MSNBC主持人彼得·亚历山大周一对民主党全国委员会主席肯·马丁进行了严肃质询，询问美国民主社会主义者组织在11月是否会成为民主党的“负担”。
MS NOW anchor Peter Alexander grilled Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin on Monday about whether or not the Democratic Socialists of America will be a “liability” to the Democratic Party come November.
随着采访接近尾声，亚历山大指出：“我有很多问题。在让你离开之前，我们先快速问几个。显然，美国人对特朗普感到厌倦，但他们对民主党的评价也并不完全积极。民调显示，53%的人对民主党持不利看法，而41%持有利看法。你们如何克服这种品牌形象？如果民主党重新掌控国会，你们需要他们立即做些什么来帮助你们赢得胜利的机会？”
As the interview wound down, Alexander noted, “I have a ton of questions. Let’s try to get through a few quick ones before I let you go. One, obviously Americans are fed up with Donald Trump, but they’re not exactly glowing in their reviews of Democrats. The polls show 53% unfavorable in their view of Democrats, with 41% having a favorable view. How do you overcome that brand with Democrats? What do you need them to do immediately if they take back Congress to help your chances of moving?”
马丁回应道：“我们必须兑现承诺，现实情况是……我们必须兑现我们在竞选途中所作的承诺。其中一部分……不，不，不，听我说。我们的候选人几乎没有人在谈论弹劾。”
Martin replied, “We have to deliver, and the reality is, the real… We have to deliver on the promises that we’re making on the campaign trail. Part of that… No, no, no, listen. Hardly any of our candidates are talking about impeachment.”“What they’re talking about is affordability, making sure that people can afford their lives and actually achieve economic opportunity and build a better life for their family. We’re talking about health care access, making sure, at a time when we see premiums doubling and tripling across the country and people’s health care access disappearing, that we are fighting for health care. And we’re also talking about fixing this corrupt system that only actually benefits the wealthy and the powerful at the expense of the working class. That’s what Democrats are fighting for. And that’s the agenda we’re going to deliver in 24 days once we’re in control,” Martin insisted.
“他们谈论的是可负担性，确保人们能够负担得起自己的生活，真正实现经济机会，为家庭建设更好的生活。我们谈论的是医疗保健的可及性，确保在我们看到全国范围内保费翻倍甚至翻三倍、人们的医疗保健可及性正在消失的时候，我们正在为医疗保健而战。我们还在谈论修复这个只真正使富人和权贵受益、以工人阶级为代价的腐败系统。这就是民主党正在为之奋斗的东西。这就是我们在掌权后24天内将要兑现的议程，”马丁坚持道。
Alexander pressed, “You’re in Idaho; you have more travel to come. You’ve been traveling nonstop. Montana’s Democratic Senate candidate right now, there are calls for her to drop out of this race. Some say she has the potential to act as a spoiler for the independent candidate. She has said, by the way, she’s not going to drop out. Do you believe that she should drop out to help the Democrats try to earn a seat that’s not in Republican hands?”
亚历山大追问：“你在爱达荷州；你还有更多的旅行要进行。你一直在不停地旅行。蒙大拿州的民主党参议院候选人目前，有人呼吁她退出这次竞选。有人说她有潜力成为独立候选人的‘破坏者’。顺便说一下，她已经表示她不会退出。你认为她应该退出，以帮助民主党人争取一个目前不在共和党手中的席位吗？”
Martin responded, “Well, listen, I mean, obviously, I’m the chair of the Democratic Party. We support Democrats running up and down the ballot. We’ll let people in Montana decide what’s best for Montanans.”
马丁回答：“嗯，听着，我的意思是，显然，我是民主党的主席。我们支持民主党人在上下选票上参选。我们会让蒙大拿州的人自己决定什么最适合蒙大拿州人。”
Alexander continued the fast pace, “Last question: DSA, Democratic Socialists, are an ally or a liability for the Democrats, as you’ve seen the way they’ve been branded, this party’s being branded by Republican opponents?”
亚历山大继续快速提问：“最后一个问题：DSA，即民主社会主义者，是民主党的盟友还是负担，正如你所看到的，他们被这样贴上标签，这个政党正被共和党对手这样贴上标签？”
Martin replied, “So let me just say, I’ve always taken a big tent approach on how you build a party. That’s why I was successful for all these years in Minnesota. I believe you win through addition, not subtraction. You win by growing your coalition, not shrinking it.”
马丁回答：“那么，让我再说一遍，我一直主张在建设政党时采取大帐篷的方式。这就是为什么我在明尼苏达州这些年一直很成功。我认为你是通过加法而非减法来获胜的。你是通过扩大联盟而非缩小联盟来获胜的。”
Alexander cut in, “And sometimes is there a middle, though, when Americans see that–” “But no, not at all, because that’s where the vast majority of Americans are at. Maybe right in the middle, or a little center left, or a little center right. But it doesn’t mean we can’t bring new voices into the party, right? Of course, we have to keep growing and we have to keep expanding this tent,” Martin doubled down.
亚历山大插话：“不过，有时候当美国人看到——”“但不，完全不是这样，因为那就是绝大多数美国人所处的位置。也许正好在中间，或者稍微偏左，或者稍微偏右。但这并不意味着我们不能把新声音带入政党，对吧？当然，我们必须继续增长，我们必须继续扩大这个帐篷，”马丁进一步强调。亚历山大在此结束：“肯·马丁，一直很愉快。谢谢你来。”
Alexander ended it there, “Ken Martin, always a pleasure. Thank you for coming.”