America's first family has its share of parenting headaches with George Bush's twin daughters acting out their resentment at his chosen career with underage drinking binges and other escapades.
Mr Bush's twins, Jenna and Barbara, now 22 and in their final year of college, are described as over-indulged with no interest in the presidency in The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush by Ann Gerhart, a Washington Post journalist.
"They are girls born rich, blessed with intelligence, good looks, trust funds, loving parents, boundless opportunities, freedom from many of life's daily vexing challenges," the book says. "Yet they persist in seeing themselves as victims of daddy's job."
The book says both Bushes fell into the trap of spoiling their children because Mrs Bush nearly lost them late in her pregnancy. It suggests that Mr Bush seemed less indulgent than their mother.
Unlike Ms Clinton, who the book notes her time in the White House to learn about world politics, the Bush daughters are portrayed as having few interests beyond drinking, parties and designer clothing.
They also mistreated their bodyguards. Within a month of Mr Bush's inauguration in January 2001, Jenna Bush tried to use her Secret Service guard to free a male friend jailed for public drunkenness. Later that year she was prosecuted twice for underage drinking, fined and ordered to perform community service.
Even the mood of gravity that descended on America after September 11 did not affect the twins. The book says Jenna could not be located for hours after the attacks because she had given her agent the slip.
It was unclear what the White House makes of their behaviour. The book says it has been reluctant to comment on their scrapes but Mr Bush has expressed some impatience. Mrs Bush has been unfailingly supportive of her daughters.
"I think like every parent if your children are happy then parents are happy. And if they're unhappy, then there is nothing more difficult for parents," she said.
(Agencies)
美国第一家庭为了教育双胞胎女儿而伤透了脑筋，布什的双胞胎女儿们用未成年酗酒狂欢和其他的出轨行为来表达对父亲所选择的职业的不满。
布什的双胞胎女儿詹娜和芭芭拉今年22岁，今年是她们大学生活的最后一年。《华盛顿邮报》记者安·格哈特在其出版的新书《完美的妻子：劳拉·布什的生活和选择》中将她们描述为过度受宠，对总统的职位丝毫不感兴趣。
书中这样写到：“她们生来就享有荣华富贵，她们聪明漂亮、拥有信托基金、慈爱的父母和无数的机会，而且没有普通家庭日常生活的烦恼。然而，她们还是坚持认为自己是父亲事业的牺牲品。”
书中说布什夫妇都过分溺爱孩子，因为布什夫人在怀孕后期险些失去她们。布什总统看上去似乎不像她们的母亲那样纵容她们。
书中还提到了克林顿的女儿，她在白宫时曾经努力学习世界政治。而布什的女儿们和她完全不同，书上形容除了喝酒、派对和名牌时装，她们对其它什么都不感兴趣。
她们还虐待保镖。2001年1月，布什总统参加了就职演说。就在当月，詹娜·布什的一位男性好友曾经因为在公共场合酗酒滋事而被关进监狱，她试图利用她的贴身保镖为好友保释出狱。那年年底，她又两次因为未成年酗酒而受到起诉、罚款，并被要求参加社区服务。
即使是911事件之后整个美国变得低沉严肃，这对双胞胎也没有被感动。书中说袭击发生后的几个小时内一直都无法找到詹娜的踪影，因为她早已避开侦探的追逐。
很难讲白宫的生活对她们的性格有何影响。这本书不愿对她们的窘境做任何评价，但是布什表现出有点着急，而布什夫人仍然是女儿们永远的支持者。
“我想，和所有的父母一样，孩子们开心，父母就开心。如果她们不开心，对于父母来说就是最大的难题。”她说。
Give sb the slip: 躲避某人
发表于 2004-5-3 09:15
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America's first family has its share of parenting headaches with George Bush's twin daughters acting out their resentment at his chosen career with underage drinking binges and other escapades.
Mr Bush's twins, Jenna and Barbara, now 22 and in their final year of college, are described as over-indulged with no interest in the presidency in The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush by Ann Gerhart, a Washington Post journalist.
"They are girls born rich, blessed with intelligence, good looks, trust funds, loving parents, boundless opportunities, freedom from many of life's daily vexing challenges," the book says. "Yet they persist in seeing themselves as victims of daddy's job."
The book says both Bushes fell into the trap of spoiling their children because Mrs Bush nearly lost them late in her pregnancy. It suggests that Mr Bush seemed less indulgent than their mother.
Unlike Ms Clinton, who the book notes her time in the White House to learn about world politics, the Bush daughters are portrayed as having few interests beyond drinking, parties and designer clothing.
They also mistreated their bodyguards. Within a month of Mr Bush's inauguration in January 2001, Jenna Bush tried to use her Secret Service guard to free a male friend jailed for public drunkenness. Later that year she was prosecuted twice for underage drinking, fined and ordered to perform community service.
Even the mood of gravity that descended on America after September 11 did not affect the twins. The book says Jenna could not be located for hours after the attacks because she had given her agent the slip.
It was unclear what the White House makes of their behaviour. The book says it has been reluctant to comment on their scrapes but Mr Bush has expressed some impatience. Mrs Bush has been unfailingly supportive of her daughters.
"I think like every parent if your children are happy then parents are happy. And if they're unhappy, then there is nothing more difficult for parents," she said.
(Agencies)