The most expensive White House race ever is throwing up a rich catalogue of gaffes and unwisely uttered truths.
Republican candidate John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama have seen their campaigns rocked recently by supporters who planted their feet squarely in their mouths.
Former senator Phil Gramm, a top McCain advisor, undercut his boss’s fervent efforts to show voters he gets their economic plight when he declared America a “nation of whiners” mired in a recession of the mind.
PHOTO: AFP
Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson insists he is a passionate Obama supporter but seemed to betray his real views in a whispered aside on an open microphone.
“I want to cut his nuts off,” Jackson said, accusing the Illinois senator of talking down to black people.
These are classic examples of people blurting out things they believe, but would be wise to keep to themselves — or as columnist Michael Kinsley once famously put it: a gaffe is when a politician tells the truth.
Obama foreign policy advisor Samantha Power took a trip to Britain during the primary campaign and appeared to leave her discretion back home.
Power branded Obama’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton a “monster.” It’s a sentiment perhaps shared by some inside Obama’s campaign, but it jars with the high-minded tone he has adopted for his White House bid.
She resigned not long after that gaffe.
It’s not just surrogates who can get foot-in-mouth disease. McCain’s sense of humor sometimes causes him problems.
Last week, as tensions with Tehran flared, McCain was told by a journalist that US cigarette exports to Iran had soared. “Maybe that’s a way of killing them,” he quipped, before hurriedly adding: “I meant that as a joke.”
Perhaps the underlying message of all these missteps is that in a campaign as long as this candidates and their backers are bound to make mistakes. (AFP)
這場有史以來最花錢的白宮大位爭奪戰，頻頻傳出發言不當或輕率吐露真言的狀況。
共和黨候選人約翰．麥肯和民主黨的巴拉克．歐巴馬兩人最近都因幕僚失言而震撼選情。
麥肯的重要顧問前參議員費爾．葛蘭姆表示，心智衰弱的人民讓美國淪為一個「抱怨國」。麥肯積極想證明他了解選民的經濟困境，但費爾等於捅了他一刀。
黑人民權領袖傑西．傑克遜強調他是歐巴馬的狂熱支持者，但他卻在一支沒關的麥克風旁低聲說出「違心之論」。
傑克遜說：「我想把他給閹了。」他指責這位伊利諾州參議員貶低黑人。
這些都是人們脫口說出不該說的真話的典型例子；就像專欄作家麥可．金思利轟動一時的名言所說：政治人物說出事實就是失言。
歐巴馬的外交政策顧問莎曼珊．包爾在黨內初選期間出訪英國，結果她顯然把判斷力留在美國了。
包爾批評歐巴馬同黨的競選對手希拉蕊．柯林頓是個「怪物」。這可能是歐巴馬陣營內部部分人士對希拉蕊的看法，但卻有違他力倡的高格調競選。
她在那次失言後不久便主動請辭。
不只是代理人會說錯話，麥肯的幽默感有時候也讓他惹上麻煩。
德黑蘭上週試射飛彈造成國際情勢緊張，有記者告訴麥肯美國出口至伊朗的香菸數量大增，他就嘲諷說：「也許這是殲滅伊朗人之道，」隨後又趕緊補充說：「我說笑的啦。」
也許這種種失言背後的原因就是，在這種長期抗戰的選戰中，候選人和他們的支援團隊不可能不犯錯吧。
（法新社�翻譯：袁星塵）
In 2023, an 80-year-old woman in Taipei suffocated her paralyzed son after over five decades of caring for him. Turning herself in immediately, she confessed that worsening health and anxiety about who would care for him after her death had driven her to act. The court, acknowledging her difficult situation, sentenced her to two-and-a-half years in prison while recommending a presidential pardon. This rare judicial recommendation drew a complicated social response. Supporters argue that the mother’s half-century of caregiving renders her deserving of compassion instead of incarceration, believing that allowing her to live her final years in dignity and
★ Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。 The mango looked perfect. It sat on the fruit stand like a small sunset, red on one side and gold on the other. “I’ll take this one,” said Daniel. The fruit seller shook her head. “Not that one.” Daniel was surprised. “Why not? It looks beautiful.” “Yes,” she said, “but beautiful is not always ready.” She picked up another mango and held it near his nose. “First, smell here.” Daniel smelled the top of the mango. It was sweet and warm. “Good mangoes have a smell,” she said. “Next, feel the weight.”
Put the Cart Before the Horse 本末倒置 Iris: I think I’m in love. Carl: What? Iris: We just have so much in common. We like all of the same things. Carl: Yes, but you’ve only chatted with him online. Iris: It doesn’t matter. I know we’ll end up getting married. Carl: I’m afraid you’re putting the cart before the horse. You should at least meet him first. Iris: OK, OK. I’ll do that. 艾瑞絲： 我想我戀愛了。 卡 爾： 什麼？ 艾瑞絲： 我們就是有那麼多的共通點。我們喜歡的東西都一樣。 卡 爾： 是沒錯，不過妳和他只在網路上聊過天而已。 艾瑞絲： 那不重要。我知道我們最後一定會步入禮堂。 卡 爾： 妳恐怕是本末倒置了吧。妳至少應該先跟他見個面。 艾瑞絲： 好啦，好啦。我會的啦。 A tough cookie 強悍的人∕堅強的人 Tracy: I heard you went out with Iris last night. Justin: Yeah. We
A: Over 130,000 college graduates are about to enter the workforce upon graduation. B: According to a survey, the top 10 most desired careers among Taiwanese are: independent content creator, civil servant, information engineer, financial professional, medical worker, content planner, flight attendant, news anchor, designer and fitness trainer. A: What are the “dream jobs” for young Gen Zers? B: The top three for men are YouTuber, pro gamer and engineer. For women, they are writer, social media editor and YouTuber. A: Every profession has its champion. Just look at Taiwanese fire dancer Yang Li-wei — who was on fire
RSS