VOA常速英语2008年-Obama On Defensive for Comments About Small Tow
时间:2019-02-03 作者:英语课 分类:VOA常速英语2008年(四月)
Washington
14 April 2008
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama remains 1 on the defensive 2 about comments he made last week describing small town voters as bitter over their economic plight 3. Democratic contender Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate John McCain have both accused Obama of being an elitist. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone reports from Washington.
At the heart of this latest controversy 4 in the Democratic Party nomination 5 fight are comments Senator Obama made last week at a fundraiser in San Francisco.
Obama said many working-class Americans in small towns are bitter because they are frustrated 6 with economic conditions. Obama went on to say that frustration 7 causes them to, in his words, cling to guns or religion and leads to what he called antipathy 8 to people who are not like them.
The Clinton campaign has seized on the comments in recent days as evidence that Obama is an elitist.
Hillary Clinton raised the issue during a speech in Pittsburgh in advance of next week's Pennsylvania primary.
"I do not think he really gets it that people are looking for a president who stands up for you, and not looks down on you," said Hillary Clinton. "And after seven years of Americans feeling invisible to this president, President Bush, it is time that we leveled the playing field."
The presumed Republican presidential nominee 9, Senator John McCain, also took on Obama over his comments.
McCain told the annual meeting of the Associated Press in Washington that Obama's comments about small town voters were elitist.
"They are the heart and soul of this country, the foundation of our strength and the primary authors of its essential goodness," said John McCain. "They are our inspiration, and I look to them for guidance and strength. No matter their personal circumstances, they believed in this country."
Obama has been engaging in political damage control since the remarks first came to light late last week.
Obama tried to turn the tables on both Clinton and McCain during a speech to steelworkers in Pittsburgh.
"Senator Clinton and Senator McCain seem to be singing from the same hymn 10 book, saying I am out of touch and I am an elitist because I said a lot of folks are bitter about their economic circumstances," said Barack Obama. "Now, it may be that I chose my words badly, it is not the first time and will not be the last. But when I hear my opponents, both of whom spent decades in Washington, saying I am out of touch, it is time to cut through the rhetoric 11 and look at the reality."
The controversy over Obama's comments about small-town voters comes at a time when he is seeking their votes in next Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary. Senator Clinton has done better with white working-class voters in the primaries and caucuses 12, and she maintains a lead in the polls in Pennsylvania.
Clinton hopes that a convincing win in Pennsylvania could create political momentum 13 for the rest of the primaries into early June and could keep the Democratic race close, right up until the party's national nominating convention in Denver in late August.
Obama is aiming for a close finish in Pennsylvania to keep his lead in the delegate count and protect his stature 14 as the frontrunner for the nomination.
- 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。
- Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题,使她警觉起来。
- The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。
- The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
- She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。
- 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。
- 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。
- It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
- The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
- He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
- I feel an antipathy against their behaviour.我对他们的行为很反感。
- Some people have an antipathy to cats.有的人讨厌猫。
- 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。
- They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌,赞美上帝。
- The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。
- Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗?
- Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后,他和军队的关系岌岌可危。
- Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网
- We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
- The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。