| 美国民主党候选人放弃总统选举-3 One of the other candidates in the Democratic race, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, is urging his fellow Democrats to run positive campaigns, both against each other and against the record of the Bush administration. "We just cannot criticize the president," he said. "There is plenty to criticize. But we should advance our own policies, our own solutions. What is our plan on Iraq? What is our plan on education?" The early campaign activity has taken some analysts by surprise. But Tom DeFrank of the New York Daily News told VOA's Issues in the News program that optimism among Democrats about their chances next year is driving the early fundraising activity and debate. "The Democrats smell that is going to be their year in 2008," he said. "They think the odds are strong that the next president will be a Democrat, so that ups the stakes on the Democratic side." Iowa and New Hampshire will kick off the presidential selection process next January. Political analyst Charlie Cook says it is vital for serious presidential contenders to get off to a strong start early next year. Cook spoke on the C-SPAN public affairs TV network. "Iowa and New Hampshire are hugely, hugely important," he said. "And if you do not come in first or second in Iowa, the odds are you are not going to come in first or second in New Hampshire. And if you have not come in first or second in one of those two, I think your chances of winning either party's [presidential] nomination are under five percent." On the Democratic side, polls indicate the top contenders at the moment are Senators Clinton and Obama and former Senator Edwards. In the Republican race, surveys show the top three candidates are former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Senator John McCain and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. |
