Final US Presidential Debate

美國總統第三次也是最後一次的辯論今天結束了，網路上可從NPR或VOA線上收聽辯論內容。而關於整個辯論內容講稿，可自CNN那取得。一場九十分鐘的辯論，共有二十個題目，由Bob Schieffer(CBS的主播)發問。其中，我覺得最後一個問題很有趣，也是最輕鬆的，現場笑聲四起，兩方候選人展現了美式幽默。將其內容轉貼來此，分享之。

Question 20: What have you learned from your wife and daughters?

SCHIEFFER: We've come, gentlemen, to our last question. And it occurred to me as I came to this debate tonight that the three of us share something. All three of us are surrounded by very strong women. We're all married to strong women. Each of us have two daughters that make us very proud.

I'd like to ask each of you, what is the most important thing you've learned from these strong women?

BUSH: To listen to them.

(LAUGHTER)

To stand up straight and not scowl.

(LAUGHTER)

I love the strong women around me. I can't tell you how much I love my wife and our daughters.

I am -- you know it's really interesting. I tell the people on the campaign trail, when I asked Laura to marry me, she said, "Fine, just so long as I never have to give a speech."

I said, "OK, you've got a deal."

Fortunately, she didn't hold me to that deal. And she's out campaigning along with our girls. And she speaks English a lot better than I do.

I think people understand what she's saying.

But they see a compassionate, strong, great first lady in Laura Bush.

I can't tell you how lucky I am. When I met her in the backyard at Joe and Jan O'Neill's in Midland, Texas, it was the classic backyard barbecue.

O'Neill said, "Come on over. I think you'll find somebody who might interest you."

So I said all right. Bopped over there.

There was only four of us there. And not only did she interest me, I guess you would say it was love at first sight.

SCHIEFFER: Sen. Kerry?

KERRY: Well, I guess the president and you and I are three examples of lucky people who married up.

(LAUGHTER)

And some would say maybe me more so than others.

(LAUGHTER)

But I can take it.

(LAUGHTER)

Can I say, if I could just say a word about a woman that you didn't ask about, but my mom passed away a couple years ago, just before I was deciding to run. And she was in the hospital, and I went in to talk to her and tell her what I was thinking of doing.

And she looked at me from her hospital bed and she just looked at me and she said, "Remember: integrity, integrity, integrity."

Those are the three words that she left me with.

And my daughters and my wife are people who just are filled with that sense of what's right, what's wrong.

They also kick me around. They keep me honest. They don't let me get away with anything. I can sometimes take myself too seriously. They surely don't let me do that.

And I'm blessed, as I think the president is blessed, as I said last time. I've watched him with the first lady, who I admire a great deal, and his daughters. He's a great father. And I think we're both very lucky.