1、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.MymothernamedmeWilliamJeffers
2、onBlytheIIIaftermyfather,WilliamJeffersonBlytheJr.,oneofninechildrenofapoorfarmerinSherman,Texas,whodiedwhenmyfatherwasseventeen.Accordingtohissisters,myfatheralwaystriedtotakecareofthem,andhegrewuptobeahandsome,hardworking,fun-lovingman.HemetmymotheratTri-StateHospitalinShreveport,Louisiana,in1943,
3、whenshewastrainingtobeanurse.ManytimeswhenIwasgrowingup,IaskedMothertotellmethestoryoftheirmeeting,courting,andmarriage.Hebroughtadatewithsomekindofmedicalemergencyintothewardwhereshewasworking,andtheytalkedandflirtedwhiletheotherwomanwasbeingtreated.Onhiswayoutofthehospital,hetouchedthefingeronwhic
4、hshewaswearingherboyfriendsringandaskedherifshewasmarried.Shestammeredno-shewassingle.Thenextdayhesenttheotherwomanflowersandherheartsank.ThenhecalledMotherforadate,explainingthathealwayssentflowerswhenheendedarelationship. Twomonthslater,theyweremarriedandhewasofftowar.Heservedinamotorpoolintheinva
5、sionofItaly,repairingjeepsandtanks.Afterthewar,hereturnedtoHopeforMotherandtheymovedtoChicago,wherehegotbackhisoldjobasasalesmanfortheManbeeEquipmentCompany.TheyboughtalittlehouseinthesuburbofForestParkbutcouldntmoveinforacoupleofmonths,andsinceMotherwaspregnantwithme,theydecidedsheshouldgohometoHop
6、euntiltheycouldgetintothenewhouse.OnMay17,1946,aftermovingtheirfurnitureintotheirnewhome,myfatherwasdrivingfromChicagotoHopetofetchhiswife.LateatnightonHighway60outsideofSikeston,Missouri,helostcontrolofhiscar,a1942Buick,whentherightfronttireblewoutonawetroad.Hewasthrownclearofthecarbutlandedin,orcr
7、awledinto,adrainageditchdugtoreclaimswampland.Theditchheldthreefeetofwater.Whenhewasfound,afteratwo-hoursearch,hishandwasgraspingabranchabovethewaterline.Hehadtriedbutfailedtopullhimselfout.Hedrowned,onlytwenty-eightyearsold,marriedtwoyearsandeightmonths,onlysevenmonthsofwhichhehadspentwithMother. T
8、hatbriefsketchisaboutallIeverreallyknewaboutmyfather.AllmylifeIhavebeenhungrytofillintheblanks,clingingeagerlytoeveryphotoorstoryorscrapofpaperthatwouldtellmemoreofthemanwhogavemelife.WhenIwasabouttwelve,sittingonmyuncleBuddysporchinHope,amanwalkedupthesteps,lookedatme,andsaid,youreBillBlythesson.Yo
9、ulookjustlikehim.Ibeamedfordays. In1974,IwasrunningforCongress.Itwasmyfirstraceandthelocalpaperdidafeaturestoryonmymother.Shewasatherregularcoffeeshopearlyinthemorningdiscussingthearticlewithalawyerfriendwhenoneofthebreakfastregularssheknewonlycasuallycameuptoherandsaid,Iwasthere,Iwasthefirstoneatth
10、ewreckthatnight.HethentoldMotherwhathehadseen,includingthefactthatmyfatherhadretainedenoughconsciousnessorsurvivalinstincttotrytoclawhimselfupandoutofthewaterbeforehedied.Motherthankedhim,wentouttohercarandcried,thendriedhertearsandwenttowork. In2023,onFathersDay,myfirstasPresident,theWashingtonPost
11、ranalonginvestigativestoryonmyfather,whichwasfollowedoverthenexttwomonthsbyotherinvestigativepiecesbytheAssociatedPressandmanysmallerpapers.ThestoriesconfirmedthethingsmymotherandIknew.Theyalsoturnedupalotwedidntknow,includingthefactthatmyfatherhadprobablybeenmarriedthreetimesbeforehemetMother,andap
12、parentlyhadatleasttwomorechildren. MyfathersothersonwasidentifiedasLeonRitzenthaler,aretiredownerofajanitorialservice,fromnorthernCalifornia.Inthearticle,hesaidhehadwrittenmeduringthe2campaignbuthadreceivednoreply.Idontrememberhearingabouthisletter,andconsideringalltheotherbulletsweweredodgingthen,i
13、tspossiblethatmystaffkeptitfromme.Ormaybetheletterwasjustmisplacedinthemountainsofmailwewerereceiving.Anyway,whenIreadaboutLeon,Igotintouchwithhimandlatermethimandhiswife,Judy,duringoneofmystopsinnorthernCalifornia.Wehadahappyvisitandsincethenwevecorrespondedinholidayseasons.HeandIlookalike,hisbirth
14、certificatesayshisfatherwasmine,andIwishIdknownabouthimalongtimeago. Somewherearoundthistime,Ialsoreceivedinformationconfirmingnewsstoriesaboutadaughter,SharonPettijohn,bornSharonLeeBlytheinKansasCityin1941,toawomanmyfatherlaterdivorced.Shesentcopiesofherbirthcertificate,herparentsmarriagelicense,ap
15、hotoofmyfather,andalettertohermotherfrommyfatheraskingaboutyourbabytoBetseyWright,myformerchiefofstaffinthegovernorsoffice.Imsorrytosaythat,forwhateverreason,Ivenevermether. Thisnewsbreakingin2023cameasashocktoMother,whobythenhadbeenbattlingcancerforsometime,butshetookitallinstride.Shesaidyoungpeopl
16、edidalotofthingsduringtheDepressionandthewarthatpeopleinanothertimemightdisapproveof.Whatmatteredwasthatmyfatherwastheloveofherlifeandshehadnodoubtofhisloveforher.Whateverthefacts,thatsallsheneededtoknowasherownlifemovedtowarditsend.Asforme,Iwasntquitesurewhattomakeofitall,butgiventhelifeI抳eled,IcouldhardlybesurprisedthatmyfatherwasmorecomplicatedthantheidealizedpicturesIhadli
