Cardinal rule?_其他_趣味英语-查字典英语网

Cardinal rule?

It became “the Checkers Speech”. Nixon complained it was “as though the mention of my dog was the only thing that saved my political career”. Bad news for spaniel lovers like me; if it had not been for Checkers, there might never have been a Watergate.

- So much for the cardinal rule of broadcasting, By Ed Stourton, Telegraph.co.uk, July 10, 2009.

2. On Friday night, Armstrong appeared more emotional in his talk with Winfrey than in the first interview. Winfrey is renowned for being a virtual therapist to the public ordeals of disgraced celebrities, often bringing them to tears. Armstrong, who throughout last week had appeared unnervingly controlled, did not shed a tear but he did appear to choke up. “I saw my son defending me and saying, “That’s not true. What you’re saying about my dad is not true. That’s when I knew I had to tell him,” Armstrong said. The cyclist paused, lip trembling, and looked away as he composed himself.

But aside from that moment the rest of the interview went largely as expected, with Armstrong confessing to his sins – though by no means agreeing to all the accusations levelled against him – and showing perhaps unwise flashes of defiance and self-regard.

He told Winfrey he was desperate to compete again, effectively admitting he was not coming clean out of guilt but because he cannot tolerate life outside of sports. “If you’re asking me, do I want to compete again ... the answer is, hell, yes. I’m a competitor. It’s what I’ve done my whole life. I love to train. I love to race,” he said. He even said he deserved a second chance, perhaps breaking the cardinal rule of such TV confessions, which is to remain entirely contrite.