TWW看得累死，總統(tǒng)女兒被綁架，都快變成24小時了。跟24小時一樣，ZOEY是不會死的，但由于的確不是24小時，所以結(jié)束地真有點(diǎn)莫名其妙，當(dāng)然，本來綁架也是。總統(tǒng)一家人在教堂祈禱后（含硬幣？我不是很懂）鏡頭轉(zhuǎn)向CIA，然后就說綁匪喝醉了酒（翻譯不太好，我已經(jīng)累死了，也沒有仔細(xì)聽），ZOEY自己出來打了911（翻譯說是110，我倒），與先前一槍正中特勤局探員的眉心也相去太遠(yuǎn)了吧，而且該探員也曾經(jīng)鋪墊過，身手了得，反正很扯，難道是祈禱感動上帝讓綁匪失去理性，玄。
    當(dāng)然劇情主要要集中表現(xiàn)總統(tǒng)在父親和總統(tǒng)角色之間的選擇，美國憲法第25條：當(dāng)總統(tǒng)被免職、亡故或辭職以及不能履行職責(zé)時，由副總統(tǒng)接替其職務(wù)，然后很戲劇地先前副總統(tǒng)因?yàn)槌鲕夀o職，現(xiàn)在總統(tǒng)也辭職只能讓眾議長來接替。劇里提起過數(shù)次農(nóng)業(yè)部長，他的前面似乎有18個人，哈哈?？偨y(tǒng)向國會提國情咨文的時候，好像也是他留在白宮，如果前面18個都被炸了以后他就是老大了。由于劇中民主黨的總統(tǒng)是國會少數(shù)黨，而副總統(tǒng)（參議長）也辭職了，眾議長也就是反對黨就入主白宮了?？粗媸莵y啊！中國的一朝天子一朝臣根本就是小菜，這里擺明各為起主，真刀真槍啊。對了，劇中的順位第四號，也就是參議院臨時參議長由于是多數(shù)黨任時最長的人來擔(dān)任，是個90歲的老頭，也可以看出參議院老人院的性質(zhì)啊。
    看白宮風(fēng)云，即使是如此美好的理想化的政治，也不免讓人產(chǎn)生政客皆謊言家的感慨。

  印象一，LEO云，世界上兩種東西的產(chǎn)生最好不看，香腸和法。
  印象二，BARTLET云，古時候，羅馬人走在世界的任何地方，誰都不敢去傷害他，因?yàn)樗麄冎?，只要誰傷害了羅馬人，就會付出慘重的代價(jià)。（廢話，美國就是古時候的羅馬）
  印象三，共和黨想要一支強(qiáng)大的部隊(duì)，但不派到世界的任何地方，民主黨只想要一小支強(qiáng)大的部隊(duì)，但派往世界的各個角落。
  印象四，誰說民主好，只要讓他跟選民在一起5分鐘，但沒辦法，民主比其他任何方式要好。似乎用的是丘吉爾的話。

    后記：原來這么扯的劇情是因?yàn)閾Q了金牌編劇的緣故，對自己的鑒賞能力深表贊賞。起先以為看不下去是因?yàn)閷徝榔诘木壒誓?，吼吼?br>

考據(jù)癖如我，邊看片子邊看劇本邊google或wiki整出來的東西，本來只是for my information而已，很不系統(tǒng)，九牛一毛，主要是第二,三季中提到的一些話題或語句。

12. Non-binding Resolution

　　A non-binding resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body that cannot progress into a law. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion.
　　
　　This type of resolution is often used to express the body's approval or disapproval of something which they cannot otherwise vote on,[1] due to the matter being handled by another jurisdiction, or being protected by a constitution. An example would be a resolution of support for a nation's troops in battle, which carries no legal weight, but is adopted for moral support.
　　
　　 Use
　　Non-binding resolutions are usually specific simple or concurrent resolutions that are not passed on to the president to be signed in to law.[2] These resolutions differ from pure concurrent resolutions (that are used for various procedural requests such as adjourning sessions) in that they are designed to formally express and document opinions, not initiate a process.
　　
　　These resolutions offer a means for elected officials to publicly air the concerns of their constituents[3] and are closely followed by major media outlets. Additionally, these resolutions can be used to state the position of congress, showing a preview of how they will vote on future legislation and budget allocations.

11.KeyWord: Ways and Means Committee

In the English Parliament (later the British Parliament and UK Parliament) between 1641 and 1967, proposals for raising taxation originated in the Committee of Ways and Means, where they were initiated by a Government minister. The committee was copied by the legislature of the United States where it currently exists as the powerful U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means.

With effect from 1967 that Committee was abolished. The Chairman of Ways and Means presided over that Committee; and though Speakers have sometimes presided at Budgets since abolition of the Committee (as, for example, in 1968 and 1989), the Chairman does still generally occupy the chair during the speech.

The Chairman of Ways and Means is the title given to the Deputy Speaker who is appointed on a motion tabled at the beginning of each Parliament by the Leader of the House. The Chairman of Ways and Means has two deputies: the 1st and 2nd Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means. Thus there are three deputy Speakers who may take the Chair in the place of the Speaker.

In the British Parliament, the Speaker and his deputies are considered independent and as such they do not normally vote, except for casting votes, and they are not included in the figures of party strengths within the House of Commons.

The term "Ways and Means" refers to the provision of revenue to meet national expenditure and to forward the objectives of economic policy. Ways and Means are principally provided by the imposition of taxation - the Budget resolutions are Ways and Means resolutions, upon which the Finance Bill is based - but also by the raising of loans and provision made as occasion arises for the payment of sums into the Consolidated Fund or the National Loans Fund.


10.KeyWord：Giselle

在《West Wing3》中，Sam告訴Josh黃石國家公園發(fā)生大火。Josh一本正經(jīng)地問他要去滅火嗎，Sam則一本正經(jīng)地回答說自己不是專業(yè)消防員，然后隨口說自己小時候倒是想當(dāng)消防員。這時Josh也順嘴說他小時候想當(dāng)芭蕾舞演員。過后Josh意識到說漏嘴了，于是警告Sam不要把芭蕾舞演員的事說出去。過了幾幕，CJ要找Tony單獨(dú)說話，但Josh正好在旁邊。于是CJ低聲對Josh說：Giselle~，果然很見效，Josh立刻就走了。

Giselle是一個著名的浪漫主義時期的芭蕾劇的名字，也是劇中女主角的名字。劇情是由Slavs神話改編而來的，它的內(nèi)容梗概為：
In the first act, a young, innocent village maiden named Giselle is in love with a man she knows only as Loys. In reality, the man is Albrecht, a nobleman disguised as a peasant, and who is betrothed to Bathilde, daughter of the Duke. When Giselle discovers the deceit, she is inconsolable and goes mad, then dies of a broken heart. In the second act, her undying love for Albrecht saves him from the wicked magic of the wilis, vampiric ghosts of betrothed girls who have died before their wedding day. Though their leader, Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, forces Albrecht to dance again and again, Giselle intervenes long enough to spare his strength and allow him to survive until the dawn. At sunrise, wilis must return to their grave; Giselle must return as well but not before showing Albrecht that she forgives him for his treachery. The two pledge their love to each other and she descends back into her grave, but will forever be separated. Giselle is now a wili for the rest of eternity.

Slavs神話是3000年前由東歐起源的神話傳說，在這個神話里，上帝讓魔鬼用大海海底的沙子建成陸地。而作為一個宗教，Slavs是一個二重體系。它有兩個神：黑上帝管詛咒，白上帝管仁慈；另外雷火神也占重要地位。

關(guān)于Slavs里的精靈，這里著重介紹一下：

歌聲甜美的Wila
In Polish mythology, the Wila (VEE-lah) are believed to be female fairy-like spirits who live in the wilderness and sometimes clouds. They were believed to be the spirits of women who had been frivolous in their lifetimes and now floated between here and the afterlife. They sometimes appear as the swans, snakes, horses, falcons, or wolves that they can shapeshift into but usually appear as beautiful maidens, naked or dressed in white with long flowing hair.

It is said that if even one of these hairs is plucked, the Wila will die, or be forced to change back to her true shape. A human may gain the control of a Wila by stealing feathers from her wings. Once she gets them back, however, she will disappear. (Compare Swan maiden.)

The voices of the Wila are as beautiful as the rest of them, and one who hears them loses all thoughts of food, drink or sleep, sometimes for days. Despite their feminine charms, however, the Wila are fierce warriors. The earth is said to shake when they do battle. They have healing and prophetic powers and are sometimes willing to help human beings. At other times they lure young men to dance with them, which according to their mood can be a very good or very bad thing for the lad. They ride on horses or deer when they hunt with their bows and arrows and will kill any man who defies them or breaks his word. Fairy rings of deep thick grass are left where they have danced which should never be trod upon (bad luck).

Offerings for Wila consist of round cakes, ribbons, fresh fruits and vegetables or flowers left at sacred trees and wells and at fairy caves.

捉弄旅行者的Vila
The Vila, or Willi or Veela, are the Slavic versions of nymphs, who have power over storms, which they delight in sending down on lonely travelers. They are known to live in meadows, ponds, oceans, trees, and clouds (cf. Leimakids, Limnades, Oceanids, Dryads, Nephele). They can appear as swans, horses, wolves, or, of course, beautiful women.

The Vilia is the Celtic version of this woodland spirit. She enjoys captivating passing men with her beauty, but then abandoning them. In a love song titled Vilia, from "The Merry Widow" by Lehar and Ross, a hunter pines for Vilia, "the witch of the wood".

女吸血鬼Wili
Among the Slavic creatures of folklore, for the English-speaking world the wilis are indelibly connected with the Romantic ballet Giselle, first danced in Paris in 1840, with its spectral wilis, young girls who have died on their wedding days, who almost snatch away the hero's life-breath, but must disappear at the break of dawn.

These wilis have been adapted from a poem of Heinrich Heine, who claimed to be using a Slavic legend. Meyer's Konversationslexikon defines Wiles or Wilis as female vampires, the spirits of betrothed girls who die before their wedding night. According to Heine, wilis are unable to rest in their graves because they could not satisfy their passion for dancing when they were alive. They therefore gather on the highway at midnight to lure young men and dance them to their death. In Serbia they were maidens cursed by God; in Bulgaria they were known as samovily, girls who died before they were baptized; and in Poland they are beautiful young girls floating in the air atoning for frivolous past lives.

湖中魂魄Rusa?ka
In Slavic mythology, a Rusa?ka was a female ghost, water nymph, succubus or mermaid-like demon that dwelled in a lake. She was considered a being of the unclean force or нечистая сила (nechistaya sila). The ghostly version is the soul of a young woman who had died in or near a lake (many of these rusalki had been murdered by lovers) and came to haunt that lake; this undead Rusa?ka is not invariably malevolent, and will be allowed to die in peace if her death is avenged. In most versions, the Rusa?ka is an unquiet dead being. According to Zelenin, people who die violently and before their time, such as young women who commit suicide because they have been jilted by their lovers, or unmarried women who are pregnant out of wedlock, must live out their designated time on earth (срок, srok) as a spirit. Another theory is that rusalki are the female spirits of the unclean dead; this includes suicides, unbaptized babies, and those who die without last rites. (Under this theory male unclean dead were said to become vodianoi).

深水精靈Vodianoi
The vodianoi is a male water spirit of Slavic origin. He is viewed to be particularly malevolent, existing almost exclusively to drown swimmers who have angered him by their boldness. Reports of his appearance vary; some tales define him as a naked old man, bloated and hairy, covered in slime, covered in scales, or simply as an old peasant with a red shirt and beard. He is also reported to have the ability to transform into a fish.

The vodianoi lives in deep pools, often by a mill, and is said to be the spirit of unclean male dead (this definition includes those who have committed suicide, unbaptized children, and those who die without last rites). As previously stated, the vodianoi would drown those who angered him with boasts or insults. However, this was no certain protection, as the spirit was particularly capricious. Peasants feared the vodianoi and would often attempt to get rid of the spirit or, failing that, appease him.

The only people who were generally safe from the vodianoi's anger were millers and fishermen. Millers in particular were viewed to be so close to the vodianoi that they often became seen as sorcerous figures. This may be influenced by the belief that millers yearly drown a drunk passerby as an offering to the vodianoi. Fishermen were somewhat less suspect, offering only the first of their catch with an incantation. If a vodianoi favored a fisherman he would herd fish into the nets. [1]

The Czech and Slovak equivalent is called a vodník. A similar figure appears in German mythology as a Wasserman or nix.

風(fēng)雪女神Sky Women
In Polish mythology, sky women were the warm-weather incarnations of the rusalki. Slavic women would go out in the first snowfall and build snow women to honor them, as snow is believed to be brought by the sky women. One belief has it that the thunder and lightning of springtime are brought on by Sky Women mating with the thunder gods; hence spring festivals included a celebration of the return of the rusalki from the waters with the placing of wreaths on the waters, and with circle dances and fire festivals.


9. KEYWORD: line-item veto

In government, the line-item veto is the power of an executive to nullify or "cancel" specific provisions of a bill, usually budget appropriations, without vetoing the entire legislative package. The line-item vetoes are usually subject to the possibility of legislative override as are traditional vetoes.


8. KEYWORD: ERA

ERA是Equal Rights Amendment 的縮寫。具體來說，它主張的是：Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex。所以它相當(dāng)于是一個婦女平等權(quán)利和義務(wù)修正案，而它也是一個備受爭議，至今仍未批準(zhǔn)通過的憲法修正案。不要從字面上以為廣大美國勞動?jì)D女都積極擁護(hù)支持它，因?yàn)樗还馐沟媚信畽?quán)利平等，也使得男女義務(wù)平等。一方面它能夠促進(jìn)女性在許多社會領(lǐng)域獲得更平等的機(jī)會；另一方面它無視男女天生的差異，尤其在勞工、軍役等對女性有特別保護(hù)的領(lǐng)域里，它大大削弱了女性的權(quán)益。


7. KEYWORD：Mary Jane

大麻的俗稱。


6. KEYWORD: ALMA MATER

指母校。Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother". It was used in ancient Rome as a title for the mother goddess, and in Medieval Christianity for the Virgin Mary.
This term is taken from the motto ("Alma Mater Studiorum") of the oldest European university, the University of Bologna, in Italy, founded in A.D. 1088, and located in the city of Bologna.
In many modern languages it is usually and principally heard as a term of academia; thus, in the English language, it is used as a sobriquet for the university or college a person has attended. In American English, it is also heard in reference to a high school or elementary school.


5. KEYWORD: Bob Marley ，Wailers

Bob marley is a reggae singer, songwriter, guitarist. Wailers is a musical group founded by Bob Marley. 他和他的組合信仰一種宗教叫astafarianism. 這種宗教遵循一種嚴(yán)格的規(guī)定：他們拒絕酒精和毒品，但是崇拜大麻，他們認(rèn)為大麻是一種圣草能夠給人以啟迪。這就是為什么Josh和剛剛對外流露支持大麻合法化意向的衛(wèi)生部長的對話：

JOSH
Did you know that 69% of Americans oppose legalization? Only 23% support it.

DR. GRIFFITH
The number gets a lot higher than that if you ask people under 30.

JOSH
Well, that's a shock. Did you know that the number gets even higher than that if youlimit the polling sample to Bob Marley ad the Whalers?


4. KEYWORD: FILIBUSTER

以前對這個詞的理解僅僅是單詞書上那個莫名奇妙的解釋“阻礙議案通過”。這才知道原來它是這么的搞笑。

filibuster是最大化地利用了“議員在議會上發(fā)言，想說多久就可以說多久”這個規(guī)矩，片中的老議員為了抗議政府沒有給自閉癥兒童撥款，站在講臺上夜以繼日不眠不休不上廁所地發(fā)言（讀菜譜，狄更斯，打牌規(guī)則等等...），這樣拖延時間，使議會無法進(jìn)行下面的議程。本來看片時有點(diǎn)兒懷疑此招的真實(shí)性，后來查了一下才發(fā)現(xiàn)真實(shí)生活中還有更有光澤、更持久的議員。最長的個人演講歷史紀(jì)錄創(chuàng)造于1957年，一位議員為反對民權(quán)法在講臺上說了足足24小時18分鐘。當(dāng)然還有更有組織有紀(jì)律的filibuster，那就是一幫子議員聯(lián)合起來拖時間：你方唱罷我登場。眾人拾柴火焰高，這個法子顯然更有效。下面是wiki上列舉的許多filibuster的案例：

In 1789, the first U.S. Senate adopted rules allowing the Senate "to move the previous question," ending debate and proceeding to a vote. In 1806, Aaron Burr argued that the motion regarding the previous question was redundant, had only been exercised once in the preceding four years [4], and should be eliminated. The Senate agreed, and thus the potentiality for a filibuster sprang into being. Because the Senate created no alternative mechanism for terminating debate, the filibuster became an option for delay and blocking of floor votes.
The filibuster remained a solely theoretical option until 1841, when the Democratic minority tried to block a bank bill favored by the Whig majority by using this political tactic. Senator Henry Clay, a promoter of the bill, threatened to change Senate rules to allow the majority to close debate. Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton rebuked Clay for trying to stifle the Senate's right to unlimited debate and he was unsuccessful in eliminating the filibuster with a simple majority vote.
In 1917 a rule allowing for the cloture of debate (ending a filibuster) was adopted by the Democratic Senate[5] at the urging of President Woodrow Wilson.[6] From 1917 to 1949, the requirement for cloture was two-thirds of those voting.


3. KEYWORD: LSD

應(yīng)該是迷幻藥的意思。Lsd is the abbreviation for lysergic acid diethylamide, a synthetic hallucinogenic drug discovered by Albert Hofmann in 1938. By disrupting the action of serotonin in the brain, LSD produces markedly abnormal behavior, including psychotic episodes that can last anywhere from hours to several days. The drug is usually administered through the tongue, although it can be absorbed through any of the mucous membranes.


2. KeyWord: Algonquin Round Table

The Algonquin Round Table was a group of New York City writers, critics, actors and wits that met from 1919 until about 1929, though its legacy endured long afterward.
They met for lunch every day at a round table at the Algonquin Hotel and traded quips; many of these sayings are still repeated today. The group began meeting in June 1919 when several of its members returned from World War I where they met on the Army newspaper Stars and Stripes.


1. KeyWord：Puerto Rico，statehood，commonwealth:

波多黎各原為印第安人居住地。1493年C.哥倫布航行至此。1509年淪為西班牙殖民地。1869年波多黎各人民起義，宣布成立共和國，遭西班牙殖民軍鎮(zhèn)壓。1897年實(shí)現(xiàn)內(nèi)部自治。1898年美西戰(zhàn)爭后成為美國殖民地。1917年美國把“美國公民籍”加于波多黎各人民。1950年人民武裝起義，宣布成立波多黎各共和國。1952年美國給予波多黎各自由聯(lián)邦的地位，實(shí)行自治，但外交、國防、關(guān)稅等重要部門由美國控制。1977年美國總統(tǒng)G.R.福特向國會提交了《1977年波多黎各立州法》，主張把波多黎各變成美國的第51州。1982年11月R.W.里根總統(tǒng)發(fā)表聲明，支持波多黎各成為美國的一個州。1993年11月，波多黎各再次就與美國的關(guān)系舉行全民公決，結(jié)果多數(shù)人仍主張維持美國的自由聯(lián)邦地位。1992年佩得羅·羅塞洛當(dāng)選為總督。根據(jù)1952年由美國制定的憲法，總督為最高行政長官，由選舉產(chǎn)生，任期4年，下設(shè)部長會議。美國國會有權(quán)廢除波多黎各議會通過的法律。議會分參、眾兩院。該島選舉出地方專員常駐美國國會，但只能在眾院委員會參加表決。主要政黨有：①人民民主黨，執(zhí)政黨。成立于1938年。主張維持波多黎各“自由聯(lián)邦”地位，要求在美國主權(quán)下成立地方自治政府。②新進(jìn)步黨，1967年成立。主張波多黎各成為美國的一個州。③波多黎各獨(dú)立黨，1946年成立。主張波多黎各獨(dú)立，建立社會主義民主共和國。

我默默地間間斷斷地看完TWW四個季度（還剩三季），果然好看。不愧是2000～2003連續(xù)四年艾美獎最佳劇情類劇集。
這是一部“聰明”的劇集，對觀眾智商要求比較高。這是制片人兼編劇Aaron Sokin的風(fēng)格。他后來的《Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip》就被指“too smart for TV”，也是我喜歡的一部劇。
具體說，風(fēng)格就是，里面的人物都很忙，整天走來走去穿插在場景之間，對白快速且大量典故、引用或特有名詞。情節(jié)不時是劇中人意識到發(fā)生什么了，觀眾卻要再過一二十分鐘來理解。
有時候我很敬佩并喜歡這幫人。他們似乎總是忙個不停（而無需停下花大把時間思考人生問題）。哪怕感情或者生活瑣事都在工作間輕易地消磨——至少讓觀眾看起來如此。很多事情其實(shí)都沒什么太大不了的，不是嗎？
人物的眾多也是特色之一。當(dāng)然客串演出的認(rèn)得出臉的演員也是數(shù)不過來，就不一一列舉了。就連主角和那些常規(guī)配角加起來就得有一二十個吧。里頭的角色們仿佛都過得很充實(shí)。忙碌或許就是充實(shí)的近義詞。他們也有著充分的能力去應(yīng)付。單舉一點(diǎn)，談話的速度和信息量，我就常常跟不上。
深度、幽默感、劇情本身的跌宕起伏和演員的出色表演確保了它的出色。Aaron Sokin常常涉及敏感的政治和社會話題，多角度地力圖客觀地表現(xiàn)矛盾所在（也得角色多才比較好多角度……）。拿《The West Wing》來講，觀眾可以比較深入地了解美國政治體系的優(yōu)越和弊端。許多問題也可以了解到別人的立場和原因。
之所以看到第四季結(jié)束想寫一寫評論，是因?yàn)檫@季確實(shí)比較好看。當(dāng)然，一路看下來我們也發(fā)現(xiàn)了，雖然這是部以白宮幕僚為背景的政治劇集，但它不會局限于現(xiàn)實(shí)，它必須戲劇性?！皯騽⌒浴痹诘谒募灸┪矌准玫搅撕芎玫捏w現(xiàn)。
也難怪《Secret Diary of a Call Girl》里頭，女主角說：“I wasn’t abused by a relative, I’ve got no children to support, and I’ve never been addicted to anything, except maybe the fourth season of ‘The West Wing’ ” 。
看著看著，《The West Wing》都快變成《24》了，就差主角不是孤膽英雄Jack Bauer，也沒那么多陰謀，但政治局勢風(fēng)云突變，好看程度不輸越來越顯得重復(fù)的《24》。我不想在這里做過多劇透，也沒有把《24》粉絲拉來看該劇的意思——畢竟還是頗有區(qū)別。只是這是一部好劇，值得推薦，而且它居然也能演得這么刺激。
《The West Wing》編導(dǎo)的風(fēng)格，很多事情欲說還休，點(diǎn)到為止，因而也顯得余味十足。典型的比如花了整集主要事件是準(zhǔn)備某重要演講，但最后你根本看不到演講的鏡頭?；蛘吣耻娛峦饨皇录?，緊張了整集最后收到消息來報(bào)，終于解決，但后續(xù)處理就統(tǒng)統(tǒng)不交代了。最常見的是，你覺得這集的話題意猶未盡，下集它壓根就不繼續(xù)了，或者先擱在一旁，因?yàn)榭偸遣粩嘤行率录l(fā)生。
比如里面的感情戲?qū)嵲诰褪峭耆烤巹〉男那椤苍S是他們真的沒有那么閑去糾纏各種復(fù)雜的關(guān)系。你今天看到這兩人好像有點(diǎn)那么回事，回頭就啥都沒演了（有時候編劇良心發(fā)現(xiàn)會有一兩句對白帶過意思一下）?；蛟S應(yīng)該這么說：這片根本就沒有真正的感情戲。只是用來豐富、圓滿劇情用的。
每個角色都是有個性而不平凡的，有各自的困境和疑難，也都有不為人知或者廣為人知的性格特點(diǎn)或者愛好、特長等瑣事?？傊际橇瞬黄鸬娜宋?。正是豐富的人物、事件、絲毫不贅述的吝嗇和常常挖一些看似無聊的細(xì)節(jié)，讓這群角色豐滿、立體。
每季的結(jié)局幾集一般都伴隨大事件的到來，挑起觀眾的興奮點(diǎn)，也往往是這個時候感覺有點(diǎn)《24》。第一季的槍擊事件；第二季的多發(fā)性硬化癥和總統(tǒng)選舉；第三季的特工意外身亡、兩黨總統(tǒng)候選人會面以及是否暗殺Qumar（劇中虛構(gòu)的中東國家）國防部長的決定；第四季的副總統(tǒng)丑聞辭職、總統(tǒng)女兒遭綁架、總統(tǒng)臨時卸任而讓共和黨籍議長代任執(zhí)行總統(tǒng)……
我有時看過幾集會不自覺停下，間隔一段時間再看。因?yàn)樗膭∏榻Y(jié)構(gòu)并不是總像《24》或者《Prison Break》那樣緊湊、揪人——就算這集末尾挑起了你的興趣下集也不見得如你所愿有所發(fā)展，所以……但每季的結(jié)尾還是會讓人有些欲罷不能。我大概還是準(zhǔn)備接著看第五季了。
http://syc0129.blogbus.com/logs/25619700.html

我對政治沒興趣不表示沒想法，同理，我不懂政治但不意味著我不能瞎侃幾句和政治相關(guān)的話。

《白宮精英》(又名白宮風(fēng)云)是我正在看的一部連續(xù)劇，按理說，有些年頭了。這部戲獲得艾美獎8項(xiàng)大獎的時候，還是2001年。截至2005年，共播放了六季，共120集。

白宮精英寫的是美國總統(tǒng)幕僚班子的故事，因?yàn)槲也恢烂绹蔚膶?shí)際運(yùn)作，因此這部電視劇就當(dāng)成了我學(xué)習(xí)美國政治的資料。

其實(shí)，別人向我推薦這部電視劇的時候，主要是當(dāng)作英語學(xué)習(xí)資料，結(jié)果我發(fā)現(xiàn)，由于大量的新聞詞匯和政治詞匯，以及政治人物的語速和辯論，這部電視劇如果沒有字幕我根本看不懂。盡管學(xué)英語的目的沒有達(dá)到，但故事情節(jié)和內(nèi)容卻吸引了我。

故事的主要人物包括總統(tǒng)、幕僚主任和副主任、新聞辦公室主任和副主任、白宮新聞發(fā)言人。他們的工作地點(diǎn)位于白宮西側(cè)的行政辦公室。因此，其英文名稱叫做The West Wing。

在第一季中，至少還有我感興趣的幾個配角，鼓吹互聯(lián)網(wǎng)但不得志的副總統(tǒng)、總統(tǒng)的黑人貼身助理，和總統(tǒng)黑人助理談戀愛的總統(tǒng)女兒... ...

故事的內(nèi)容一句兩句就說不清楚了，給我的感覺是圍繞政治生活作文章，關(guān)鍵字包括選舉、法案、議院、大法官、新聞、政敵、颶風(fēng)、局部軍事沖突... ...

盡管第一季播出應(yīng)該是2000年左右的事，但從我對美國新聞的了解程度上看，上述關(guān)鍵字基本也就是美國人民的政治生活，并且年復(fù)一年日復(fù)一日的上演。

這部電視連續(xù)劇對我的政治影響在于，美國總統(tǒng)盡管權(quán)利很大，但是要依法治國。他和他的幕僚所做的主要工作，都是想法設(shè)法利用白宮的力量影響兩院，通過并執(zhí)行對美國人民、對執(zhí)政黨有利的法案。

這部電視連續(xù)劇對我的第二個影響是政治沒有對錯，只有辯論和權(quán)利分配、妥協(xié)和平衡。美國人民關(guān)心的槍支管理、同性戀、減稅、墮胎這些老生常談的問題，無論什么時候，都可以成為大專辯論會的題目。但就是這些其實(shí)和國民生計(jì)沒有直接關(guān)系的話題代表了兩黨的不同立場，人民不同的人生觀和世界觀，政治領(lǐng)域里你死我活的斗爭。

這部電視連續(xù)劇對我的第三個影響就是美國人民很享受世界警察、世界工廠、世界農(nóng)場等這些稱號和地位，他們確實(shí)不理解第三世界對他們的看法和自己的追求。

說到第三點(diǎn)，我必須承認(rèn)，這部連續(xù)劇也算是主旋律，他宣揚(yáng)美國式的愛國和民主，但不那么直接和赤裸裸，而是寓教于樂，試圖間接達(dá)到和平演變、傳達(dá)美國價(jià)值觀的目的。

當(dāng)然，這些看法和觀點(diǎn)都很粗淺，因?yàn)槲覀冇懻撌且徊侩娨曔B續(xù)劇，歸根結(jié)底，是娛樂。但是這種娛樂充滿了知識和智慧的角力，因此我看得有點(diǎn)興奮，并且覺得有點(diǎn)意義。

這個意義就是：政治是一種特殊的專業(yè)，政治要達(dá)到的目的不是統(tǒng)治，而是服務(wù)和發(fā)展。

當(dāng)然，也許美國真實(shí)的政治生活遠(yuǎn)沒有這部電視劇那么牛叉，或者比這部電視劇還要黑暗，但我覺得，這部戲的價(jià)值觀還是對的。因此，對政治和新聞感興趣的人，都應(yīng)該看看這部連續(xù)劇，在忍受一兩集略顯沉悶的對白后，你一定會發(fā)現(xiàn)他和其他美國肥皂劇的娛樂功能類似，讓你欲罷不能。

《The West Wing》中有兩段關(guān)于宗教的對白，十分精彩。
 
（1）
我想將我女兒賣去做奴隸，就象《圣經(jīng)·舊約》21章7節(jié)說的，她是大二學(xué)生，說意大利語，被叫到還經(jīng)常清理桌子，她能賣到什么價(jià)錢？……我的助手里奧堅(jiān)持安息日工作，《圣經(jīng)·舊約》35章2節(jié)說得很清楚他應(yīng)該被處死的，我是親手殺了他還是可以叫警察來？……這里有很多運(yùn)動迷，碰到死豬皮讓人變得不干凈，《利未記》11章7節(jié)，如果讓他們戴上手套，華盛頓紅皮膚人還能踢足球嗎？……全城的人真的得集中在一起用石頭砸我兄弟約翰，就因?yàn)樗⑴欧N不同的作物？我可以在小型家庭會議上燒死家母因?yàn)樗┎煌€做的衣服嗎？
 
（2）
——猶太教律不禁止死刑？
——不禁止。
——它說以牙還牙？
——你知道它還說了什么？它說叛徒應(yīng)該被帶到城門用石頭砸死；同性戀可憎，應(yīng)受死刑懲罰；男人可以多妻；奴隸制可行。這些是當(dāng)時的最高智慧，但以現(xiàn)代標(biāo)準(zhǔn)來看大錯特錯。

在這里，最重要的關(guān)鍵詞是“當(dāng)時”。任何一種學(xué)說都只代表*當(dāng)時*的人在前人的基礎(chǔ)上對*當(dāng)時*的現(xiàn)象的分析和結(jié)論，它不可避免地帶有時代的局限。一種學(xué)說的生命力在于一句我們說濫了的“與時俱進(jìn)”，在這個過程是個揚(yáng)棄的過程。如果西方人真的按照他們的經(jīng)典，按照《圣經(jīng)》和猶太教律來行事，基督教和猶太教早就滅亡了。
 
我們的祖先是智慧的，但無論孔子還是莊子，都只代表當(dāng)時的最高智慧，他們各有各的局限。我們的國學(xué)經(jīng)典精華與糟粕并存，我們需要的是去粗取精去偽存真，這是當(dāng)代學(xué)者振興國學(xué)的責(zé)任。而那種拿國學(xué)當(dāng)招牌以圣賢做幌子忽悠大眾牟取私利的人不配稱學(xué)者，甚至不配稱知識分子，他們只是精明的商人而已。
 
十博士有句話是對的，對經(jīng)典必須心存敬畏。但是在“娛樂至死”的今天，任何東西都被拿來娛樂拿來消譴，或者說是拿來消費(fèi)。我已經(jīng)不相信中華文化有復(fù)興的一天，我們正在自己玩死自己。