Bill Clinton 比尔·克林顿
克林顿任上处理过多少国家事务恐怕现在没多少人记得了,不过他著名的“拉链门”事件还让人一直数落到今天。现在但凡奥巴马跟米歇尔有点什么亲密举动了,脱口秀里都会把克林顿拎出来调侃一番。克林顿在事实确凿不容推翻的时候,不断在改进自己的道歉技术,最初是:
I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. Infact, it was wrong. I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that.
我的确和莱温斯基小姐发生了不适当的关系,事实上,这是错误的。我欺骗了人民,甚至欺骗了我的妻子,我深深地感到后悔。
一直到后来的:
What I want the American people to know, what I want the Congress to know, is that I am profoundly sorry for all I have done wrong in words and deeds. I never should have misled the country, the Congress, my friends and my family.
我希望美国人民了解到,我希望国会了解到,我对我做过的错事说过的错话感到由衷的歉意。我从来都不应该欺骗国家、国会、我的朋友和我的家人。
可以看出,语言上下了很大的功夫。克林顿最终没有被国会弹劾,这大概也因为他任期内美国国泰民安,老百姓也不愿意折腾了。