奧巴馬首次競選活動炮轟共和黨
President Barack Obama has made his first campaign trip of 2012, taking his re-election campaign to Ohio, one of the states where the election is likely to be decided. The president defied Republican lawmakers by announcing a key appointment over their objections.
美國總統奧巴馬開始了2012年的首次競選之旅，他來到中北部俄亥俄州展開競選連任活動，俄亥俄州是對選舉有決定性影響的州之一。奧巴馬不顧共和黨的反對宣佈了一項關鍵的人事任命，惹怒了共和黨議員。
A day after the first battle in the presidential election, President Obama directly confronted the opposition Republicans Wednesday by appointing a director for the new U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
就在總統選舉第一場仗的一天後，奧巴馬總統星期三因爲任命美國消費者金融保護局新負責人而與反對黨共和黨正面交鋒。
The president had nominated former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray to lead the financial watchdog agency last July. But Senate Republicans refused to confirm him, saying the agency would be too powerful and unaccountable.
奧巴馬總統去年7月提名前俄亥俄州檢察總長理查德.科德雷爲金融監督機關負責人，但參議院共和黨人拒絕批准，說這個機關會權力過大且無法負責任。
Mr. Obama told a crowd at a suburban high school the U.S. financial industry needs more regulation, not less.
奧巴馬對郊區一所高中的羣衆說，美國金融業需要更多規範，不是更少規範。
“The only reason Republicans in the Senate have blocked Richard is because they do not agree with the law that set up a consumer watchdog in the first place," said President Obama. "They want to weaken the law. They want to water it down.”
奧巴馬說：“參議院共和黨人阻擋理查德的唯一原因是，他們一開始就不同意設立消費者監督機關的法律。他們想削弱法律，想減弱它的影響力。”
The president, frustrated by the blocked nomination, Wednesday sidestepped the Senate and appointed Cordray.
奧巴馬總統因爲提名遭阻擋而受挫，於是星期三繞過參議院的批准直接任命了科德雷。
“When Congress refuses to act and as a result hurts our economy and puts people at risk, then I have an obligation as president to do what I can without them," said Obama.
奧巴馬說：“當國會拒絕行動，致使經濟受損，使人民處於危險中，我身爲總統有義務在他們缺席的情況下完成行動。”
Angry Republican lawmakers were quick to react, saying the president overstepped his authority in making the appointment.
憤怒的共和黨議員迅速作出了迴應，說總統的任命逾越了他的權力。
A so-called recess appointment can only be made when the Senate is out of session. Republicans say that since Senators have been meeting every three days, the Senate is in session. The White House disagrees.
所謂的休會任命只有在參議院休會期間才能進行。共和黨人說，參議員每三天就開會，表示參議院現在是在會期中。白宮不同意這樣的說法。
In a written statement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called Mr. Obama’s move an “unprecedented power grab” that “arrogantly circumvented the American people.”
參議院少數黨領袖麥康奈爾發表了一份書面聲明，稱呼奧巴馬此舉是“前所未有的奪權之舉”，“傲慢地繞過了美國人民”。
A statement from House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said he expects the courts to find the appointment to be illegitimate.
衆議院議長貝納的聲明則說，他期待法院裁定任命案是不合法的。House Republicans have asked Cordray to testify before Congress later this month.
參議院共和黨人已經要求科德雷在本月晚些時候到國會作證。
Mr. Obama spoke one day after Republican contenders Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum finished in a virtual first place tie in the Iowa caucuses, with Ron Paul coming in a close third.
奧巴馬在共和黨愛奧華州初選結束，羅穆尼和桑託羅姆實際上並列第一，羅恩·保羅名列第三之後，發表講話。
Mr. Obama’s visit to Ohio enabled him to take his campaign to one of the states that could decide whether he is re-elected this November.
奧巴馬總統在俄亥俄州的訪問，意味着他開始在對他今年11月能否當選連任有決定性影響的幾個州從事競選活動。
Much of his speech focused on the president’s advocacy of the middle class, a theme he is likely to highlight throughout the campaign.
奧巴馬演講的大部分內容都是強調他是如何維護中產階級權益的，這可能是他未來競選活動中突出強調的一個主題。
“I promise to do everything I can, every day, every minute, every second, to make sure this is a country where hard work and responsibility mean something and everybody can get ahead," said President Obama.
奧巴馬說：“我承諾要盡我所能，每時每刻都要努力確保這是一個任何人努力盡責都深具意義，都能出人頭地的國家。”
With the Iowa caucuses over, the Republican candidates will battle next in New Hampshire, then South Carolina and Florida, which all have primary elections this month. The candidates have spent much of the campaign so far criticizing Mr. Obama and the Democrats because of the country's weak economy and high unemployment rate.
共和黨愛奧華州初選已過，共和黨參選人下一步又將在新罕布什爾州進行選戰。然後還有南卡羅來納州和佛羅里達州，這些州的初選都將於本月舉行。到目前爲止，候選人都卯盡全力，爲美國的經濟疲弱和失業率居高不下的問題，批評奧巴馬總統和民主黨。
The president is unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination.
而奧巴馬總統卻是民主黨毫無異議的下屆總統候選人。
