美国国家公共电台 NPR--The public was slow to learn that Biden's lawyers returned old classified documents

The public was slow to learn that Biden's lawyers returned old classified documents

Transcript¹

President Biden's lawyers were quick to turn over classified documents they found in his home and an office. But they were slow to tell the public what had happened. We look at the political fallout.

DWANE BROWN, HOST:

November 2, that's when President Biden's lawyers say they discovered some old classified documents where they shouldn't be. But the White House didn't publicly disclose it until it blew up as a big news story. And even then, they weren't fully² forthcoming about the extent of the problem. Now, it is a full-blown political headache for Biden. NPR White House correspondent Tamara Keith has more on the story.

TAMARA KEITH, BYLINE³: The story broke on Monday. The next day, Biden started explaining.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: They found some documents in a box, you know, a locked cabinet or at least a closet. And as soon as they did, they realized there were several classified documents in that box. And they did what they should have done.

KEITH: It was days before the midterm elections. And his lawyers quickly turned the documents over to the National Archives, which then contacted the Justice Department. And an investigation⁴ soon began. The way Biden described it, the problem sounded contained.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

BIDEN: And we're cooperating fully with the review, and which I hope will be finished soon. And there'll be more detail at that time.

KEITH: It turns out the investigation isn't done. And Biden's public statement omitted a significant fact. In December, Biden's lawyers found more files, this time in his garage in Wilmington, Del. But on Wednesday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre purposely didn't talk about it, even as NPR's Franco Ordo?ez specifically asked whether Biden's lawyers were searching in other places.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

FRANCO ORDO?EZ, BYLINE: Whether in Wilmington or Rehoboth, has there been any kind of, like, audit⁵ that's been done of where there may be others that he doesn't know about?

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: I'm just not going to speak to this. I'm going to let the process continue. It's an ongoing⁶ process.

KEITH: No sooner did she finish, than another story broke, this one about the documents found in Wilmington back in December. It wasn't until Thursday morning that the White House confirmed it. But Jean-Pierre insisted she had been as transparent⁷ as she could be.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JEAN-PIERRE: I can't talk about this - right? - because it is - the Department of Justice is reviewing it.

KEITH: The press corps⁸ was openly skeptical⁹. Jennifer Palmieri has seen these kinds of crises before. She worked in the Clinton and Obama White Houses and was communications director for Hillary Clinton's campaign.

JENNIFER PALMIERI: You know, different situation, you might want to talk this to death, you know, answer every question you possibly can answer and hope that you exhaust it.

KEITH: But right now, she says, communication strategy isn't the biggest concern. Foremost is not getting crosswise with the special counsel investigation. And there are also congressional Republicans to contend with.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KEVIN MCCARTHY: They knew this has happened before the election. But they kept it a secret from the American public.

KEITH: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MCCARTHY: Now we find another location that it's at. But he refused to answer. His press secretary won't answer the questions.

KEITH: Republicans are much more exercised about Biden's documents than those found at former President Trump¹⁰'s residence. A different special counsel is looking into that. But this case is quite different. While Biden's team passed off his documents like a hot potato, Trump hoarded¹¹ files and misled investigators¹² trying to get them back. Leon Panetta, a former White House chief of staff, told NPR, this isn't great for Biden.

LEON PANETTA: You know, it's both an embarrassment¹³ and damaging to the credibility of the White House because, obviously, the president has criticized former President Trump and the way he handled classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

KEITH: Biden's counsel, Richard Sauber, said in a statement they believe that a thorough investigation will reveal that the documents were inadvertently mishandled.

Tamara Keith, NPR News.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 audit   

v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听

参考例句：

• Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核，以确保其真实无误。
• As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样，年度审计将在十二月份进行。

6 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

7 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

8 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

9 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

10 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

11 hoarded   

v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It owned great properties and often hoarded huge treasures. 它拥有庞大的财产，同时往往窖藏巨额的财宝。 来自辞典例句
• Sylvia among them, good-naturedly applaud so much long-hoarded treasure of useless knowing. 西尔维亚也在他们中间，为那些长期珍藏的无用知识，友好地、起劲地鼓掌。 来自互联网

12 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。