2006年VOA标准英语-Former Presidents Form an Unlikely Allianc

By Mil Arcega
Washington, D.C.
02 January 2006
 
view Partnership¹ report

Once political rivals, former Presidents George H. Bush and Bill Clinton have become unlikely partners. The former leaders started working together after the devastating² Tsunami³ in Asia.  Since then, the pair has become a symbol of what politics, often, is not: convivial⁴, respectful and surprisingly effective.

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George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton at White House  
  

George Herbert Walker Bush and William Jefferson Clinton have come a long way since they ran against each other in 1992.

"Every time I think of Mr. Bush, I get spooked and think about Halloween,” said Mr. Clinton while campaigning in 1992.

"My dog Millie knows more about foreign affairs than these two bozos," countered then-President Bush, referring to Mr. Clinton and his running mate.

That was then. Now they're both former presidents.

But when the tsunami tragedy struck half a world away, an unlikely partnership was born. At the request of the current president, the former rivals traveled to Asia, to help raise money and rebuild lives ravaged⁵ by the powerful tsunami, which had left more than 200,000 people dead or missing.

Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush  
  
"Here was a young child, life shattered, mother drowned in front of her, sitting on a mud floor.  It's terribly moving,” said Mr. Bush.  “The children is what gets me the most."

Mr. Clinton added, "It was very painful.  It's breathtaking.  You think, ‘how do they go on?’ "

Since then, the 41st and 42nd presidents of the United States, or “41” and “42” as they sometimes refer to each other, have become a team.  This year, they raised more than $100 million to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, becoming, along the way, the symbols of tolerance⁶ and bipartisanship in politically divisive times.

"This so-called politics of personal destruction is a part of a larger trend to force everybody into little boxes, former President Clinton said.  “You've got to be liberal or conservative.   We're all supposed to be two-dimensional cartoon characters, not flesh and blood people with strengths and weaknesses; we're right and we're wrong."

Added former President Bush, "Because you run against each other, that doesn't mean you're enemies.  Politics doesn't have to be mean, politics doesn't have to be uncivil and nasty."

On the long flight to Asia to visit the tsunami victims, Mr. Clinton gave the one bed on the plane to Mr. Bush, while he slept on an air mattress⁸.  It was a simple gesture but one that forged a friendship. Now, they play golf together.

"If he beats me, I'm back to partisanship⁷, it's over," joked Mr. Clinton.

And they appear to genuinely like each other.

"The guy is indefatigable⁹, said Mr. Bush of Mr. Clinton. Then, referring to a popular battery advertisement, he added, “Energizer¹⁰ bunny -- he just keeps going and going here, there and around the world.  When you see it up close, it's undeniable."

"He's funny, he's straightforward¹¹.  He's all business when we're working,” said Mr. Clinton.  “Doesn't beat around the bush a lot, doesn't take a long time to make decisions.  He's interested in results just like I am."

But what is it that motivates former presidents to do what they do, long after their terms have expired?

Mr. Clinton answered, "If someone gives you the White House and gives you the most wonderful job in the world, you ought to spend the rest of your life trying to give back to the American people whatever you can."

"I still think politics is a noble calling,” said Mr. Bush.  “I believe most people in politics are honorable people that are serving for the right reasons."

Both say there's a lot more work to be done and have agreed to continue their partnership in the coming year, because as Mr. Clinton says, tomorrow can be better, and according to Mr. Bush, it's worth it.

1 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

2 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

3 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

4 convivial   

adj.狂欢的，欢乐的

参考例句：

• The atmosphere was quite convivial.气氛非常轻松愉快。
• I found it odd to imagine a nation of convivial diners surrendering their birthright.我发现很难想象让这样一个喜欢热热闹闹吃饭的民族放弃他们的习惯。

5 ravaged   

毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
• The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。

6 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

7 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

8 mattress   

n.床垫，床褥

参考例句：

• The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。
• The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。

9 indefatigable   

adj.不知疲倦的，不屈不挠的

参考例句：

• His indefatigable spirit helped him to cope with his illness.他不屈不挠的精神帮助他对抗病魔。
• He was indefatigable in his lectures on the aesthetics of love.在讲授关于爱情的美学时，他是不知疲倦的。

10 energizer   

n.抗抑制剂，情绪兴奋剂；增能器

参考例句：

• He thunk highly of QI of the spleen and stomach in middle energizer. 朱丹溪吸收了李东垣《脾胃论》的思想，临证用药重视中焦脾胃之气。 来自互联网

11 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。