历届美国总统简介：威廉·杰斐逊·克林顿

威廉·杰斐逊·克林顿，美国律师、政治家，美国民主党成员，曾任阿肯色州州长、全美州长联席会议主席、联合国海地事务特使、克林顿基金会主席、第42任（第52届）美国总统。[1] 

1976年，克林顿出任阿肯色州司法部长。1978年至1980年任阿肯色州州长，1982年至1992年又连续5次担任州长。克林顿任州长期间，在推动州教育改革和实施经济发展计划方面取得成就，被选为美国南部经济发展政策委员会主席，兼任全美州长联席会议主席，并曾协助总统主持国家最高教育当局的工作。1990年，克林顿被选为民主党最高委员会主席。1992年竞选成功美国总统，1996年，连任成功。[2] 

2013年11月20日，美国总统奥巴马在白宫向前总统克林顿等一批美国人颁发了总统自由勋章。[3] 

克林顿是美国第一位出生于第二次世界大战之后的总统、第三位遭受国会弹劾动议的总统，也是仅次于西奥多·罗斯福和约翰·肯尼迪之后的最年轻的美国总统，以及富兰克林·罗斯福之后连任成功的第一位民主党总统。

 

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton was born in 1946 in Hope, Arkansas three months after his father died in a traffic accident. His surname at birth was Blythe. His mother remarried and he took his stepfather’s name. Clinton excelled as a student and as a saxophone player and once considered becoming a professional musician. While in high school, he met President John Kennedy and decided¹ to enter politics.

 

Clinton graduated from Georgetown University and England’s Oxford² University. He received a law degree from Yale University in 1973, and entered politics in Arkansas. In 1975, he married future Secretary of State Hillary Rodham. Clinton was elected Arkansas Attorney General in 1976, and won the governorship in 1978. He ran for President and defeated George H.W. Bush in the 1992 election.

 

Clinton and his Vice³ President Al Gore⁴ represented a new, young generation in American political leadership. For the first time in 12 years both the White House and Congress were held by the same party. He passed the North American Free Trade Agreement. He also implemented⁵ the “Don't ask, don't tell” policy aimed at recruiting soldiers into the military regardless of their sexual orientation⁶.

 

Clinton was the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second term. Unemployment was at its lowest rate in modern times, and inflation the lowest in 30 years. Home ownership was the highest in the country's history and crime rates were dropping. Despite almost facing impeachment⁷ as a result of personal indiscretions with a young White House intern⁸, his popularity remained very high.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

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 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

5 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

6 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

7 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

8 intern   

v.拘禁，软禁；n.实习生

参考例句：

• I worked as an intern in that firm last summer.去年夏天我在那家商行实习。
• The intern bandaged the cut as the nurse looked on.这位实习生在护士的照看下给病人包扎伤口。