Clinton, Obama Battle for Votes Ahead of Pennsylvania Primary
奥巴马希拉里在宾州发动最后冲刺
In U.S. politics, all eyes are on Pennsylvania as that eastern state holds a crucial primary election. On the eve of the primary, the two candidates for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination were campaigning virtually non-stop.
美国各方面几乎所有人的目光都集中在总统初选的关键选战宾夕法尼亚州。在投票前夕,民主党的两位候选人展开了马不停蹄的竞选攻势。
Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton spent election eve going back and forth across the state - from Philadelphia in the east, to Pittsburgh in the west.
奥巴马和希拉里两位参议员在投票的前一天于宾州来回奔波--东起费城、西至匹兹堡。
They have been at it now for six weeks - spending time and money in a state many thought would have little say in the selection process.
过去6个星期以来,他们已经在这个许多人曾经认为在处选中无关轻重的州投入了许多时间与金钱。
Four months after the first votes were cast in the snows of New Hampshire, the candidates are spending springtime in Pennsylvania.
在冰天雪地的新罕布什尔州进行初选投票的4个月后,两位候选人在春暖花开的宾州展开竞选。
The race is close and increasingly nasty. And on election eve, neither candidate was about to leave anything to chance.
选情不但胶着,并且越来越恶劣。在投票的前一天,双方都不愿意放弃任何一点机会。
Obama, speaking near Philadelphia, took aim as his opponent. "Senator Clinton has internalized a lot of the strategies, the tactics that have made Washington such a miserable place," he said.
奥巴马在费城附近发表讲话,攻击他的对手:“希拉里参议员吸收了许多让华盛顿如此悲哀的策略与手段。”
A final pre-election day poll gives Senator Clinton a seven-point lead. Clinton, who once had a double digit advantage in the state, unleashed a series of new ads in the final hours of the Pennsylvania campaign.
在投票前进行的最后一次民调显示,希拉里领先于奥巴马7个百分点。希拉里原本在宾州领先两位数字。她在最后时刻发动了一连串的新广告。
At an event in a Pittsburgh city square, she rallied the faithful and reached out to the few undecided voters left in the state, "I am asking you to go tomorrow and vote for me for the toughest job in the world. It is. It is the toughest job in the world and you have to be ready for anything: two wars, skyrocketing oil prices, an economy in crisis. Well, if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen," she said.
在匹兹堡市广场上,她给支持者打气,并试图得到尚未决定的选民的支持。她说:“我请求你们明天投票给我,支持我承担世界上最艰难的工作。这的确是世界上最艰巨的工作,你们必须做好一切准备,包括两场战争、窜升的油价、危在旦夕的经济。如果你怕热,就请离开厨房。”
No matter who they support, it is clear Pennsylvania voters are energized. "This country alone, Allegheny Country, the Pittsburgh region, just this county has 25,000 new registered Democrats," said Dan Onorato, the top elected official in Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh.
不管支持哪位候选人,宾州的选民显然都被激奋了。丹奥莱多是阿列格尼郡的民选郡长,他的辖区包括匹兹堡。他说:“仅在阿列格尼郡,整个匹兹堡地区就有2万5千名新登记的民主党选民。”
In Philadelphia, Obama is strong. But many Pittsburgh voters say they live in Clinton country. And when she came to town, they gathered for a midday rally.
奥巴马在费城的支持率很高,但许多匹兹堡居民说,他们是希拉里的人。希拉里来到匹兹堡时,支持者为她举办了集会。
Some wore buttons, some carried signs - including one man who held up a banner saying "real men vote Hillary."
他们有的戴上胸章,有的举著标语,其中一个男子高举写著“真正的男人投给希拉里”的标语牌。
These were sentiments expressed by some voters. "She has enough experience and she is tough enough." "I think she is not afraid to speak out." "I think she is going to win Pennsylvania. It's crunch time and I hope it is an enormous win."
一些选民说:“她有足够的经验,而且也很强悍。” “我认为她不害怕实话实说。” “我想她将在宾州获胜。现在正是关键时刻,我希望她能大获全胜。”
Women and the elderly form Hillary Clinton's base of support here. Barack Obama is doing exceptionally well on college campuses, where he has captured the imagination of the young. His last stop before the election: an arena at the University of Pittsburgh, where the line for admission was already winding around the block hours before the doors were to open.
希拉里的支持者主要是女性和老年选民,而奥巴马在大学校园中广受欢迎,赢得年轻人的期望。奥巴马选前的最后一站是匹兹堡大学的体育场,等著入场的人在开场好几个小时之前已在场外大排长龙。