Glum: The President has said the birthday present he wants more than anything else is 'a debt-ceiling deal'(dailymail.co.uk) |
It was supposed to be the mother of all parties, now it may not happen at all. President Obama's big 50th birthday is scheduled for August 3, the day after the debt talks deadline and the date that the U.S. risks defaulting on its good faith and credit. If the negotiations with congressional Republicans over how best to deal with the U.S. budget deficit are not wrapped up by August 2, the champagne corks will not be popping in Chicago. The party was planned for the Aragon Ballroom, which costs $40,000 to rent. There is supposed to be a concert featuring jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and Jennifer Hudson, the star of Dreamgirls. The entertainment was to be followed by a lavish dinner for couples giving $35,800 to Obama's campaign. With the government scheduled to run out of money on Tuesday, an extravagent bash would hardly look good. An official said: 'The president will not attend the event in Chicago if negotiations are ongoing.' Mr Obama has already cancelled a series of campaign fundraisers to stay in Washington for the tense negotiations that have angered the U.S. public, worried financial markets and raised fears of a first-ever U.S. debt default. The fundraisers would have brought in millions of dollars for the re-election war chest, the campaign official said. The President cancelled a planned trip to California and Seattle, put off a fundraiser in New York. Mr Obama's last campaign fundraiser was on June 30 in Pennsylvania. He reported raising $86 million in the quarter ended on June 30, far eclipsing the money raised by any of the Republicans vying for their party's nomination to compete against him in the 2012 president election. Asked what he most wanted for his birthday, Mr Obama said 'a debt-ceiling deal.' (Read by Renee Haines. Renee Haines is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) (Agencies)
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奧巴馬總統(tǒng)原本準(zhǔn)備舉辦一場(chǎng)50歲盛大慶生派對(duì),而現(xiàn)在很有可能泡湯。 奧巴馬總統(tǒng)將在8月3日迎來(lái)50歲生日,而8月2日恰逢美債上限談判截止期限。如果談判失敗,美國(guó)將面臨債務(wù)違約及信用違約風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。 如果在8月2日之前,國(guó)會(huì)兩黨還不能就如何處理美國(guó)預(yù)算赤字達(dá)成一致,在芝加哥舉辦的慶生派對(duì)也會(huì)泡湯。 慶生派對(duì)計(jì)劃在阿拉貢宴會(huì)大廳舉行,租金高達(dá)4萬(wàn)美元。 派對(duì)還包括一場(chǎng)生日音樂(lè)會(huì),爵士樂(lè)鋼琴家赫比?漢考克和影片《追夢(mèng)女郎》中的女星詹妮弗?哈德森將登臺(tái)獻(xiàn)藝。 娛樂(lè)活動(dòng)后,還將舉辦一場(chǎng)豪華晚宴,奧巴馬夫婦屆時(shí)會(huì)向競(jìng)選陣營(yíng)捐出3.58萬(wàn)美元。 美國(guó)聯(lián)邦政府在本周二即將無(wú)錢可用,而如此奢侈的慶生活動(dòng)實(shí)在“不太好看”。 一位官員稱:“若美債談判未能達(dá)成協(xié)議,奧巴馬總統(tǒng)將不會(huì)出席在芝加哥舉辦的慶生活動(dòng)。” 奧巴馬總統(tǒng)已取消了一系列競(jìng)選籌款活動(dòng),留在華盛頓處理緊張的美債談判。美債談判已激怒民眾、使金融市場(chǎng)擔(dān)憂,更令人擔(dān)心美國(guó)出現(xiàn)首次債務(wù)違約。 競(jìng)選負(fù)責(zé)人稱,被取消的籌款活動(dòng)原本可以籌集到數(shù)百萬(wàn)美元競(jìng)選資金。 奧巴馬取消了原定在加州和西雅圖的籌款行程,推遲了紐約的一場(chǎng)籌款活動(dòng)。他的最后一次籌款活動(dòng)是6月30日在賓夕法尼亞州舉行的。 據(jù)報(bào)道,奧巴馬在今年第二季度籌到8600萬(wàn)美元資金,遠(yuǎn)超任何一位共和黨潛在的競(jìng)選對(duì)手。下屆美國(guó)總統(tǒng)大選將于2012年舉行。 奧巴馬稱,自己最想要的生日禮物就是“美債上限談判達(dá)成協(xié)議”。 相關(guān)閱讀 美國(guó)新政黨走紅網(wǎng)絡(luò) 欲參與總統(tǒng)競(jìng)選 美國(guó)公布白宮公務(wù)員年薪 今年人均8.2萬(wàn) 公開(kāi)的秘密:美總統(tǒng)簽名多為機(jī)器代勞 奧巴馬公開(kāi)出生證明 回應(yīng)競(jìng)選資格質(zhì)疑 奧巴馬抱怨當(dāng)總統(tǒng)沒(méi)隱私 懷念平民生活 (中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 實(shí)習(xí)生史莉萍 編輯:Julie) |
Vocabulary: the mother of (all) something: 非常大(或討厭、重要等)的事情 default: 違約(尤指未償付債務(wù)) budget deficit:預(yù)算赤字 wrap up: to conclude(圓滿完成,順利結(jié)束) run out of: 用完,耗盡 bash: a thoroughly enjoyable, lively party.(盛大的聚會(huì);盛典) debt default:債務(wù)違約,債務(wù)拖欠 war chest: money set aside or scheduled for a particular purpose or activity, as for a political campaign or organizational drive.(專用款項(xiàng);專款,為競(jìng)爭(zhēng)等籌措的資金) eclipse: 使失色;使相形見(jiàn)絀;使喪失重要性 vie: to strive in competition or rivalry with another; contend for superiority(激烈競(jìng)爭(zhēng);爭(zhēng)奪) debt-ceiling:債務(wù)上限,債務(wù)最高限額 |