古罗马凯撒大帝横扫法国时曾经豪情万丈地说“我来了，我看见了，我征服了”，而美国前第一夫人希拉里1月20日则以一句“我来了，我要赢”，立下要成为美国第一位女总统的誓言。这位女强人最终还是如人们一直猜测的那样，开始向总统宝座发出冲击。希拉里表示，在未来两年内，她将竭尽全力去限制现任总统布什对美国可能造成的损害，恢复美国人民的希望和乐观主义，及美国在世界上受人尊敬的领导地位。此外，在民主党内，希拉里最大对手是黑人参议员奥巴马，他的参选可能使其成为美国有史以来第一位黑人总统。
U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) is pictured on thehomepage of her presidential campaigns website, in this screengrabreleased on January 20, 2007. Clinton said on Saturday sheplannedto form an exploratory committee for the 2008 presidentialrace,the first step toward becoming a candidate for herpartysnomination. Clinton said she would be launching a series oflive,online video conversations with voters, beginning onMonday.[Reuters]
Declaring Im in to win, Democratic Senator HillaryClintonlaunched her 2008 presidential bid that could make her thefirstfemale president of the United States.Clinton, the wife offormerpresident Bill Clinton, lashed out at President George W.Bush in avideo on her website as she ended years of speculationover herpolitical ambitions to declare she was joining therace.
Im in. And Im in to win, she said in a video onherwebsite.
As a senator, I will spend two years doing everything in mypowerto limit the damage George W. Bush can do. But only a newpresidentwill be able to undo Bushs mistakes and restore our hopeandoptimism, said Clinton, 59.
Clinton, just beginning her second term representing New Yorkinthe Senate, announced she was taking the key first officialstepfor the race for her partys nomination and the White Housewiththe formation of a campaign exploratory committee.
She joins a field of six other Democrats who have takeninitialsteps toward vying for their partys nomination to runforpresident in 2008, including Barack Obama (news, bio,votingrecord), an Illinois senator hoping to be the firstblackpresident.
Clintons announcement closed speculation dating back to herfirstrun for Senate in 2000 that she was keen to move back intothe WhiteHouse and replace Bush, who is serving a second and lastfour-yearterm.
Only a new president can renew the promise of America - theideathat if you work hard, you can count on the health care,educationand retirement security that you need to raise yourfamily. Theseare the basic values of America that are under attackfrom thisadministration every day, Clinton said Saturday.
An Illinois-bred corporate lawyer who attended prestigiousYaleLaw School, Clinton put Americans on notice early in herhusbands1992 presidential campaign that she was not the kind ofwoman whostays at home baking cookies.
But Republican conservatives bristled at the idea that inelectingBill Clinton as president, voters were also getting thecerebralHillary in a great two-for-one bargain.
Her official announcement that she is setting up anexploratorycommittee launches what will likely prove one of themost-watchedprimary battles in decades, between two would-befirsts --potentially the first female and the firstAfrican-American USpresident.
In a new poll released Saturday, Clinton held a wide leadoverObama for their partys nomination.
Clinton outpaced Obama - who joined the race Tuesday - 41percentto 17 percent in the poll by ABC News and The WashingtonPost. Thesurvey was taken January 16-19.
On the Republican side, seven presidential hopefuls havetakensteps toward contesting their own partys nomination.
Obama, who announced he was setting up an exploratory committeeonTuesday, said he will announce his final decision about runningonFebruary 10 in Illinois after touring the country.
He said Saturday: Senator Clinton is a good friend andacolleague whom I greatly respect. I welcome her and allthecandidates, not as competitors, but as allies in the workofgetting our country back on track.
Clinton, too, underscored the need to steer the country inadifferent direction.
This is a big election with some very big questions. How dowebring the war in Iraq to the center end? How can we make sureeveryAmerican has access to adequate health care? How will weensure ourchildren inherit a clean environment and energyindependence? Howcan we reduce the deficits that threaten SocialSecurity andMedicare? she asked.
She also announced that she would hold chats on the Internetincoming days to listen to voters views.
Clinton slammed Bush for damaging the United Statesinternationalstature. Only a new president can regain Americasposition as arespected leader in the world, she said.
She did not dwell on a the idea that her presidency would beafirst for a US woman.
But she acknowledged: As we campaign to win the White House,wewill make history and remake our future. We can only breakbarriersif we dare to confront them, and if we have the determinedandcommitted support of others.
Clinton though faces a battle between her image as adeeplypolarizing figure and a Washington and Democraticpartyinsider.
Were she to become president, her husband, who served twoterms,would take on the unprecedented and so far undefined role offirstmale US presidential spouse.
When her husband was in office, opponents of Hillary Clintonsowninfluential advisory role argued the first lady had unduepowers asan unelected person. Bill Clinton now could face similarscrutinyshould Hillary Clinton be sent back to the White House,aspresident.
Vocabulary:
cerebral
：appealing to or requiring the use of theintellect,intellectualrather than emotional（理智的）
run for
：竞选（总统）
(实习编辑:顾萍)
蔡依林爆瞄上菲尔普斯
