2023年克林顿推销自传《我的生活》所发表的演讲范文.doc

克林顿推销自传?我的生活?所发表的演讲 名人演讲稿 xMyLifeExcerpt-ChapterOne EarlyonthemorningofAugust19,1946,IwasbornunderaclearskyafteraviolentsummerstormtoawidowedmotherintheJuliaChesterHospitalinHope,atownofaboutsixthousandinsouthwestArkansas,thirty-threemileseastoftheTexasborderatTexarkana.MymothernamedmeWilliamJeffersonBlytheIIIaftermyfather,WilliamJeffersonBlytheJr.,oneofninechildrenofapoorfarmerinSherman,Texas,whodiedwhenmyfatherwasseventeen.Accordingtohissisters,myfatheralwaystriedtotakecareofthem,andhegrewuptobeahandsome,hardworking,fun-lovingman.HemetmymotheratTri-StateHospitalinShreveport,Louisiana,in1943,whenshewastrainingtobeanurse.ManytimeswhenIwasgrowingup,IaskedMothertotellmethestoryoftheirmeeting,courting,andmarriage.Hebroughtadatewithsomekindofmedicalemergencyintothewardwhereshewasworking,andtheytalkedandflirtedwhiletheotherwomanwasbeingtreated.Onhiswayoutofthehospital,hetouchedthefingeronwhichshewaswearingherboyfriend''''sringandaskedherifshewasmarried.Shestammered"no"--shewassingle.Thenextdayhesenttheotherwomanflowersandherheartsank.ThenhecalledMotherforadate,explainingthathealwayssentflowerswhenheendedarelationship. Twomonthslater,theyweremarriedandhewasofftowar.HeservedinamotorpoolintheinvasionofItaly,repairingjeepsandtanks.Afterthewar,hereturnedtoHopeforMotherandtheymovedtoChicago,wherehegotbackhisoldjobasasalesmanfortheManbeeEquipmentCompany.TheyboughtalittlehouseinthesuburbofForestParkbutcouldn''''tmoveinforacoupleofmonths,andsinceMotherwaspregnantwithme,theydecidedsheshouldgohometoHopeuntiltheycouldgetintothenewhouse.OnMay17,1946,aftermovingtheirfurnitureintotheirnewhome,myfatherwasdrivingfromChicagotoHopetofetchhiswife.LateatnightonHighway60outsideofSikeston,Missouri,helostcontrolofhiscar,a1942Buick,whentherightfronttireblewoutonawetroad.Hewasthrownclearofthecarbutlandedin,orcrawledinto,adrainageditchdugtoreclaimswampland.Theditchheldthreefeetofwater.Whenhewasfound,afteratwo-hoursearch,hishandwasgraspingabranchabovethewaterline.Hehadtriedbutfailedtopullhimselfout.Hedrowned,onlytwenty-eightyearsold,marriedtwoyearsandeightmonths,onlysevenmonthsofwhichhehadspentwithMother. ThatbriefsketchisaboutallIeverreallyknewaboutmyfather.AllmylifeIhavebeenhungrytofillintheblanks,clingingeagerlytoeveryphotoorstoryorscrapofpaperthatwouldtellmemoreofthemanwhogavemelife.WhenIwasabouttwelve,sittingonmyuncleBuddy''''sporchinHope,amanwalkedupthesteps,lookedatme,andsaid,you''''reBillBlythe''''sson.Youlookjustlikehim.Ibeamedfordays. In1974,IwasrunningforCongress.Itwasmyfirstraceandthelocalpaperdidafeaturestoryonmymother.Shewasatherregularcoffeeshopearlyinthemorningdiscussingthearticlewithalawyerfriendwhenoneofthebreakfastregularssheknewonlycasuallycameuptoherandsaid,"Iwasthere,Iwasthefirstoneatthewreckthatnight."HethentoldMotherwhathehadseen,includingthefactthatmyfatherhadretainedenoughconsciousnessorsurvivalinstincttotrytoclawhimselfupandoutofthewaterbeforehedied.Motherthankedhim,wentouttohercarandcried,thendriedhertearsandwenttowork. In2023,onFather''''sDay,myfirstasPresident,theWashingtonPostranalonginvestigativestoryonmyfather,whichwasfollowedoverthenexttwomonthsbyotherinvestigativepiecesbytheAssociatedPressandmanysmallerpapers.ThestoriesconfirmedthethingsmymotherandIknew.Theyalsoturnedupalotwedidn''''tknow,includingthefactthatmyfatherhadprobablybeenmarriedthreetimesbeforehemetMother,andapparentlyhadatleasttwomorechildren. Myfather''''sothersonwasidentifiedasLeonRitzenthaler,aretiredownerofajanitorialservice,fromnorthernCalifornia.Inthearticle,hesaidhehadwrittenmeduringthe2campaignbuthadreceivednoreply.Idon''''trememberhearingabouthisletter,andconsideringalltheotherbulletsweweredodgingthen,it''''spossiblethatmystaffkeptitfromme.Ormaybetheletterwasjustmisplacedinthemountainsofmailwewerereceiving.Anyway,whenIreadaboutLeon,Igotintouchwithhimandlatermethimandhiswife,Judy,duringoneofmystopsinnorthernCalifornia.Wehadahappyvisitandsincethenwe''''vecorrespondedinholidayseasons.HeandIlookalike,hisbirthcertificatesayshisfatherwasmine,andIwishI''''dknownabouthimalongtimeago. Somewherearoundthistime,Ialsoreceivedinformationconfirmingnewsstoriesaboutadaughter,SharonPettijohn,bornSharonLeeBlytheinKansasCityin1941,toawomanmyfatherlaterdivorced.Shesentcopiesofherbirthcertificate,herparentsmarriagelicense,aphotoofmyfather,andalettertohermotherfrommyfatheraskingaboutyourbabytoBetseyWright,myformerchiefofstaffinthegovernor''''soffice.I''''msorrytosaythat,forwhateverreason,I''''venevermether. Thisnewsbreakingin2023cameasashocktoMother,whobythenhadbeenbattlingcancerforsometime,butshetookitallinstride.ShesaidyoungpeopledidalotofthingsduringtheDepressionandthewarthatpeopleinanothertimemightdisapproveof.Whatmatteredwasthatmyfatherwastheloveofherlifeandshehadnodoubtofhisloveforher.Whateverthefacts,that''''sallsheneededtoknowasherownlifemovedtowarditsend.Asforme,Iwasn''''tquitesurewhattomakeofitall,butgiventhelifeI抳eled,IcouldhardlybesurprisedthatmyfatherwasmorecomplicatedthantheidealizedpicturesIhadli