克林頓總統向國人道歉
名人演講稿
ThiseechwasgivenbyPresidentBillClintontoreportersintheWhiteHouseRoseGardenonFriday,December11,1998,at4:11p.m.,justminutesbeforetheHouseJudiciaryCommitteevotedtopaitsfirstarticleofimpeachment.
PresidentBillClinton:
Goodafternoon.
Asanyoneclosetomeknows,formonthsIhavebeengralingwithhowbesttoreconcilemyselftotheAmericanpeople,toacknowledgemyownwrongdoingandstilltomaintainmyfocusontheworkofthepresidency.
Othersarepresentingmydefeeonthefacts,thelawandtheCotitution.NothingIcansaynowcanaddtothat.
WhatIwanttheAmericanpeopletoknow,whatIwanttheCongretoknowisthatIamprofoundlysorryforallIhavedonewronginwordsanddeeds.版權所有
Inevershouldhavemisledthecountry,theCongre,myfriendsormyfamily.Quitesimply,Igaveintomyshame.Ihavebeencondemnedbymyaccuserswithharshwords.
Andwhileit”shardtohearyourselfcalleddeceitfulandmanipulative,IrememberBenFranklin”sadmonitionthatourcriticsareourfriends,fortheydoshowusourfaults.
MerewordscaotfullyexpretheprofoundremorseIfeelforwhatourcountryisgoingthroughandforwhatmembersofbothpartiesinCongrearenowforcedtodealwith.ThesepastmonthshavebeenatorturousproceofcomingtotermswithwhatIdid.Iunderstandthataccountabilitydemandscoequences,andI”mpreparedtoacceptthem.
PainfulasthecondemnationoftheCongrewouldbe,itwouldpaleincomparisontothecoequencesofthepainIhavecausedmyfamily.Thereisnogreateragony.
Likeanyonewhohonestlyfacestheshameofwrongfulconduct,IwouldgiveanythingtogobackandundowhatIdid.
ButoneofthepainfultruthsIhavetolivewithistherealitythatthatissimplynotpoible.Anoldanddearfriendofminerecentlysentmethewisdomofapoetwhowrote,"Themovingfingerwritesandhavingwrit,moveson.Norallyourpietynorwitshalllureitbacktocancelhalfaline.Norallyourtearswashoutawordofit.””
Sonothing,notpiety,nortears,norwit,nortormentcanalterwhatIhavedone.Imustmakemypeacewiththat.
ImustalsobeatpeacewiththefactthatthepubliccoequencesofmyactioareinthehandsoftheAmericanpeoplean