(^8) • VOCABLE Du 18 au 31 octobre 2018 facile A2-B1 / moyen B2-C1 / diicile C1-C
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NO BASIC POLITICAL TASKS
- But, privately, a number of Democratic strat-
egists are still grumbling about the basic po-
litical tasks that Obama refused to perform.
The fate of down-ballot Democrats never
greatly concerned him; many in the party at-
tribute that to his “solitary” nature,” and his
“brand” as an outsider indifferent to the ways
of Washington. Once in ofice, he rarely forged
ties to Democrats on Capitol Hill. He spent most
of the 2014 autumn-midterm sprint on the golf
course—not just because he preferred to be aloof
from the fray, but because his approval rating
hovered at 43 percent. - As one strategist tells me, there is “a gen-
eration of campaign operatives who came
out of the Obama experience and thought
they had developed the ‘secret sauce,’ ignor-
ing the fact that they had a [uniquely] gifted
and charismatic candidate.” That jibes with
what Congressman Scott Peters of California
told The New York Times last year, when he
argued that everyone should share the blame:
“We got a bit lazy and found ourselves relying
on Barack Obama’s charisma, and it left us
in bad shape.”
THE MOST POPULAR
DEMOCRAT LEADER- But while these memories are still fresh for
those who work on the inside, and while there
are new complaints that his post-presidential
foundation is competing with the party for
donations, most Democrats are anxious to
move on. Obama now has a golden opportu-
nity to make amends for his laws, and besides,
the average persuadable voter has no interest
in the party’s intramural complaints. - Lindenfeld tells me: “His voice today seems
to be both powerful and comparatively appeal-
ing not just to Democrats, but most impor-
tantly to independents”—only 31 percent of
whom now support Trump, down from 47
percent last month—“and to those who voted
for Trump and now have buyer’s remorse. Re-
gardless of what anyone says, and I may have
my criticisms ... our party has no leaders who
are more popular and capable and compelling
than Obama. I would dismiss the bellyaching
and appreciate the value.” - Obama won’t be welcome everywhere, of
course—he won’t set foot in states like Trump-
friendly West Virginia, where he’d likely hinder
the Democrat Joe Manchin’s bid for a new
Senate term—but the map is studded with op-
portunities for Obama to help turn the House
blue, not just in the Republican districts that
Hillary Clinton won, but in normally Republi-
can suburban enclaves where white college-
educated women detest Trump. - Midterms are typically a referendum on the
current president, and Trump’s moment of
reckoning seems close at hand. The timing is
propitious for Obama to stump with the wind
at his back, and for Democrats to showcase his
strengths and let bygones be bygones. l
outsider person not belonging to a certain group / ways
way of life, traditions / in oice in power / to forge ties to
to connect with, make alliances with / Capitol Hill
headquarters of U.S. Congress / to be aloof from to keep
distant from / approval rating rating of popularity / to
hover at to be close to, remain around.- operative political campaign staf, employee / gifted
talented / to jibe with to concur with, agree with / to
argue to assert, claim, maintain / to share the blame to
assume one’s share of the responsibility / lazy indolent /
to rely on to depend on / in bad shape in a terrible state.
9. memory recollection / complaint objection, criticism /
to compete with to be in competition against /
donation contribution of money to a cause/charity /
anxious impatient / to move on to advance and evolve /
to make amends for sth to do sth which enable
forgiveness for sth / law fault, defect / average ordinary,
normal / intramural here, internal.
10. comparatively relatively / appealing attractive /
buyer’s remorse regrets following the election /
regardless irrespective of /
compelling convincing / to dismiss to forget, put to one
side / bellyaching recriminations.- to set, set, set foot here, to visit / to hinder here, to
have the opposite of the desired efect / bid candidacy /
map plan of electoral districts / to be studded with to be
full of / college-educated having been to university/
college. - reckoning judgement, settling of accounts / to be
close at hand to be happening soon / timing time when
sth happens / to showcase to highlight / let bygones be
bygones forget the past in favour of a fresh start.
"The map is studded
with opportunities ..."
(§ 11)
a stud = un clou à grosse tête, un clou
décoratif
a studded tyre un pneu clouté
studded with parsemé de
a sky studded with stars un ciel
parsemé d'étoilesSUR LE BOUT DE LA LANGUEI Élections de mi-mandat I E TAT S - U N I S I C
The party with a president in the White House has lost an average of 32 seats in the House of
Representatives and 2 in the Senate in every mid-term election since the American Civil War.Former U.S. President Barack Obama goling with former NBA basketball player Alonzo Mourning in the
midst of the 2014 midterm campaign, August 23, 2014. (SIPA)