爲了權力再油膩也要吞下去 Chow down for power
American media flocked to the small town of Fairfield, Iowa, last week for one of the strangest scenes in the US presidential race: the Iowa State Fair.
上週美國媒體蜂擁進入愛荷華州小鎮費爾菲爾德，因爲這裏正在上演美國大選最新奇的一幕之一——愛荷華州博覽會。
The 10-day festivity, which ended on Aug 23, is a popular campaign stop for presidential hopefuls. But it’s not the candidates’ politics that fall under scrutiny at the fair. It’s the politics of food.
這場爲期10天的盛會於8月23日落幕，它是美國總統候選人十分青睞的選戰之地。不過在這兒被大衆審視的不是候選人的政治主張，而是食物的政治。
Choking down the fair’s fatty food has become a kind of test, measuring each candidate’s ability to level with the common folk. And with hawk-like precision, the media catalogues each and every morsel that enters their mouths, down to the calorie.
能否吞下博覽會上肥膩的食物已經成了考驗候選人是否能對選民以誠相待的方式。媒體則像敏銳的雄鷹一樣打量着每個候選人吃下去的每一口食物，包括食物的熱量。
Headlines last week roared that Republican candidate Jeb Bush broke his diet by eating a 445-calorie, deep-fried Snickers candy bar. And everyone from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump bit on the fair’s most famous offering, the pork chop on a stick, as cameras flashed around them.
上週新聞頭條大肆渲染了共和黨候選人傑布布什一反自己的日常飲食習慣，吃了一塊445大卡的油炸士力架。從希拉裏克林頓到唐納德礠湲朗，當攝像機在他們面前閃爍的時候，每個人在吃着博覽會上最著名的豬排。
All the while, the candidates find themselves surrounded by cattle competitions, cooking contests and life-sized carvings made of butter. It is a celebration of the US’ food traditions–but what do those traditions say about the country and its candidates?
候選人時刻都置身於賽牛、廚藝比賽、真人大小的黃油雕刻之中。這是一場美國飲食傳統的盛典，不過這些傳統傳達出美國和她的總統候選人什麼樣的信息呢？
Iowa is an agricultural hub, producing more corn and eggs than any other state. Yet, for a state renowned for growing fresh food, its fair is best known for its fried foods. Anything that can be fried will be: pie, pickles, butter, cookies–and the list goes on.
愛荷華州是美國的農業中心，這裏是美國玉米和雞蛋的最大的產地。然而這個以生產新鮮食物聞名的州，卻有一個以油炸食物著稱的博覽會。在這兒，任何食物都能油炸：派、鹹菜、黃油、餅乾……被油炸的食物還會越來越多。
Eat poorly and be humble
吃垃圾食品和保持謙遜
But beware the backlash should a politician give up the fatty treats. In 2012, former Texas governor Rick Perry was ridiculed for daring to choose a vegetarian corn dog. And reporters keenly noted how Jeb Bush threw out half of his deep-fried Snickers this year.
不過要是一個政客敢不買油乎乎食品的賬，後果可能很嚴重。2012年，前德克薩斯州州長裏克槧裏（Rick Perry）就因爲選了一個素食玉米熱狗而受到無情的嘲諷。這一次，敏銳的媒體也注意到傑布布什扔掉了半個油炸士力架。
Candidates craft their public images to appear humble and folksy. And a candidate’s willingness to swallow the fair’s unhealthy food serves as an indicator, to see if their actions match their carefully constructed public image.
候選人精心打造自己謙遜、親和的公衆形象。而他們是否願意吞下博覽會上的垃圾食品則被視爲評價指標，衡量他們的行爲是否與其精心營造的公衆形象相符。
In the US, eating healthy can be seen as a mark of elitism. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, put it simply: “It is a fact that to eat healthily in this country ... costs more than it does to eat poorly.” Processed foods are often cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables, and more widely available.
在美國，健康飲食被視爲精英主義的標誌之一。《雜食者的困境》一書的作者邁克爾波倫（Michael Pollan）一針見血地指出：“事實上，在美國吃健康食品比吃垃圾食品貴得多。”加工食品通常比新鮮果蔬便宜，且更容易買到。
The fair’s food also gives contenders the opportunity to stand apart from the Barack Obama administration, which championed healthy lifestyles. By sinking their teeth into the fatty food, the 2016 candidates are taking a decisive bite against their predecessor’s ideals.
博覽會上的食物也給了這些總統寶座的角逐者同奧巴馬政權劃清界限的機會，因爲後者倡導健康的生活方式。當本屆總統候選人大快朵頤那些肥膩食物的時候，他們已經果斷地偏離了奧巴馬的理念。
The purpose of agricultural fairs was originally to “display abundance”, historian Megan Elias told the BBC. Blue ribbons were given to the fattest cow, the largest pumpkin.
農業博覽會設立的初衷是爲了“展示該地的富饒”，歷史學家梅根伊萊亞斯告訴英國廣播公司（BBC）。最肥碩的奶牛和最大的南瓜會被授予藍絲帶。
The United States was built on down-home values and capitalist consumption. And the Iowa State Fair allows presidential candidates to unleash that all-American zeal–at least until the fair’s end. Then it’s back to the diet, Mr Bush.
美國是建立在鄉土價值觀和資本主義消費觀之上的國家。愛荷華州博覽會向總統候選人提供了釋放這一美式熱誠的舞臺，至少到博覽會結束。然後布什先生可以繼續有節制地飲食了。
