pchyenglish

2008-02-08

The high U.S. unemployment rate, a resurgent（复兴的，复活的） Republican opposition（共和党反对派） and President Obama's shrinking approval ratings are making Democrats（民主党） nervous as they face the November elections for Congress and governors（国会和州长）. In this climate of unease（忧虑）, Mr. Obama addressed the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting near the White House, and reassured（使恢复信心）
the party faithful that he will continue the fight.

The president said Democrats can point to numerous accomplishments in this year's campaign.

He said his administration has calmed（使平静） a troubled economy, made progress on many domestic issues（国内问题）, and strengthened America's standing in the world. The president says he is not surprised that Americans are angry that the jobless rate remains high, and that this has hurt his approval rating, which stands at about 50 percent. But the president reminded an enthusiastic crowd of Democrats that solving long-entrenched

（根深蒂固的） problems is a difficult process.

After criticism（指责） from Republicans and some Democrats that he was concentrating too much on health care reform and not enough on the economy, Mr. Obama has devoted many of his recent public statements to economic issues. However, the president told the Democrats Saturday he is still committed to（承担义务）
overhauling （彻底检查，大修）the U.S. health care system, which has been a centerpiece of his domestic agenda（议事日程）.