奥巴马、罗姆尼互使骄兵计,预热首场总统辩论

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were gearing up on Sunday for three days of intense preparations for the first of the US presidential debates, which is almost certain to be the Republican candidate's last chance to turn around his struggling campaign.

奥巴马和罗姆尼上周日整装待发，三天紧张筹备第一场美国总统辩论，几乎可以肯定的是这是共和党总统候选人最后一次机会扭转竞选形势。

The 90-minute debate in Denver on Wednesday will be the first opportunity Americans will have to see the two candidates side by side and compare not only their policies but how they look and behave. The outcome could be decided by a hesitation in explaining a policy, a smart riposte or a display of arrogance.

星期三在丹佛的90分钟辩论将是美国人第一次有机会看到两位候选人站在一起，比较的不仅是他们各自的政策，而且包括他们的形象和表现。政策解释时的犹豫，一个聪明的还击或者显示的嚣张气焰都可能决定最后的结果。

Each side took part in the usual ritual of talking up their opponent at the weekend in an attempt to dampen expectations. Paul Ryan, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, speaking on Fox News on Sunday, described Obama as "a very gifted speaker". Supporters of Obama claimed Romney had won nearly all of the debates during his gruelling nomination process.

每一方在上周末按照惯例抬高对手，试图让对方辜负选民的期望。保罗瑞安，共和党副总统候选人星期天在福克斯新闻上说，奥巴马是“一个天才的演讲家”。奥巴马的支持者声称罗姆尼在他艰苦的提名过程中已经赢得了几乎所有的辩论。

Estimates for the number of viewers in America range from 50 million to 60 million, almost double the number who watched the party conventions. There will be two additional debates, in Long Island and Florida, but it is the first that usually has the most impact.

全美范围内的观众人数估计在5000万到6000万，几乎是观看政党议会人数的两倍。在长岛和佛罗里达州还将有两场辩论，但通常是第一场辩论有着最大的影响。

Obama, with significant poll leads in the swing states, can play defence, just getting through the evening without making a mistake. The onus is on Romney to make an impression.

奥巴马在摇摆州中有明显的竞选优势，可以防守，只要整个晚上不犯错就行。罗姆尼的责任是给大家留下深刻的印象。

Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey, acknowledged on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that Romney would need to do well in the first debate. "You're going to have tens of millions of people for the first time really tuning in and paying attention to this race ... On Thursday morning the entire narrative of this race is going to change."

新泽西州的共和党州长克里斯•克里斯蒂周日在NBC的媒体见面会上承认：罗姆尼需要在第一场辩论上表现出色。 “你将第一次面对数以百万计的观众真正参与并关心这场比赛，周四早上对这场辩论的整个叙事是不会改变的。”

Both candidates were readying themselves for three days of intensive preparation. Obama, after a campaign event in Las Vegas on Sunday night, heads to Henderson half-an-hour's drive away for three days of preparation. Romney will also do three days of preparation, arriving in Denver Monday.

两位候选人连续三天都将处在紧张的准备中。奥巴马星期天晚上结束在拉斯维加斯竞选活动后，半小时车程前往恒基进行为期3天的准备。罗姆尼也将做3天的准备，周一抵达丹佛。