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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Sex Scandals Mar1 US Presidential Politics
From Presidents Thomas Jefferson to William Jefferson Clinton, sex scandals keep surfacing in American politics.
"I told you this bullseye on my back has gotten bigger," said Repubilcan presidential hopeful Herman Cain, the latest to come under the microscope. First, there were allegations of sexual harassment2:
"He also grabbed my head," accuser Sharon Bialek told the press.
Then, there were claims of a 13-year affair. Public support for Cain has plummeted3 since.
"I think if you’re a cheater you’re a cheater, so to me he’s kind of out," a Washington area woman said.
"I personally don’t care if it’s a private matter or public, it reflects the character, it’s a decision, and is that the type of person we want to lead?" a Washington area man said.
Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain gestures to the crowd during a campaign stop in Detroit, Michigan (file photo) |
American University presidential historian Allan Lichtman says sex scandals reveal the arrogance4 of politicians.
"Sex scandals are particularly grating when they affect the so-called 'family values' candidates who seem to be preaching one thing and practicing another. That’s just a fundamental insult to the American people," he explained.
2008 Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards saw his political career destroyed, when Americans learned he had fathered a child in an affair with his campaign videographer.
In 1987, another Democratic presidential hopeful, Gary Hart, dropped out of the race when photos showed the married former senator on a yacht with a young model.
But sex scandals do not always end careers. Bill Clinton was in his second term as president when reports emerged of his affair with a White House intern5.
“I did not have sexual relations with that woman,” then-President Bill Clinton told the nation.
Even after the House of Representatives impeached6 him for lying about the relationship, President Clinton maintained high approval ratings. He remained in office after the Senate failed to convict him of the charges.
Pew Research Center Associate Director Michael Dimock says the public is willing to look past affairs if they see other good qualities in a politician.
"People really want to know about where candidates stand on the issues and what kind of leadership qualities they can show," Dimock said. "And while their honesty in their personal life is one reference point for people, it’s not necessarily a deal killer7 for everybody."
And the scandals are not limited to U.S. leaders. In May, then-International Monetary8 Fund Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn lost his chance for the French presidency9 after a hotel maid in New York accused him of attempted rape10.
In the U.S. race, it remains11 to be seen whether Cain's candidacy can survive, and whether one of his main Republican rivals, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who once stirred controversy12 with his own love affair, might see his past come back to haunt him.
1 mar | |
vt.破坏,毁坏,弄糟 | |
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2 harassment | |
n.骚扰,扰乱,烦恼,烦乱 | |
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3 plummeted | |
v.垂直落下,骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4 arrogance | |
n.傲慢,自大 | |
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5 intern | |
v.拘禁,软禁;n.实习生 | |
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6 impeached | |
v.控告(某人)犯罪( impeach的过去式和过去分词 );弹劾;对(某事物)怀疑;提出异议 | |
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7 killer | |
n.杀人者,杀人犯,杀手,屠杀者 | |
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8 monetary | |
adj.货币的,钱的;通货的;金融的;财政的 | |
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9 presidency | |
n.总统(校长,总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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10 rape | |
n.抢夺,掠夺,强奸;vt.掠夺,抢夺,强奸 | |
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11 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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12 controversy | |
n.争论,辩论,争吵 | |
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