Voters in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin are at the polls in that state's primary. The main contest is on the Democratic Party side, where New York Senator Hillary Clinton has worked hard for a much-needed victory to slow the momentum of Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

美國中西部州威斯康辛的選民正在參加這個州的黨內初選。競爭主要在民主黨方面展開，紐約州參議員希拉里.克林頓竭力拉票，希望取得她急需的勝利，以減輕伊利諾伊州參議員奧巴馬連連取勝的銳氣。

As the race went down to the wire in Wisconsin, Hillary Clinton's campaign was accusing Barack Obama of plagiarism for his use of phrases similar to those used previously in a speech by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

就在威斯康辛州的競爭陷入膠著狀態時，希拉里.克林頓的競選班子指控奧巴馬剽竊，說他使用的詞句同麻薩諸塞州州長帕特里克以前在演講中說的話類似。

Obama responded by saying that he and Patrick are friends and that they often share ideas and rhetorical flourishes. Although most independent pundits viewed the charge of plagiarism as exaggerated, they did see possible damage to Obama's image in the eyes of the voters, because his soaring oratory has been his strongest asset.

對此，奧巴馬回應說，他和帕特里克是朋友，他們經常分享觀點和言辭。雖然大多數獨立學者覺得，說奧巴馬剽竊有些言過其實，但是，他們也認為，希拉里陣營的這項指責的確可能傷害奧巴馬在選民眼中的形像，因為激情澎湃的演講一直是他最吸引人的本錢。

In her campaign speeches, Hillary Clinton has been stressing the word "solutions." Clinton has said, in effect, that Obama speaks well, but that she offers real solutions to the problems that afflict the nation.

希拉里.克林頓在她的競選演說中一直強調“解決”這個詞。事實上，希拉里說，雖然奧巴馬口才出眾，但是，在面對困擾美國的問題時，希拉里才能為選民提供真正的解決辦法。

In her campaign appearances across the state, Clinton has focused on the economy and her plans to promote job growth.

希拉里在全國的競選活動中把焦點集中在經濟問題和她促進就業市場發展的計劃上。

"What we really need here in Wisconsin and across America is an economy that is producing good jobs with rising wages for everybody who is willing to work hard and I have been focused on the economy throughout this campaign," she said.

她說：“威斯康辛和全美國真正需要的，是一個能為所有愿意努力工作的人提供良好就業機會和增加工資的經濟，而我的整個競選過程一直把經濟問題作為焦點。”

Obama brushes aside the notion that his rhetoric is insubstantial. He says he would inspire people to come together to solve problems.

雖然希拉里方面指責奧巴馬的言辭沒有實際意義，但是奧巴馬并不理會這種說法。他說，他將鼓舞人們走到一起去解決問題。

"The most important thing we can do right now is re-engage the American people in the process of governance, to get them excited and interested again in what works and what can work in our government," he said.

奧巴馬說：“我們現在能做的最重要的事情，就是讓美國人民重新加入到管理國家的過程中來，讓他們再次對我們政府工作的質量感到興奮和有興趣。”

On the Republican side, Arizona Senator John McCain has a clear lead nationwide and no one expects his chief rival, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, to win the nomination, no matter how well he does in Wisconsin. But Huckabee has refused to quit, arguing that voters have a right to make a choice based on their own beliefs and principles, not on what party leaders say.

在共和黨方面，亞利桑那州參議員麥凱恩在全國范圍內處于明顯的領先地位。外界普遍認為，無論麥凱恩的主要對手、前阿肯色州州長哈克比在威斯康辛州有如何出色的表現，他也不會贏得黨內提名的競爭。但是，哈克比拒絕退出選舉，他說，選民有權根據他們自己的信念和原則作出選擇，而不是要聽命于黨派領袖。

"What we need to do is make sure that the people of Wisconsin recognize that they are going out and voting their own conscience, not doing what maybe someone in Washington tells them to do and not doing what the establishment tells them," he said. "This vote is about the future of the Republican Party."

哈克比說：“我們需要做的是確保威斯康辛人民認識到，他們可以出去，根據自己的良心來投票，而不是依照華盛頓的某些人的指示辦事，并且不是聽命于共和黨權力機構而行事。這場選舉關系到共和黨的未來。”

Huckabee says he represents conservatives who care about such issues as abortion, illegal immigration, and reduced taxes.

哈克比說，他代表那些關心人工流產、非法移民和減稅等議題的保守派人士。

McCain has broad appeal, which could prove important in November's general election in a state such as Wisconsin, which has been a battleground in past elections. But many conservatives in his party object to more liberal positions he has taken on such issues as taxes and immigration.

在過去的總統競選中，像威斯康辛州這樣的州一直是競爭激烈的戰場。在類似這樣的地方，麥凱恩廣泛的號召力在11月舉行的全國大選中可能會十分重要。但是，許多共和黨的保守派成員反對麥凱恩在稅收和移民等問題上所持的較自由的觀點。

Also in the Republican race is Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who has had to reduce his presidential campaigning in recent days in order to concentrate on defending his congressional seat back home. He now has a strong rival for the Republican congressional nomination and has cut back his national campaign schedule.