拜登決定不角逐總統候選人提名

Joe Biden will not run for US president, ending months of tortured speculation that he would challenge Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

喬拜登(Joe Biden)不會參加美國總統競選，這結束了數月以來的諸多猜測，即他將在民主黨提名中挑戰希拉裏克林頓(Hillary Clinton)。

Flanked by President Barack Obama in the White House Rose Garden, Mr Biden said his family was recovering from the loss of his son Beau to cancer this year and had concluded there was no window left to mount a credible challenge against the four Democrats in the race.

在白宮玫瑰園，在總統巴拉克攠巴馬(Barack Obama)的陪伴下，拜登表示，他的家人正試圖從長子博(Beau)今年因罹患癌症而去世這一不幸中恢復過來，並得出結論，他已沒有機會對已經投入角逐的4位民主黨人發起可信的挑戰。

“As the family and I have worked through the grieving process, I’ve said all along.. it may very well be that the process, by the time we get through it, closes the window on mounting a realistic campaign for president,” he said. “I’ve concluded it has closed.”

“我和家人經歷了哀悼過程，我一直這麼說……很有可能就是這個過程，在我們走出悲痛時，將關閉發起現實的競爭總統候選人提名的時間窗口，”他表示，“我得出的結論是，這個窗口已關閉。”

Mr Biden stressed that while he would not be a candidate, “I will not be silent”. He called on Democrats and Republicans to “end the divisive partisan politics that is ripping this country apart”.

拜登強調，儘管他不會參選，但“我不會保持沉默”。他呼籲民主黨人和共和黨人“結束正在撕裂國家的激化分歧的黨派政治”。

For months Mr Biden had kept open the option of a possible third run for the White House, while cautioning that he would need to ensure that he and his family had the “emotional energy” to proceed following the death of his son.

幾個月來，拜登一直保留着第三次爭取問鼎白宮的可能性，同時告誡稱，他需要確保他和他的家人在他的長子去世後擁有作出這個決定的“情感能量”。

Speculation had mounted over the summer that he would jump into the race as Mrs Clinton, the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, struggled to shake off a scandal about her use of a private email account while serving as the top US diplomat.

今年夏季，外界猜測，他將參加競選，因在民主黨提名中處於領先的希拉里難以擺脫一樁關於她在擔任美國國務卿時曾使用私人郵件賬戶的醜聞。

The decision is a recognition that Mr Biden would be launching a campaign just four months before the primaries begin, with Mrs Clinton and rival Bernie Sanders, a socialist senator from Vermont, having already built up large campaign teams and funds.

拜登的決定意味着，他承認自己原本將在距離初選僅4個月前加入角逐，而希拉里及其競爭對手、來自佛蒙特州的信奉社會主義的參議員伯尼儠德斯(Bernie Sanders)已組建大規模競選團隊並籌集了競選資金。

The news that Mr Biden will not enter the race will be a huge relief to the Clinton camp. He had a reputation for being more authentic than the former secretary of state and she already faces a strong challenge from Mr Sanders.

拜登不會參選的消息將令希拉里陣營深感寬慰。拜登有着比希拉里更厚道的名聲，而且希拉里已遭遇來自桑德斯的強大挑戰。