白宫风云 第一季

考据癖如我，边看片子边看剧本边google或wiki整出来的东西，本来只是for my information而已，很不系统，九牛一毛，主要是第二,三季中提到的一些话题或语句。

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告诉Josh黄石国家公园发生大火。Josh一本正经地问他要去灭火吗，Sam则一本正经地回答说自己不是专业消防员，然后随口说自己小时候倒是想当消防员。这时Josh也顺嘴说他小时候想当芭蕾舞演员。过后Josh意识到说漏嘴了，于是警告Sam不要把芭蕾舞演员的事说出去。过了几幕，CJ要找Tony单独说话，但Josh正好在旁边。于是CJ低声对Josh说：Giselle~，果然很见效，Josh立刻就走了。

Giselle是一个著名的浪漫主义时期的芭蕾剧的名字，也是剧中女主角的名字。剧情是由Slavs神话改编而来的，它的内容梗概为：
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神话是3000年前由东欧起源的神话传说，在这个神话里，上帝让魔鬼用大海海底的沙子建成陆地。而作为一个宗教，Slavs是一个二重体系。它有两个神：黑上帝管诅咒，白上帝管仁慈；另外雷火神也占重要地位。

关于Slavs里的精灵，这里着重介绍一下：

歌声甜美的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Rusałka
In Slavic mythology, a Rusałka 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 Rusałka is not invariably malevolent, and will be allowed to die in peace if her death is avenged. In most versions, the Rusałka 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).

深水精灵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.

风雪女神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 的缩写。具体来说，它主张的是：Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex。所以它相当于是一个妇女平等权利和义务修正案，而它也是一个备受争议，至今仍未批准通过的宪法修正案。不要从字面上以为广大美国劳动妇女都积极拥护支持它，因为它不光使得男女权利平等，也使得男女义务平等。一方面它能够促进女性在许多社会领域获得更平等的机会；另一方面它无视男女天生的差异，尤其在劳工、军役等对女性有特别保护的领域里，它大大削弱了女性的权益。


7. KEYWORD：Mary Jane

大麻的俗称。


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. 他和他的组合信仰一种宗教叫astafarianism. 这种宗教遵循一种严格的规定：他们拒绝酒精和毒品，但是崇拜大麻，他们认为大麻是一种圣草能够给人以启迪。这就是为什么Josh和刚刚对外流露支持大麻合法化意向的卫生部长的对话：

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

以前对这个词的理解仅仅是单词书上那个莫名奇妙的解释“阻碍议案通过”。这才知道原来它是这么的搞笑。

filibuster是最大化地利用了“议员在议会上发言，想说多久就可以说多久”这个规矩，片中的老议员为了抗议政府没有给自闭症儿童拨款，站在讲台上夜以继日不眠不休不上厕所地发言（读菜谱，狄更斯，打牌规则等等...），这样拖延时间，使议会无法进行下面的议程。本来看片时有点儿怀疑此招的真实性，后来查了一下才发现真实生活中还有更有光泽、更持久的议员。最长的个人演讲历史纪录创造于1957年，一位议员为反对民权法在讲台上说了足足24小时18分钟。当然还有更有组织有纪律的filibuster，那就是一帮子议员联合起来拖时间：你方唱罢我登场。众人拾柴火焰高，这个法子显然更有效。下面是wiki上列举的许多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

应该是迷幻药的意思。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:

波多黎各原为印第安人居住地。1493年C.哥伦布航行至此。1509年沦为西班牙殖民地。1869年波多黎各人民起义，宣布成立共和国，遭西班牙殖民军镇压。1897年实现内部自治。1898年美西战争后成为美国殖民地。1917年美国把“美国公民籍”加于波多黎各人民。1950年人民武装起义，宣布成立波多黎各共和国。1952年美国给予波多黎各自由联邦的地位，实行自治，但外交、国防、关税等重要部门由美国控制。1977年美国总统G.R.福特向国会提交了《1977年波多黎各立州法》，主张把波多黎各变成美国的第51州。1982年11月R.W.里根总统发表声明，支持波多黎各成为美国的一个州。1993年11月，波多黎各再次就与美国的关系举行全民公决，结果多数人仍主张维持美国的自由联邦地位。1992年佩得罗·罗塞洛当选为总督。根据1952年由美国制定的宪法，总督为最高行政长官，由选举产生，任期4年，下设部长会议。美国国会有权废除波多黎各议会通过的法律。议会分参、众两院。该岛选举出地方专员常驻美国国会，但只能在众院委员会参加表决。主要政党有：①人民民主党，执政党。成立于1938年。主张维持波多黎各“自由联邦”地位，要求在美国主权下成立地方自治政府。②新进步党，1967年成立。主张波多黎各成为美国的一个州。③波多黎各独立党，1946年成立。主张波多黎各独立，建立社会主义民主共和国。

《The West Wing》中有两段关于宗教的对白，十分精彩。
 
（1）
我想将我女儿卖去做奴隶，就象《圣经·旧约》21章7节说的，她是大二学生，说意大利语，被叫到还经常清理桌子，她能卖到什么价钱？……我的助手里奥坚持安息日工作，《圣经·旧约》35章2节说得很清楚他应该被处死的，我是亲手杀了他还是可以叫警察来？……这里有很多运动迷，碰到死猪皮让人变得不干净，《利未记》11章7节，如果让他们戴上手套，华盛顿红皮肤人还能踢足球吗？……全城的人真的得集中在一起用石头砸我兄弟约翰，就因为他并排种不同的作物？我可以在小型家庭会议上烧死家母因为她穿不同线做的衣服吗？
 
（2）
——犹太教律不禁止死刑？
——不禁止。
——它说以牙还牙？
——你知道它还说了什么？它说叛徒应该被带到城门用石头砸死；同性恋可憎，应受死刑惩罚；男人可以多妻；奴隶制可行。这些是当时的最高智慧，但以现代标准来看大错特错。

在这里，最重要的关键词是“当时”。任何一种学说都只代表*当时*的人在前人的基础上对*当时*的现象的分析和结论，它不可避免地带有时代的局限。一种学说的生命力在于一句我们说滥了的“与时俱进”，在这个过程是个扬弃的过程。如果西方人真的按照他们的经典，按照《圣经》和犹太教律来行事，基督教和犹太教早就灭亡了。
 
我们的祖先是智慧的，但无论孔子还是庄子，都只代表当时的最高智慧，他们各有各的局限。我们的国学经典精华与糟粕并存，我们需要的是去粗取精去伪存真，这是当代学者振兴国学的责任。而那种拿国学当招牌以圣贤做幌子忽悠大众牟取私利的人不配称学者，甚至不配称知识分子，他们只是精明的商人而已。
 
十博士有句话是对的，对经典必须心存敬畏。但是在“娱乐至死”的今天，任何东西都被拿来娱乐拿来消谴，或者说是拿来消费。我已经不相信中华文化有复兴的一天，我们正在自己玩死自己。

The West Wing里有这么一个情节，一位国会议员刚刚病逝，职位出现空缺，白宫公关部副主任（Deputy Communications Director）Sam Seaborn满腔热诚地说服自己的老友——身为民主党的检察官参选议员，声称白宫会为他提供一切帮助。参选的过程中爆出这位候选人有潜在的种族歧视倾向，获胜机率稀微，白宫立即对他弃之如履，在没有任何表示的情况下全身而退。Sam向这位候选人告知结果的时候受到其夫人的怒斥，Sam无奈地回答，That's how we do it.事实上，这部剧还经常出现的一句台词是This's the way it is.

这就是政治的运作方式。这就是我们想象中政治的运作方式。没有永远的朋友，只有永远的利益。

当然这只是剧集中一个无关紧要的细节，也是政治取舍中最低级的表现形式，与全剧主旨无甚关系。编剧波澜不惊地处理这个情节，没有任何评价或者指责，This's just the way it is.力图精微的刻画和客观的描述，这便是这部剧集吸引我们的其中一个原因吧。

既然是民主党政府（据说主创是一群好莱坞民主党人），可以想象白宫的政策重心集中在提高医疗服务和公共教育发展上。剧中随时穿插着民主党和共和党关于医疗、教育以及税减无休止的争论。剧中有一个情节是Sam在电视辩论中被一个共和党金发美女驳斥地哑口无言，论题便是两党关于教育经费的不同运作。

事实上，编剧的野心远不仅于此，The West Wing既是关于美国政治的宏大叙事，同时也具体至每一个政策和行动，每一个表征和指涉。在民主党政府的背景下，我们可以看到三权分立的操作方式，可以看到每一个政策和法律制定前各个政党和体系的博弈，可以看到世界警察在外交上的指手画脚，可以看到权力争夺的残酷，可以看到利益的锱铢必较。甚至可以说，这部剧集完成了我们对美国政治全部的想象，指引了我们对西方价值观的完整印象。

除了自由、民主等等普世价值观，剧集还分别讨论了各种个人和群体权利，其中鄙人最感兴趣的是以下两种。

隐私权（the right to privacy）。白宫提名新的大法官名单，最后时刻发现属意人选对隐私权表示怀疑，认为隐私权不受宪法保障，政府有权侵犯个人隐私权。Sam与这位大法官候选人展开激烈辩论，言辞恳切，最终使得总统决定提名新的候选人。Sam 打动总统的说辞如下：“It's about the next 20 years. Twenties and thirties,it was the role of government. Fifties and sixties, it was civil rights. The next two decades,it's gonna be privacy. I'm talking about the Internet. I'm talking about cellphones. I'm talking about health records, and who's gay and who's not. And moreover,in a country born on a will to be free, what could be more fundamental than this?”一个以自由意志为基础而诞生的国家，有什么比隐私权更为重要呢。相反，在隐私权被肆意践踏的某国，可以想象，普世价值永无希望。

同志权利（gay rights）。一个十七岁的同志男孩被一群学生殴打致死，在这件事情的刺激下，总统打算对仇恨罪（hate crime）立法，并请来被害男孩的父母帮忙宣传造势。新闻发言人（Press Secretary）C.J担心受害男孩的父亲因为自己的儿子身为同性恋而感到羞愧，却得到这位父亲出人意料的回答：Gays in the military, same-sex marriage, gay adoption, boards of education - where the hell is he? I want to know what qualities necessary to being a parent this President feels my son lacked? I want to know from this President, who has served not one day in Vietnam - I had two tours in Vietnam. I want to know what qualities necessary to being a soldier this President feels my son lacked? Lady, I'm not embarrassed my son was gay. My government is.
共和党意图推行法案，禁止同性婚姻。前来游说白宫幕僚的共和党人本身却是同志，不啻为极大的讽刺。副幕僚长（Deputy White House Chief of Staff）Josh Lyman如鲠在喉，不能理解对方为何身为同志却加入否认同志权益的共和党，遭到对方讥讽：个人性向与政治理想并无关系，性向不是人生的全部。Josh无言以对，无论幕僚与总统多么不情愿，对此法案却无能为力。
这部剧集不断借总统之口对同志权益进行声援，无论是总统与反同女主播的辩论，还是对这部法案的愤怒，所有这一切都掩饰不了一个事实：无论口号多么激扬，为了避免激怒人数众多的保守派人士，民主党人在同志权利这个问题上，依然不会有任何作为。这让人不禁想起Queer as folk这部剧集里Brian Kinney的话：You know, whether it’s the democrat who pretends he likes you, or the republicans who hates you and let you know it. Either way,once they’re in office, they’re not going to do a goddamn thing.So I say, may the best self-serving son of bitch win.

除了政治风云之外，剧集不乏温情与反思的时刻，比如说白宫公关主任（Director of Communications）Toby Ziegler假借总统名义，为冻死的越南老兵举行军方葬礼。比如说白宫总幕僚长（Chief of Staff ）Leo McGarry对待酒精、药物成瘾问题的坦荡：I drank and took drugs because I'm a drug addict and an alcoholic. I'm not cured. You don't get cured. I haven't had a drink or a pill in six and a half years, which isn't to say I won't have one tomorrow. The problem is, I don't want a drink, I want ten drinks.这可能是我看到的对于酒瘾问题最坦诚的回答。

另外，这部剧集吸引人的地方，还在于俯拾皆是的各色直白或者隐藏的幽默，包含着关于美国社会和文化的各方面信息，反复咀嚼后别有风味。仅举两个对话作为例子：
LEO：How the hell did they find him in Nova Scotia?
JOSH：They have telephones in Nova Scotia, Leo. It's not Amish country.

JOSH：No, we're gonna do good cop, bad cop.
TOBY：No...we're really not.
JOSH：Why not?
TOBY：Cause this isn't an episode of Hawaii 5-0. How about you be the good cop,I'll be the cop who didn't go to the meeting.

当然，还有各种讥讽，天朝首当其冲，承担大部分火力，比如说：I think it would be a good idea, as a symbol... to signal that China is serious about their relationship with us, if they stopped running over their citizens with tanks.

可以说，这部剧集是一场关于政治的盛大想象，一则完美的自由主义童话，一出美妙的民主党政治泡影。无论如何力图写实，仍然不过是电视人的政治幻想，苍白的虚张声势。我们都知道现实不是惺惺作态，政治都是dirty的，政客都是ugly的。但是至少，米国人民可以借助电视这种媒体工具书写这种幻想。而身在天朝的我们，只能在别人炮制的电光幻影了，想象着别人的水月镜花。

http://weldom510.blog.163.com/blog/static/147166949201112865352597/
昨天将the west wing （tww）第五季看完了，最近115网盘好像被学校封掉了，所以一直没能更新，由于最近几个月基本每天都在看这部剧，所以觉得暂时歇一歇也好。至少看到目前，觉得已经没有开始的激情了，政治事件嘛，基本都差不多，尤其是通过广众传媒表达出来的，基本都有相似性，在第四季快要结束的时候已经产生了些许审美疲劳了，到第五季的前部分就萌生暂停的想法了，因为之前Sam就已经离开了，而Josh也因为犯了严重错误做上了冷板凳。而这两个角色是我最喜欢的，都年轻睿智，充满激情，给整个团队带来了活力。既然最近115被列入黑名单，那就暂时歇歇吧。

第一次听到这部剧好像是在人人上看到的一个关于看美剧学英语的帖子，里面将tww的台词列为高级英语，因为在白宫上班的诸精英们，成天都是法律政治语言，而且在政治上，说错一句话可能就会终结整个政治生涯，所以Sorkin就大展才能，tww里不乏俚语，但精准的专业性词汇也颇为富华。曾经看到有人评论说，正是因为看了这部剧，所以立志日后要从事律政工作。是的，里面的西厢精英们虽然不是为美国乃至世界人民命运拍板的人，但他们以犀利言辞与各方争辩，与之产生了各种政策法令，而这些决定了普通百姓的生活。精英们的雄韬略论是那么的引人注目，曾想，要是我早个五六年看到这部剧，说不定我也会丢掉烧杯和玻璃棒，抱着汉莫拉比法典，引用柏拉图和亚里士多德，将对手的论点一一击破。想起大学时，爱在哈佛这部韩剧很流行的时候，据说一个师兄看了之后真的弃理从法了，他在实验室跟学弟们说：爱在哈佛让你们喜欢上了金泰熙，可是让我喜欢上了法律。后来听说他真的过了司法考试。说来，那时的我虽然对里面各种法律论辩也充满了热情，但是还是跟大多数人一样，受到了强大的爱情主线的影响，更憧憬的只不过是和像金泰熙一样的ppmm来一场感人至深的恋爱罢了。当然，也许因为我没有像男主那样，雄韬伟略、思辩千古，所以并没有引来任何mm的倾心，想想老舅说我大学失败了还真是确切的。要是我那时看了tww，说不定就是另一幅景象了呢，哈哈，又yy了。

tww试图展现一个政治后台的运作，作为幕僚，在西厢里工作的人很多事情是不能拿到台面上来的。其实无论那里都一样的，政治的复杂性远远不像人们在电视上看得那么简单，可有时候也远比八卦小道网站来的简单。毕竟是美剧，尽管其中各方势力，不论白宫和国会，不论民主党和共和党，不论工会和财团，在台后“竭力厮杀”，可台面上的民主却是一分都不能少的，剧集从一开始都在强调那种平等自由的美国精神。是的，有时候看了，觉得道理直白却又深刻：这些都是一国政府对人民应该做的，但是真正百分百能做到的又很少。人民的权利，其实体现在选票上的权利，让政府真的成为一个公共服务部门，让人能感受到为人民服务，让人民当家作主。而不是为人民当家作主，让人民服务。刘瑜在《民主的细节》中尽量用平时的叙事手法来向人们展示一些民主程序的操作过程，觉得Sorkin的tww也是一样，通过细节的展示，告诉人们，白宫是怎样运作的。其实推一及三，不仅白宫如此，任何国家的政府都是如此，决策的细节都是智囊团的精打细算，逐字推敲，然后交由决策者拍板，最后付诸实施。而不论哪个国家，台后的精打细算中肯定也充斥着不同团体和党派的利益博弈，最终妥协交易，推出大家都感觉合适的方案，否则就选票上见分晓，最近奥黑的福利改革方案就被国会给否决了。

其实不论民主党还是共和党，在国家利益和选民利益上都有着自己的考量，不能说谁完全对或者完全错。民主党致力于大政府运作，通过政府力量不断强化推进选民的利益；而共和党则专注于缩小政府的公权力，任由经济社会自由发展。tww里有一句话很有意思，针对美国海外军事行动：民主党致力于缩减军事规模，却希望将军队派到世界的任何一个角落；共和党虽然希望加强军事规模，却在一定程度上尽量将军队的派出减少。尽管如此，二者都是从米国选民的利益出发的，只是看待问题的角度不同罢了。

好了，暂时就记这么多吧。等有空将剩下两季全看完了，要是还有激情的话，或许会再总结一下。

第一季第二集，观剧笔记。

我是对这剧本，一点一点整理出来的。参考资料主要是两本词典：柯林斯英英，21世纪英汉大词典。

看得人多的话，再持续更新。目前我自己整理到第10集。

这部剧反复看都看不厌。彩蛋太多了~

THE WEST WING
'POST HOC, ERGO PROPTER HOC'

ACT ONE

【nominating convention】
Generally, usage of “presidential nominating convention” refers to the two major parties’ quadrennial events: the Democratic and the Republican National Convention. Some minor parties also select their nominees by convention.

【coming out party】成人晚会

【Nessun Dorma】
《今夜无人入睡》（意大利文：Nessun dorma）是普契尼最后一部歌剧《图兰多》的咏叹调，由男角卡拉夫王子（Calaf）演唱，诉说图兰多公主要全城彻夜不睡，在天亮前替她寻找王子的名字，若无法如期查出，则全城百姓都必须受死。歌曲的原意为“不让人入睡”，中译为“今夜无人入睡”或“公主徹夜未眠”。这首古典歌剧作品是著名男高音帕华洛帝（Luciano Pavarotti）的经典金曲，1990年被英国广播公司（BBC）用作当年意大利世界杯足球赛的主题曲后，令它的知名度更广为人知。

【option】N-COUNT In business, an option is an agreement or contract that gives someone the right to buy or sell something such as property or shares at a future date. 购买权; 出售权; 期权 [BUSINESS]

【challenge】N-VAR A challenge is something new and difficult which requires great effort and determination. 挑战

【caucus】N-COUNT A caucus is a group of people within an organization who share similar aims and interests or who have a lot of influence. (机构中的) 核心组织【美国政治】 (政党在决策、酝酿候选人时召开的)领导层秘密会议 [FORMAL]

【take on】PHRASAL VERB If you take someone on, you fight them or compete against them, especially when they are bigger or more powerful than you are. 与 (尤指强于自己的人) 较量 [no passive] 例: Democrats were reluctant to take on a president whose popularity ratings were historically high.民主党不愿意与一个支持率创历史新高的总统较量。

【spunk】[口语]气概，胆量，勇气；精神，生气，活力。Spunk up鼓起勇气

【dinged up】磕磕碰碰，不顺

【suspension】N-VAR A vehicle's suspension consists of the springs and other devices attached to the wheels, which give a smooth ride over uneven ground. (车辆减震的) 悬架。例: ...the only small car with independent front suspension. 惟一的一辆带有独立前悬架的小汽车。

【gloat】V-I If someone is gloating, they are showing pleasure at their own success or at other people's failure in an arrogant and unpleasant way. (对自己的成功) 洋洋得意; (对别人的失败) 幸灾乐祸

【photo op】A photo op (sometimes written as photo opp), short for photograph opportunity (photo opportunity), is an opportunity to take a memorable and effective photograph of a politician, a celebrity, or a notable event.[1] Among amateur photographers, the term is used to refer to any opportunity to take good photos.

【in the residence】PHRASE If someone is in residence in a particular place, they are living there. 住在 (某处)

【Regis and Kathie Lee】
a syndicated American television morning talk show

【Atta boy】Informal Used to show encouragement or approval to a boy or man: Attaboy! That's the way to hit a home run!

【slay】V-T If someone slays an animal, they kill it in a violent way. 屠杀 [FORMAL]

【Ryder Cup team】
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The Ryder Cup is also the name of the trophy, after the person who donated it, Samuel Ryder. The Ryder Cup, and its counterpart the Presidents Cup, are unique in the world of golf, and possibly professional sports, since despite being high-profile events that bring in tens of millions of dollars in TV and sponsorship revenue the players receive no prize money and compete purely for the victory.

【Texas and big hats】represent the state's history of cowboys and frontier.

【whomp】vt. 重击；彻底击败

【weirded out】纳闷，诡异

【knockout】N-SING If you describe someone as a knockout, you think that they are extremely attractive or impressive. 引人注目的人 [INFORMAL] [approval]

【Tow】V-TIf one vehicle tows another, it pulls it along behind it. - They threatened to tow away my car. 他们威胁说要拖走我的车

【straighten out】PHRASAL VERB If you straighten out a confused situation, you succeed in getting it organized and cleaned up. 理清

【spin】N-SING If someone puts a certain spin on an event or situation, they interpret it and try to present it in a particular way. (特意做的) 诠释与宣传 [INFORMAL] 例: He interpreted the vote as support for the constitution and that is the spin his supporters are putting on the results today. 他把这次投票结果解释为对宪法的支持，这也是他的支持者们对今天的结果所做的诠释与宣传。

【condo】condo ['kɔndəu] n. [复数]-dos，-does [美国口语] 简陋公寓套间(常作度假用)；公寓租房；分套购置的公寓房(如个人居住的公寓套间) [condominium 的缩略形式]

【enter】V-T If you enter someone for a race or competition, you officially state that they will compete or take part in it. 使报名参加竞赛

【pool】(赌博者所下的)全部赌注；(某一项目上的)赌注总额；(赛马等)共同赌金

【the line】[美国、加拿大英语] [the line]体育(足球等非赛跑竞赛项目)比赛赌率 [参较 Las Vegas line]

【The latest in a string】接连发生事件中的最近一个。

【double-team sb】双人夹击sb

【gang up on】合伙反对…

【fly in the teeth with it】to challenge someone or something; to go against someone or something.

【You're at your best with a pie in the face.】
Pieing is the act of throwing a pie at a person or persons. This can be a political action when the target is an authority figure, politician, or celebrity and can be used as a means of protesting against the target's political beliefs, or against perceived arrogance or vanity. Perpetrators generally regard the act as a form of ridicule to embarrass and humiliate the victim. In some U.S. states pieing may conform to definitions of the crime of battery, but not assault. (Battery is the crime of hitting or beating someone.)

【Strained】
ADJIf relations between people are strained, those people do not like or trust each other. (关系) 紧张的

【diss】vt., vi. [俚语](对…)无礼，侮辱，奚落；(言语或行为上对…)不尊敬；轻蔑地拒绝(或打发)

ACT TWO

【hit it off】 投缘 ;相处融洽

【perimeter】N-COUNT The perimeter of an area of land is the whole of its outer edge or boundary. 周边; 周界

【cubed】疑难问题,难题

【Fahrenheit ['færəhait]】华氏温标（符号为℉）规定：在标准大气压下，冰的熔点为32℉，水的沸点为212℉，中间有180等分，每等分为华氏1度。

【touch down】(飞机等)降落；着陆： The plane touched down at 17:45 at Heathrow Airport.

【hypnosis】Hypnosis is the art or practice of hypnotizing people. 催眠术

【booze】N-UNCOUNTBooze is alcoholic drink. 酒[INFORMAL] [also 'the' N]

【Joint chief】参谋长联席会议

【stare down】使紧张不安；使动摇，使屈服：

【infantry】N-UNCOUNT-COLLInfantry are soldiers who fight on foot rather than in tanks or on horses. 步兵

【premed】医科大学预科的

【coup】[ku:]N-COUNTWhen there is a coup, a group of people seize power in a country. 政变

【fester】V-IIf you say that a situation, problem, or feeling is festering, you disapprove of the fact that it is being allowed to grow more unpleasant or full of anger, because it is not being properly recognized or dealt with. 恶化

【You have a once in a generation mind】

ACT THREE
【knowing】ADJA knowing gesture or remark is one that shows that you understand something, for example the way that someone is feeling or what they really mean, even though it has not been mentioned directly. 会意的
【tweak】[俚语]【计算机】对…稍作调整，对程序微调

【trip over】被(某物)绊了一下 The boy tripped over a stone.那个男孩被一块石头绊了一下。

【Grand Jury】N-COUNT A grand jury is a jury, usually in the United States, which considers a criminal case in order to decide if someone should be tried in a court of law. 大陪审团

【given the benefit of the doubt.】假定其无过失或无罪（因无充分证据证明某人有罪）

【D.N.C.】 = Democratic National Committee

【mug】to be mugged 被袭击

【wrap up】PHRASAL VERB If you wrap up something such as a job or an agreement, you complete it in a satisfactory way. 圆满完成 (工作); 达成 (协议) 例: NATO defense ministers wrap up their meeting in Brussels today. 北约国防部长们今天在布鲁塞尔圆满结束了他们的会议。

【on board】支持某人的；赞同某人的政策、路线的；合作的

【truncated】删节的，断章取义的

【fix】V-T If you fix some food or a drink for someone, you make it or prepare it for them. 准备 (食物、饮料等) 例: Sarah fixed some food for us.
萨拉为我们准备了一些食物。

【cattle rustler ['rʌslə]】[美国口语]偷牛贼

【Nobel Laureate['lɔ:riət] in Economics,】诺贝尔奖的得主称之为 桂冠 （ Laureate ），这自然是因袭英国的 桂冠 诗人制度而来。

【blow off】PHRASAL VERB If you blow something off, you ignore it or choose not to deal with it. 不理会 [AM] [INFORMAL] 例: I don't think we can afford just to blow this off. 我想我们担负不起对此置之不理。

【hit a bump】N-COUNT Bump is also a noun. 碰撞。例: Small children often cry after a minor bump. 小孩子们在轻微的碰撞后常常会哭。

【I've been shoved into a broom...】 [美国俚语]卖力大干

【stick around】PHRASAL VERB If you stick around, you stay where you are, often because you are waiting for something. (为等候) 呆在原地不动 [INFORMAL] 例: Stick around a while and see what develops. 稍呆一会儿，看看会发生什么。

【whipping boy】替罪羔羊

【full-throated】full-throated support/defense全力支持/辩护

ACT FOUR

【barging in】PHRASAL VERB If you barge in or barge in on someone, you rudely interrupt what they are doing or saying. 插一杠子 [INFORMAL]
例: I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I have a problem I hope you can solve. 抱歉这样插进来，不过我有个问题希望你能解决。

【back away from】
The trainer backed away from the enraged tiger.

【brandish】V-T If you brandish something, especially a weapon, you hold it in a threatening way. 挥舞 (尤指武器) 例: He appeared in the lounge brandishing a knife. 他出现在休息室,挥舞着一把刀。

【a decent paper route】

【knock out】PHRASAL VERB If a person or team is knocked out of a competition, they are defeated in a game, so that they take no more part in the competition. 淘汰

【tort】n. 【法律】(民事)侵犯行为

【admit you with a solicitation bust】
V-T/V-I If you admit that something bad, unpleasant, or embarrassing is true, you agree, often unwillingly, that it is true. 承认 (不好、不快或尴尬的事实)

【solicitation 教唆,拉客】

【busted】V-T If someone is busted, the police arrest them. 逮捕 [INFORMAL] [usu passive]
例: They were busted for possession of cannabis.
他们因持有大麻而被逮捕。

【stay on their feet】= keep balance

【patter】N-SING Someone's patter is a series of things that they say quickly and easily, usually in order to entertain people or to persuade them to buy or do something. 顺口溜

【capital gains tax】 [税收] 资本利得税

【mike】N-COUNT A mike is the same as a microphone. 麦克风 [INFORMAL]

【fundamentalist】N-UNCOUNT Fundamentalism is the belief in the original form of a religion or theory, without accepting any later ideas. 原教旨主义 - 例: Religious fundamentalism was spreading in the region. 宗教的原教旨主义正在这一地区蔓延。

【debunk】批判，驳斥，指出…的错误，证明…是虚假的 - to debunk the claims of an advertiser 驳斥一名广告商的谎言

【Tel Aviv】n. 特拉维夫市（以色列港市）

【Fundamentalist】原教旨主义者（请WIKI）

【Syria & Jordan】叙利亚 & 约旦（请WIKI）

我默默地间间断断地看完TWW四个季度（还剩三季），果然好看。不愧是2000～2003连续四年艾美奖最佳剧情类剧集。
这是一部“聪明”的剧集，对观众智商要求比较高。这是制片人兼编剧Aaron Sokin的风格。他后来的《Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip》就被指“too smart for TV”，也是我喜欢的一部剧。
具体说，风格就是，里面的人物都很忙，整天走来走去穿插在场景之间，对白快速且大量典故、引用或特有名词。情节不时是剧中人意识到发生什么了，观众却要再过一二十分钟来理解。
有时候我很敬佩并喜欢这帮人。他们似乎总是忙个不停（而无需停下花大把时间思考人生问题）。哪怕感情或者生活琐事都在工作间轻易地消磨——至少让观众看起来如此。很多事情其实都没什么太大不了的，不是吗？
人物的众多也是特色之一。当然客串演出的认得出脸的演员也是数不过来，就不一一列举了。就连主角和那些常规配角加起来就得有一二十个吧。里头的角色们仿佛都过得很充实。忙碌或许就是充实的近义词。他们也有着充分的能力去应付。单举一点，谈话的速度和信息量，我就常常跟不上。
深度、幽默感、剧情本身的跌宕起伏和演员的出色表演确保了它的出色。Aaron Sokin常常涉及敏感的政治和社会话题，多角度地力图客观地表现矛盾所在（也得角色多才比较好多角度……）。拿《The West Wing》来讲，观众可以比较深入地了解美国政治体系的优越和弊端。许多问题也可以了解到别人的立场和原因。
之所以看到第四季结束想写一写评论，是因为这季确实比较好看。当然，一路看下来我们也发现了，虽然这是部以白宫幕僚为背景的政治剧集，但它不会局限于现实，它必须戏剧性。“戏剧性”在第四季末尾几集得到了很好的体现。
也难怪《Secret Diary of a Call Girl》里头，女主角说：“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’ ” 。
看着看着，《The West Wing》都快变成《24》了，就差主角不是孤胆英雄Jack Bauer，也没那么多阴谋，但政治局势风云突变，好看程度不输越来越显得重复的《24》。我不想在这里做过多剧透，也没有把《24》粉丝拉来看该剧的意思——毕竟还是颇有区别。只是这是一部好剧，值得推荐，而且它居然也能演得这么刺激。
《The West Wing》编导的风格，很多事情欲说还休，点到为止，因而也显得余味十足。典型的比如花了整集主要事件是准备某重要演讲，但最后你根本看不到演讲的镜头。或者某军事外交事件，紧张了整集最后收到消息来报，终于解决，但后续处理就统统不交代了。最常见的是，你觉得这集的话题意犹未尽，下集它压根就不继续了，或者先搁在一旁，因为总是不断有新事件发生。
比如里面的感情戏实在就是完全靠编剧的心情……也许是他们真的没有那么闲去纠缠各种复杂的关系。你今天看到这两人好像有点那么回事，回头就啥都没演了（有时候编剧良心发现会有一两句对白带过意思一下）。或许应该这么说：这片根本就没有真正的感情戏。只是用来丰富、圆满剧情用的。
每个角色都是有个性而不平凡的，有各自的困境和疑难，也都有不为人知或者广为人知的性格特点或者爱好、特长等琐事。总之都是了不起的人物。正是丰富的人物、事件、丝毫不赘述的吝啬和常常挖一些看似无聊的细节，让这群角色丰满、立体。
每季的结局几集一般都伴随大事件的到来，挑起观众的兴奋点，也往往是这个时候感觉有点《24》。第一季的枪击事件；第二季的多发性硬化症和总统选举；第三季的特工意外身亡、两党总统候选人会面以及是否暗杀Qumar（剧中虚构的中东国家）国防部长的决定；第四季的副总统丑闻辞职、总统女儿遭绑架、总统临时卸任而让共和党籍议长代任执行总统……
我有时看过几集会不自觉停下，间隔一段时间再看。因为它的剧情结构并不是总像《24》或者《Prison Break》那样紧凑、揪人——就算这集末尾挑起了你的兴趣下集也不见得如你所愿有所发展，所以……但每季的结尾还是会让人有些欲罢不能。我大概还是准备接着看第五季了。
http://syc0129.blogbus.com/logs/25619700.html