又中又英｜Twists and turns

There are many twists and turns in politics. A politician can be riding high one day and hit rock bottom the next day. US President Joe Biden hit rock bottom when he and former President Donald Trump had the first presidential election debate on June 27. Trump didn’t quite hit rock bottom when he debated Vice President Kamala Harris on September 10, but Harris was riding high during the debate. The expression “twists and turns” used this way means surprising and sudden changes. To be riding high means to be very successful. To hit rock bottom means to reach the lowest or worst possible level.

Trump was riding high, but Biden hit rock bottom when he looked confused and couldn’t finish many sentences during their debate. The situation changed completely during the second debate when Harris replaced Biden as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. She agitated and annoyed Trump with sharp criticisms, clever answers, and impressive facial expressions. An angry-looking and frustrated Trump did not know how to fight back. He almost hit rock bottom. All the polls showed Harris won the debate by a wide margin. Trump won big in the first debate but lost big in the second. The twists and turns in politics.

The Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom, used an interesting idiom to describe Trump’s defeat. He said Trump got his clock cleaned. If you got your clock cleaned, it means you were thoroughly defeated in a fight or a competition. Trump got Biden’s clock cleaned in the first debate but got his clock cleaned by Harris in the second debate.

政治總是有許許多多的迂迴曲折（twists and turns），一個政客可以今天還是一帆風順（riding high），明天就墮進谷底（hit rock bottom）。美國總統祖‧拜登在六月二十七日跟前總統唐納德‧特朗普進行過第一場總統選舉辯論後，就跌至最低點（hit rock bottom）。特朗普跟副總統賀錦麗於九月十日辯論過後，並未跌至谷底（hit rock bottom），但賀錦麗在辯論期間卻可算大獲全勝（riding high）。習語“twists and turns”在這裏是指令人意外的突然轉變。To be riding high是指非常順利、成功。To hit rock bottom是指跌至最低點或差得不能再差的境地。

在辯論之時，特朗普確是行情看漲（riding high），反觀拜登卻跌到谷底（hit rock bottom），因他看起來卻非常困惑，許多句子也未能說完。但當賀錦麗取代拜登成為民主黨的總統候選人之後，第二場辯論完全形勢逆轉。她用了尖銳的批評、機智的答覆以及令人印象深刻的面部表情，鼓動和惹惱了特朗普。看來相當憤怒和受挫的特朗普不懂得要怎樣還擊。他差不多要跌至最低點（hit rock bottom）了。所有民調都反映，賀錦麗大比數地贏了那場辯論。特朗普在第一場辯論中大獲全勝，卻在第二場中輸慘了。這就是峰迴路轉（twists and turns）的政治。

加州州長、民主黨的加文‧紐森，用了一個有趣的成語去形容特朗普的戰敗。他說特朗普 got his clock cleaned——若你 got your clock cleaned，意即你在一場爭鬥或賽事中被徹底打垮。特朗普在第一場辯論中把拜登打得落花流水（clock cleaned），在第二場中卻倒過來被賀錦麗重創、狠狠擊潰（got his clock cleaned）。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻