美国国家公共电台 NPR Gingrich Says Trump Must Address Business Conflicts Soon, Urges Monitoring

 

DAVID GREENE, HOST: 

Let's chat now with one of President-elect Donald Trump¹'s most high-profile advisers². It's former House Speaker Newt Gingrich who, like Trump, led a political upheaval³. That was 1994. Gingrich helped Republicans take control of both houses of Congress for the first time in decades on a set of promises called the Contract with America. Gingrich spoke⁴ with our MORNING EDITION colleague Rachel Martin. Rachel began by asking what he thinks Trump needs to do in the first hundred days to satisfy those who voted him into office.

NEWT GINGRICH: Well, I think he needs to set a direction that allows people who are deeply opposed to Obamacare to realize it's gradually going to be reformed and rethought. A lot of the initial phase, frankly⁵, I suspect - I don't know for a fact - but I suspect that the opening 48 or 72 hours will have so many executive orders repealing⁶ Obama's executive orders that the average conservative will be giddy with excitement.

RACHEL MARTIN, BYLINE⁷: Donald Trump has been favoring a lot of so-called disrupters in his Cabinet appointments. A couple of them stand out. Rick Perry as the man to lead the Department of Energy - he's someone who's advocated shutting the agency down. Scott Pruitt has been tapped to lead the EPA - Pruitt at odds⁸ with the overwhelming scientific consensus⁹ on climate change. He's repeatedly sued to weaken EPA regulations. What is Donald Trump's message in these two particular appointments?

GINGRICH: That he was elected by people who believe Washington has too much power. The Washington bureaucracy is too arrogant¹⁰ and imperial. This was an election that had consequence. It probably rivals the Reagan election of '80 and the FDR election of '32 in that sense.

Obama, by the way, had a similar election but couldn't sustain it, partly because he kept lying.

And this will be a real test for Trump. If Trump remains¹¹ honest and seems like a person who's authentic¹², he's going to go a long way. If under the pressure of this city he starts dissembling and saying things that aren't true, he'll decay as much as Obama did well on that.

MARTIN: Well, on that, how much does the perception of honesty have to do with transparency? There have been all kinds of calls for Donald Trump to be more transparent¹³ about his own financial holdings. Do you think that he needs to open the books? Does he need to be more transparent?

GINGRICH: I think they're going to have to find some system that convinces most reasonable people that they're operating within bounds of integrity and bounds that prevent corruption¹⁴ and prevent misuse¹⁵ of power.

MARTIN: So what does that look like?

GINGRICH: Well, I don't know. I mean, I've been suggesting that you find people like Attorney General Mukasey who are widely respected and have a panel of, like, five of them who have total access to everything and who are able to say on a regular basis, maybe monthly - you know, don't go over these bounds. This has to be fixed¹⁶. That can't be done that way.

MARTIN: Is that something you've suggested to the transition team?

GINGRICH: It's something I've talked to the transition team about.

MARTIN: And what was their response?

GINGRICH: I think that's one of many things they're looking at.

MARTIN: But up until now, Donald Trump has just essentially¹⁷ said trust me.

GINGRICH: Right. That will not last. This is not a country that wanders around trusting people with power. This is a country that wants accountability. They want some sense - now, again, he is unique. And I totally defend him against those who, for example, want him to put his holdings in a blind trust, which is an absurd...

MARTIN: Why is that absurd?

GINGRICH: Well, a large part of his holdings are Trump Golf clubs, Trump Hotels. I mean, we have never quite had anyone of this scale to occupy the White House. And it's going to require us to think about - how do you deal with this in a way that's effective and that serves the interests of the country but also meets some kind of practical, common-sense test?

MARTIN: You said earlier this week on The Diane Rehm Show that Donald Trump could potentially use the power of the pardon if anyone in his administration seemed to be violating conflict of interest laws or protocols¹⁸. Can you explain that?

GINGRICH: Sure. The Constitution gives the president of the United States an extraordinarily¹⁹ wide grant of authority to use the power of the pardon. I'm not saying he should. I'm not saying he will. It also allows the president, in a national security moment, to say to somebody - go do X, even if it's technically²⁰ against the law. And I'm - here's your pardon because I'm ordering you as commander in chief to go do this.

MARTIN: Does that sit well with you, the idea that President Trump could pardon a member of his family or his administration if that person was acting²¹ in the best interest of his corporation but not the government?

GINGRICH: Well, look, I'm not advocating it. I'm pointing out that it is within the Constitution and that we should be aware of it. But I think there needs to be a re-evaluation of both sides. He has to understand and his family has to understand that there is a public interest which transcends²² them. At the same time, we have to understand that this is a new situation we've never seen before. And the rules were written for people who were dramatically less successful, who literally²³ do not work.

MARTIN: He was supposed to hold a press conference last week where he was going to outline how he intended to create a bright line between himself and his business. He canceled that press conference. There are no plans for when he will hold it. Do you think that he needs to come out and make an announcement and to do it soon?

GINGRICH: Well, I suspect - I don't know this - but I suspect that they got drowned in picking the Cabinet. But they're going to have to do it sooner or later. I mean, the longer they wait, the greater the irritation²⁴ will be and the more concerned people will be. So it's not to their advantage, you know, to get to the inaugural²⁵ without having sorted this out.

But they need to have the help of pretty wise outsiders who are able, in a dispassionate way, to help them sort through this. I mean, they've never done anything like this before. And I certainly don't expect them, on phase one, to fully²⁶ appreciate how complicated it is and how dangerous it is for the country. This is a country in which 75 percent of the people believe there's widespread corruption. We have got to go back to re-establishing a sense of trust. That has to be an assignment Trump takes personally. And that has to be more than trust me because trust me never works in the long run as a model. It's just - it's not possible.

MARTIN: What do you anticipate your role being in the administration going forward?

GINGRICH: Strategic planner.

MARTIN: That's awfully²⁷ big. Can you narrow that down? What part of the government strategy are you going to be planning?

GINGRICH: It is big. But on the other hand, you know, as speaker of the House and then later having worked with the Bush administration, I've been working on these issues for 58 years. You know, I have - you know, and I've really spent a long time trying to think about - what do we need to do to get this government to be effective?

MARTIN: You say you've been working on these issues. Others might say you've been working in the swamp, to use Donald Trump's language.

GINGRICH: Although he - I'm told he now disclaims²⁸ that. He now says it was cute but he doesn't want to use it anymore.

MARTIN: He doesn't want to use drain the swamp anymore?

GINGRICH: I don't know. I saw - somebody that note last night because I'd written a - what I thought was a very cute tweet about the alligators³⁰ are complaining.

MARTIN: (Laughing).

GINGRICH: And somebody wrote back and said they were tired of hearing this stuff.

MARTIN: Did you take offense³¹ as an alligator²⁹?

GINGRICH: I'm becoming more statesman-like in this interview. But I've noticed on a couple of fronts, like people chanting lock her up, that he's in a different role now. And maybe he feels that as president - you know, as the next president of the United States, that he should be marginally more dignified³² than talking about alligators and swamps.

I, personally, as a sense of humor, like the alligator and swamp language. I think it actually - I think it vividly³³ illustrates³⁴ the problem because all the people in this city who are the alligators are going to hate the swamp being drained. And there's going to be constant fighting over it. But - you know, he is my leader. And if he decides to drop the swamp and the alligator, I will drop the swamp and the alligator.

MARTIN: Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

Thank you so much for your time.

GINGRICH: Thank you. Bye-bye.

GREENE: That was my colleague Rachel Martin talking to Newt Gingrich.

1 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。

2 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

3 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

6 repealing   

撤销，废除( repeal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• In addition, repealing the alternative minimum tax would also help. 此外，废除替代性最低税也会有所帮助。
• Repealing the investment tax credit. 取消投资税款扣除。

7 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。

8 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

9 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

10 arrogant   

adj.傲慢的，自大的

参考例句：

• You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
• People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

12 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

13 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。

14 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

15 misuse   

n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用

参考例句：

• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents.你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。
• He was sacked for computer misuse.他因滥用计算机而被解雇了。

16 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

17 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

18 protocols   

n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 )；（外交条约的）草案；（数据传递的）协议；科学实验报告（或计划）

参考例句：

• There are also protocols on the testing of nuclear weapons. 也有关于核武器试验的协议。 来自辞典例句
• Hardware components and software design of network transport protocols are separately introduced. 介绍系统硬件组成及网络传输协议的软件设计。 来自互联网

19 extraordinarily   

adv.格外地；极端地

参考例句：

• She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
• The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

20 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

21 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

22 transcends   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的第三人称单数 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• The chemical dilution technique transcends most of the difficulties. 化学稀释法能克服大部分困难。
• The genius of Shakespeare transcends that of all other English poets. 莎士比亚的才华胜过所有的其他英国诗人。

23 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

24 irritation   

n.激怒，恼怒，生气

参考例句：

• He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
• Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。

25 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

26 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。

27 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

28 disclaims   

v.否认( disclaim的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She disclaims any knowledge of her husband's business. 她否认对她丈夫的事知情。 来自辞典例句
• Dell disclaims proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. 戴尔公司不拥有其他厂商的商标及商号名称的相关权利。 来自互联网

29 alligator   

n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼)

参考例句：

• She wandered off to play with her toy alligator.她开始玩鳄鱼玩具。
• Alligator skin is five times more costlier than leather.鳄鱼皮比通常的皮革要贵5倍。

30 alligators   

n.短吻鳄( alligator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Two alligators rest their snouts on the water's surface. 两只鳄鱼的大嘴栖息在水面上。 来自辞典例句
• In the movement of logs by water the lumber industry was greatly helped by alligators. 木材工业过去在水上运输木料时所十分倚重的就是鳄鱼。 来自辞典例句

31 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

32 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

33 vividly   

adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地

参考例句：

• The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。
• The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。

34 illustrates   

给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
• Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分