| This was the speech
of a president with his mind clearly on
re-election next November. Defending his foreign policy he
insisted the 'war on terrorism' had made the US a safer place, but
that the war wasn't over and this no time for a change at the White
House:
PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH: We can go forward with confidence and
resolve, or we can turn back to the dangerous illusion
that terrorists are not plotting
and outlaw regimes are no threat
to us. We've not come all this way - through tragedy, and trial,
and war - only to falter and leave
our work unfinished.
He claimed his tough approach in Afghanistan and Iraq had paid
dividends elsewhere, persuading Libya's leader, Colonel
Gaddafi, to dismantle his weapons
of mass destruction.
But most of the speech was dedicated to domestic policy, where
public opinion polls suggest President
Bush is most vulnerable. No surprise
then that he urged action on jobs and health care - the average
American voter's biggest concerns.
So as the Democratic Party continues its search for a challenger,
President Bush has begun the defence of his record and the start
of his campaign to hold on to the White House.
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with his mind clearly on re-election:
obviously thinking about success in the presidential elections
later this year
resolve: determination to do something
plotting: secretly planning to
do something wrong or illegal
outlaw: illegal but also with a
sense of a criminal hiding from the authorities
trial: unpleasant experiences
falter: hesitate and become unsure
or unsteady
paid dividends: brought advantages
dismantle: gradually take apart
so that something no longer functions
public opinion polls: surveys in which people are asked
what they think about something
vulnerable: weak and without protection
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