VOA慢速英语2015 老布什出传记批评儿子政府

Father Bush Critiques Son’s Presidency¹ in New Book 老布什出传记批评儿子政府

For all eight years of his son’s presidency, former President George Herbert Walker Bush was supportive.

But in a new book about his life in politics, President George Herbert Walker Bush mildly criticizes his son, George Walker Bush.

The elder Bush says he approves of some of his son’s controversial decisions, such as invading Iraq. But sometimes his son used overly “hot rhetoric²,” the senior Bush says.

George H.W. Bush mentioned a 2002 speech describing an “axis of evil.”

In the speech George W. Bush said Iran, North Korea and Iraq were among the nations that fit the “axis of evil” description.

Tough talk will get you headlines, “but it doesn’t necessarily solve the diplomatic problem,” George H.W. Bush said.

His comments came in Jon Meacham’s new book, “Destiny and Power.”

George H.W. Bush served as president from 1989 to 1993. George W. Bush was the U.S. president from 2001 to 2009. George H.W. Bush was the 41st president of the United States. His son, George W. Bush, was number 43.

In the interviews with Meacham, George H.W. Bush says his son was not well served by two of his administration’s top officials – Vice³ President Dick Cheney and Defense⁴ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Both had “iron-ass views,” the senior Bush said.

By that, Bush meant he believed the two officials were acting⁵ too tough in dealing⁶ with threats to the United States after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Cheney and Rumsfeld served as President George W. Bush’s key advisors⁷. They promoted U.S. military action overseas after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington. They pushed for U.S. war efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Cheney “had his own empire there and marched to his own drummer,” Bush said.

Rumsfeld was an “arrogant⁸ fellow,” he said.

The younger Bush said in a statement that he was “proud to have served" with Cheney and Rumsfeld. He said both "did a good job for him and the American people.”

Over the weekend, George W. Bush talked about the book with its author, Jon Meacham. The discussion was broadcast from his presidential library in Texas.

Bush expressed surprise at some of the book’s disclosures. He said he hadn’t seen the diaries his dad kept -- the ones that Meacham used to write the book.

But George W. Bush said proudly that his dad strongly supported his most controversial decision – the one to go to war with Iraq in 2003. At Meacham’s urging, the younger Bush read aloud a letter from his father. The elder Bush wrote about how proud he was of his son’s leadership in dealing with Iraq.

Another George H.W. Bush son, Jeb, is running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination⁹.

Words in This Story

controversial  – v. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument

rhetoric -- n. language that is intended to influence people and that may not be honest or reasonable definition

promoted -- v. to change the rank or position of (someone) to a higher or more important one

arrogant -- adj. having or showing the insulting attitude of people who believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people

1 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

2 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 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。

6 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

7 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor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：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

8 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。

9 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。