又中又英｜A whole new ballgame

Just a few weeks ago, former US President Donald Trump thought he would romp to victory in the November 5 presidential election. He was certain he would romp to victory after President Joe Biden looked confused during an election debate against him. Trump was even more certain he would romp to victory after a failed assassination attempt against him, which made him a hero among many Americans. His Republican Party spent millions of dollars on TV ads attacking Biden. But Biden turned the tables by stepping aside and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to challenge Trump. Biden created a whole new ballgame by not seeking reelection.

To romp to victory means to easily win an election or competition. To turn the tables means to completely change the situation from being in a weaker position against someone to a stronger position. The American slang expression “a whole new ballgame” means a completely different situation that is more difficult than the previous situation. It’s a whole new ballgame for Trump because Harris is harder to beat than Biden. Trump was ahead of Biden in opinion polls, but new polls show it will be a tight race between him and Harris. Future poll results may change because the election is three months away.

If Harris wins, she will become the first woman president in US history. She will also be the first president with a Black father and an Indian mother. Biden, aged 81, was the oldest presidential candidate. Now that he has quit the race, Trump, aged 78, has become the oldest presidential candidate, and the first to be convicted of a crime by covering up a sex scandal.

幾個星期前，前美國總統唐納德‧特朗普以為自己會在十一月五日的總統選舉中輕易取勝（romp to victory）。在總統祖‧拜登跟他對決的一場選舉辯論中，拜登看來相當糊塗之後，特朗普頗肯定自己穩操勝券（romp to victory）；他遭人暗殺未遂，而令他成為許多美國人心目中的英雄之後，特朗普就更肯定自己能輕而易舉地獲勝（romp to victory）。他的共和黨花了數以百萬計美元投放電視廣告攻擊拜登，然而，拜登扭轉局面（turned the tables），退選並支持副總統賀錦麗去挑戰特朗普。拜登不再尋求連任，創造了一個全新的局面（a whole new ballgame）。

To romp to victory即是輕鬆贏得選舉或比賽。To turn the tables 是指完完全全地扭轉局面，由弱勢轉為佔上風。美國俚語“a whole new ballgame”是指一個全新而且比之前更艱難的局面。對特朗普來說，這是一個完全不同的情況（a whole new ballgame），因為賀錦麗比拜登更難戰勝。之前在民調中，特朗普領先拜登，但新的民調顯示，他跟賀錦麗將會爭持激烈。將來的民調結果仍會改變，因為選舉還有三個月才舉行。

要是賀錦麗勝出選舉，她將會成為美國史上第一位女總統。她亦將會是第一位總統有着黑人父親與印裔母親。年屆八十一的拜登是最老的總統候選人。現在他退出了選舉，年屆七十八的特朗普就成為了最老的總統候選人，並且是首位就掩飾性醜聞遭到刑事檢控的候選人。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻