But everybody knows Obama needs a liberal to stop the court from moving further to the right than it already has under John Roberts, the present chief justice, a man more stealth-bomber than aircraft-carrier, whose professions of judicial modesty during his own confirmation hearings in 2005 gave little inkling of the controversial decisions over which he has since presided.
词汇突破：
liberal 自由主义者
Chief justice 大法官
Stealth 隐形轰炸机
Aircraft-carrier 航空母舰
judicial modesty 司法中庸的理念
confirmation hearings 确认听证会
inkling 想法，暗示，迹象
controversial 具有争议性的
professions 表明(这是一个动态名词，在翻译的过程中常常翻译为动词)
gave little inkling 没有给出线索;(没成想)
句子主干：everybody knows
其他成分：Obama needs a liberal to stop the court (宾语从句主干)
from moving further to the right (状语)
than it already has under JohnRoberts (比较状语从句修饰moving further to the right)
the present chief justice 同位语(John Roberts)
a man more stealth-bomber than aircraft-carrier 同位语
(John Roberts) whose professions of judicial modesty during his own confirmation hearings in 2005 gave little inkling of the controversial decisions over which he has since presided. 定语从句修饰(John Roberts)
微观分析：定语从句的主干：whose professions of judicial modesty gave littleinkling of the controversial decisions
定语从句中再给出了两个定语：
(1) during his own confirmation hearings in 2005
(2) over which he has since presided. (这里 preside over 是固定搭配表示:主持)
还原为一个句子的话就是：he has sinve preside over the ( controversial decisions)
. 翻译点拨：可以先翻译同位语：
现任首席大法官约翰.罗伯茨,与其说像航母不如说更像隐形轰炸机。 再来翻译定语从句前半句，将主语和定语部分单独成句：
2005年，在其就职确认听证会上，他表示将信奉中庸的司法理念，没成想在他主政之后却做成了很多有争议的判罚。
接着翻译宾语从句：
先翻译状语：法庭在约翰的领导下，已经往右发展了，奥巴马需要一个自由主义者来阻止法庭进一步的右转。
最后翻译主句： 这一点是大家都知道的。
参考译文：现任首席大法官约翰.罗伯茨,与其说像一艘航母不如说像一架隐形轰炸机。2005年，在其就职确认听证会上，他表示将信奉中庸的司法理念，没成想在他主政之后却做成了很多有争议的判罚。法庭在约翰的领导下，已经往右发展了，奥巴马需要一个自由主义者来阻止法庭进一步的右转。这一点是大家都知道的。
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