. Supreme¹⁹ Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

Sotomayor was nominated to replace recently retired²⁰ Justice David Souter. If confirmed, she would become the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court and only the third woman to serve on the high court.

1 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

2 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

3 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

4 solace   

n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和

参考例句：

• They sought solace in religion from the harshness of their everyday lives.他们日常生活很艰难，就在宗教中寻求安慰。
• His acting career took a nosedive and he turned to drink for solace.演艺事业突然一落千丈，他便借酒浇愁。

5 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

6 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

7 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

10 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 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。

13 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

14 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

15 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》

16 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

17 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

18 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。

19 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

20 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。