《美国总统41 乔治·沃克·布什(小布什).docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《美国总统41 乔治·沃克·布什(小布什).docx(5页珍藏版)》请在优知文库上搜索。
1、美国总统41乔治沃克布什(小布什)GeorgeW.Bush:WartimePresidentplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-11:17repeatByKellyJeanKelly24December,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.GeorgeW.Bushisonlythesecondsonofapresidenttobecomepresident.ThefirstpairwereJohnAdamsandJohnQuincyAdams.TodaywearetalkingaboutGeorgeWalkerBu
2、sh.Hetookofficein2001asthe43rdpresident.Hehasasimilarnametoanotherpresident-hisfather,GeorgeHerbertWalkerBush.Tosimplifythings,AmericanssometimescalltheyoungerBush43,orsimplyW.HerewewilljustcallhimBush.BecauseBushisarecentpresident,historianshavenotreachedabroadagreementonhistimeasaleader.Buthewills
3、urelyberememberedforfacingoneofthebiggestchallengestoanypresident:theattacksagainsttheU.S.onSeptember11,2001.EarlylifeGeorgeBushwasborninthenortheaststateofConnecticut.ButhisparentssoonmovedtothesouthweststateofTexas.GeorgegrewupthereandconsideredTexashome.TheBushfamilyhadalongbackgroundinpolitics.B
4、ushsgrandfatherwasasenator.Hisfatherheldmanypublicoffices.Insomeways,Georgewaspreparedforacareerinpolitics,too.Hewenttothesameprivateboardingschoolashisfather.Then,likehisfatherandgrandfather,GeorgewenttoYaleforcollege.Healsoworkedonseveralpoliticalcampaigns.Buthesaidhedidnotconsiderpursuingpolitics
5、.Instead,heearnedadegreeinbusinessatHarvardandtookajobinanoilcompanyinTexas.Intime,hefoundedhisownoilbusiness.AndhemarriedLauraWelch,whowasateacherandlibrarianintheirhometown.TheyhadtwindaughtersnamedBarbaraandJenna.Intheseyearsasayoungadult,Bushbegantomakesomechanges.HebeganattendingaChristianchurc
6、hregularly.Hedecidedtostopdrinkingalcoholbecauseitwascreatingproblemsinhispersonallife.Andheturnedhisattentiontopolitics.Bushlostthefirstelectioninwhichhecompeted,aracetobecomeamemberofCongress.So,forawhile,hefocusedonbusinessinvestmentsandhelpinghisfatherspoliticalcareer.Butin1992,hisfatherlostre-e
7、lectiontothepresidency.AndtheyoungerBushsawachancetoenterpoliticshimselfagain.In1994,BushranforgovernorofTexas.Tomanypeoplessurprise,hewon.Fouryearslater,hewasoverwhelminglyre-elected.Manyvoterslikedhisimageas,whathecalled,acompassionateconservative.Inotherwords,hewantedtousetraditionalRepublicanide
8、asaboutgovernmenttohelpsociety.The2000election,betweenGeorgeBush(left)andAlGorezwastheclosestracesince1876.Followingtwosuccessfultermsasgovernor,Bushturnedhisattentiontothepresidency.In2000,hecompetedagainstthevicepresidentatthetimezAlGore.Thewinnerwasnotannounceduntilmorethanamonthfollowingtheelect
9、ion-usually,thewinnerisannouncedwithinhours.BothsidesdisputedtheprocessofcountingvotesinthestateofFlorida.Finally,theU.S.SupremeCourtruledontheprocess.TheCourtorderedstateofficialstostopre-countingvotes.Bushsleadstood.PresidencyBushenteredofficeexpectingtobringmanyoftheideashepursuedinTexastotheenti
10、renation.Forexample,aspresidenthepermittedreligiousgroupstoreceivegovernmentfunding,andsetnationalstandardsforpublicschools.Thesemoveswerepopularwithmanyvoters.ButtheyalsochallengedsomeAmericantraditions:theseparationofchurchandstate,andtheabilityofpublicschoolstogovernthemselves.Formanypresidents,t
11、hesepoliciesmighthavecreatedalegacy.ButearlyinBushstermzhefacedacrisisthatdefinedmuchofhistimeinoffice.Hijackerslinkedtotheal-QaedagroupseizedfourairplanesonSeptemberllz2001.TheypurposelycrashedtwoplanesintothetwintowersoftheWorldTradeCenterinNewYorkCityzeventuallykillingmorethan2,700people.Anotherp
12、lanewasflownintothePentagon,thecountrysmilitaryheadquartersoutsideofWashington,DC.About200peoplediedthere.Thefourthplanewasaimedatanotherimportanttarget.Butpassengersfoughtthehijackers.TheplanelostcontrolandcrashedinafieldinPennsylvania.All44peopleonboarddiedthere.PresidentBushwasvisitinganelementar
13、yschoolinFloridathatmorning.Helearnedabouttheattackswhilehewasreadingwiththechildren.ThesecondtoweroftheWorldTradeCenterburstsintoflamesafterbeinghitbyahijackedairplaneinNewYorkinthisSeptemberllz2001filephotograph.Attheendoftheday,Bushspoketothenation.HesaidtheU.S.wouldanswerboththeterroristgroupsan
14、dthecountriesthatpermittedterroristgroupstothrive.Overthenextyears,Bushtookanumberofactionstocreateanewnationalsecuritystrategy.TheyincludedcreatingaDepartmentofHomelandSecurity,makingchangestothecountrysintelligenceoperations,andreformingtheU.S.military.HealsosentU.S.forcesintoAfghanistantodestroyt
15、erroristnetworksthere.BushwasespeciallytargetingthepersonwhohaddesignedtheSeptember11terroristattacks,OsamabinLaden.ThestruggleinAfghanistanwassuccessfulatfirst,butcontinuedthroughoutBushstimeinoffice.AndbinLadenwasnotcapturedwhileBushwaspresident.In2003zBushopenedanotherfrontonwhatsomecalledthewaro
16、nterror.,HeandothergovernmentofficialssaidtheleaderofIraqzSaddamHusseinzwasdevelopingweaponsthatcouldkillmanypeople.TheysaidHussein-andhisconnectionstoterroristgroups-threatenedAmericansandpeopleinothercountries.HusseindidnotagreetoleaveIraq.SoU.S.andBritishforceslaunchedbombsattargetsinthecountryscapital.Additionaltroopsdestroyedwhatwasleftofthetargets.Husseinwasquicklyoverthrow