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1、美国总统40比尔克林顿BillClinton:Survivorplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-14:05repeatByKellyJeanKelly17December,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutWilliamJeffersonClinton-betterknownasBillClinton.BillClintonwasthefirstpresidentfromtheDemocraticPartytoservetwofulltermssinceFrankli
2、nRoosevelt.Clintontookofficein1993zandwasre-electedin1996.Inmanyways,historiansconsiderhistimeinofficeasuccess.Theeconomyexpanded,andthecountrywaslargelyatpeace.ButClintonhadsomenotablefailures,too.HecouldnotpersuadeCongresstoacceptaplantoreformthenationshealthcaresystem.AndzinhissecondtermztheHouse
3、ofRepresentativestookstepstoremovehimfromoffice.ButtheSenatedecidednottoact.Clintonfinishedhissecondtermwithhighapprovalratings.YetheisalsorememberedforbeingonlythesecondU.S.presidenttobeimpeached.EarlylifeBillClintoncamefromatownwithamemorablename:Hope.Hegrewupthere,andinanothernearbytownintheSouth
4、ernstateofArkansas.Formostofhisearlylife,Billwasraisedbyhisgrandmotherandhismother,bothnurses.Hisfatherhaddiedinacaraccidentbeforehewasborn.PeoplewhoknewBillasayoungmanrememberhimasveryintelligent,charmingwithpeople,andtalentedinmusic.Hismothertoldhimhewouldbepresidentoneday.Sureenough,Clintonpursue
5、dactivitiesthatwouldleadtoapoliticalcareer.HeattendedcollegeatGeorgetownUniversityinWashington,DC,wherehestudiedinternationalaffairs;ledstudentgovernmentgroups;andtookapositionasaclerkintheU.S.Senate.HewentontostudyatOxfordUniversityinEnglandonaprestigiousRhodesScholarship.Thenhegraduatedfromlawscho
6、olatYaleUniversity.There,hemetanotherstudentwhowouldbehiswife,HillaryRodham.Thetwowentontohaveonechildtogether,adaughternamedChelsea.Afterfinishinghisstudies,ClintonreturnedtohishomestateofArkansasandpursuedpoliticaloffice.At32,hebecameoneoftheyoungestgovernorseverinthecountry.Twoyearslater,hewasvot
7、edoutofoffice,andashistorianRussellRileynoteshebecametheyoungestformergovernor.AndthatishowagooddealofClintonspoliticalcareercontinued:inapatternofsuccessesandfailures.Hissuccessesoftencameasaresultofhiscentristpolicies,whichappealedtopeopleofdifferentpoliticalbeliefs.Healsowasaneffectivepublicspeak
8、erand,tomany,aIikablezcharismaticpersonwhoseemedtocaredeeplyaboutothers.But,hiscriticspointedout,Clintonalsoappearedtomakemanydecisionssimplyforpoliticaladvantage.Andhesometimestriedtopleasesomanypeoplethathepleasednoone.Followingaseriesofincreasinglynationalroles-aswellasaseriesofsetbacks-Clintonca
9、mpaignedforpresidentin1992.Atfirst,hedidnotdowellinthecampaign.Hewasyoungandnotwell-known.Healsosufferedfromreportsthathehadrelationshipswithwomenwhowerenothiswife.Butintime,Clintonbeganwinningprimarycontests.ReporterscalledhimtheComebackKid.Heearnedapublicimageasapoliticianwhocouldsurviveproblems.B
10、illClintongreetedsupportersseveraldaysbeforehisinaugurationin1993.Inthegeneralelection,Clintoncompetedagainstthesittingpresident,RepublicanGeorgeH.W.Bush.Thetwomenalsofacedanunusuallystrongthird-partycandidatenamedRossPerot.OnElectionNight,Clintonprevailed.BecauseAmericanshadsplittheirvotesamongthre
11、emajorcandidates,Clintonearnedlessthan50%ofthepopularvote.ButhewonenoughelectoralvotestobecomethenextU.S.president.PresidencyThepeoplewhoworkedonBillClintonspresidentialcampaignadoptedaninformalmotto.Theysaid,Itstheeconomy,stupid.InotherwordszcampaignofficialsbelievedthatmostAmericanscaredprimarilya
12、bouthowapresidentspolicieswouldaffecttheirfinancialconcerns.So,PresidentClintonquicklysetaboutmakingaseriesofeconomicchanges.TheyincludedraisingtaxesonwealthierAmericansandcuttingspendingtohelppoorerAmericans.Inafewyears,theU.S.budgetdeficitwasgone,thefederalgovernmenthadasurplus,andthecountrysfinan
13、cialsituationwasstrongandhealthy-althoughnoteveryoneapprovedofthestepsClintontooktogetthere,orbelievedheshouldgetallthecredit.Earlyinhisfirstterm,Clintonsoughtanadditionalreformhebelievedwouldhelpvotersfinancialconcerns:affordablehealthinsuranceforallAmericans.MostpeopleintheU.S.eitherboughtprivateh
14、ealthinsuranceordidnothaveanyinsurancetohelppayformedicalcosts.ClintonwantedtofindawayfortheU.S.governmenttosupportAmericans,health-relatedexpenses.Heappointedhiswife,firstladyH川aryClinton,toleadahealthcarereformeffort.HillaryClinton,alawyer,hadledasimilarefforttoreformeducationinArkansaswhenherhusb
15、andwasgovernorthere.ButsomelawmakersinCongress-aswellassomevoters-rejectedherefforts.Thereformeffortfailed.Clintonalsostruggledinsomeearlyforeignpolicymoves.HewithdrewAmericantroopsfromSomaliaaftertheirhumanitarianeffortsthereturnedintoabloodymilitarystruggle.Hewasalsocriticizedforfailingtointervene
16、quicklyinthegenocideinRwanda,wherehundredsofthousandsofpeoplewerekilled.1.ater,Clintonwonpraiseforsomeofhisforeignpolicy.HisgovernmenthelpedrestoretheelectedpresidentinHaitiafteracoup.ItalsohelpednegotiatepeaceagreementsinBosniaandIreland.AnditcooperatedwithNATOtointerveneintheKosovoareaandstopattac
17、ksonAlbaniansthere.Ingeneral,ClintonbelievedtheU.S.hadanimportantroletoplayinmaintainingpeaceandprotectinghumanlifearoundtheworld.Atthesametime,hedidnotwanttousetoomanyAmericanresourcestodoso.Heaimedtocooperatewithothernations,andtosetmoderategoals.Asusual,Clintonadoptedanapproachthatwasnottooextrem
18、eononesideoranother.ImpeachmentDuringmostofhistimeaspresident,Clintonhadbeenunderinvestigation.Federaljudgeshadappointedaspecialcounsel,namedKennethStarrztofindoutifthepresidenthadcommittedanycrimesrelatedtofinancialinvestmentsbeforehetookoffice.FILE-OfficialWhiteHousephotofromIndependentCounselKenn
19、ethStarrsreportonClinton,showingthepresidentandMonicaLewinskyattheWhiteHousein1995.Duringtheinvestigation,StarrlearnedthatthepresidenthadbeenhavingasexualrelationshipwithayoungwomanwhoworkedintheWhiteHouse.StarraskedClintonabouttheaffairunderoath.1.ater,StarraccusedClintonoflyingabouthisrelationship
20、withthewoman.StarrsaidthatClintonhadalsotriedtopreventothersfromtellingthetruthaboutsomeofhisactivities.Intime,thepresidentpubliclyadmittedtherelationship,andheapologizedtovotersandhisfamily.Buthesaidhehadnotliedortoldanyoneelsetolieforhim.1.awmakersintheHouseofRepresentativesdidnotacceptClintonsdef
21、ense.Theyadvancedtwoarticlesofimpeachment.1.awmakersintheU.S.Senatethenconsideredthecase.Itistheirjobtoexaminetheevidenceanddecidewhethertoremoveapresidentfromoffice.AmajoritydidnotbelievetheactionsClintonwasaccusedofwereseriousviolationsagainstthecountry.TheyvotedtoacquitClintonofthechargesandpermi
22、thimtocontinueaspresident.1.egacyIntheU.S.,apresidentcanserveonlytwofullterms.Afterhissecond,BillClintonandhiswifesettledinatownoutsideNewYorkCity.Intime,HillaryClintonbecametheU.S.senatorfromNewYork,aswellasasecretaryofstateandtheDemocraticPartyscandidateforpresident.BillClinton,likemanyotherU.S.pr
23、esidents,wroteabouthisexperiencesandhelpeddevelophispresidentiallibrary.Healsoworkedonhumanitarian,health,andeconomicissueswithhisfamilysorganization,theClintonFoundation.Formany,Clintonstimeinofficeisrememberedasamixedexperience.TheeconomywasatoneofitsstrongestinU.S.history.Mostpeoplecouldfindjobs,
24、andmanyAmericansboughthomesforthefirsttime.Inthemid-1990sespecially,theInternetandothernewdevelopmentscreatedatechnologyboom.ClintonspokeatagatheringoftheClintonGlobalInitiativeAmerica,partofTheClintonFoundation,in2015.Inaddition,Clintonwasaneffectivepublicspeaker,andheinspirednewgroupsofpeopletosup
25、porthisDemocraticParty.Manyvotersapprovedofhisappointmentsofwomenandminoritiestopositionsofpowerinhisgovernment.Theyalsolikedthestepshetooktoreducetheuseofhandguns,protecttheenvironment,andprovidepaidtimeoffworkforsomepeopletocareforthemselvesortheirfamilies.ButbothDemocratsandRepublicansfoundfaultw
26、ithsomeofClintonsefforts.Andevenhissupportersnotethatthepresidenthadtospendmuchofhistimeinofficeansweringchargesofwrongdoing.mKellyJeanKelly.KellyJeanKellywrotethisstoryforLearningEnglish.GeorgeGrowwastheeditor.WordsinThisStoryimpeach-v.tocharge(apublicofficial)withacrimedonewhileinofficeclerk-n.apersonwhosejobistokeeptrackofrecordsanddocumentsforabusinessorofficecentrist-adj.havingpoliticalopinionsthatarenotextreme;havingbeliefsfallbetweenthoseofliberalsandconservatives
