The day after the 2006 congressional election, George W Bush admitted Republicans had received a “thumping”. President Barack Obama called his 2010 humiliation at the hands of the Tea Party a “shellacking”. Another noun may be called for on Tuesday when Republicans are likely to regain control of the US Senate. People assume Mr Obama will then face two long years of lame duckery before he is finally put out of his misery. Yet with fresh blood, and a new approach, the final quarter of a presidency can also become its redemption. Mr Obama should take a leaf from George W Bush’s book.
在2006年國會選舉后的第二天，小布什(George W Bush)承認共和黨遭受“重大打擊”。美國總統巴拉克?奧巴馬(Barack Obama)將自己在2010年因“茶黨”(Tea Party)而遭受的選舉失敗稱為“慘敗”。共和黨很可能在本周二重新奪回美國參議院的控制權（編者注：本文英文發表于11月2日，根據最新報道，共和黨已全面控制美國國會），屆時奧巴馬可能還得找個詞。人們認為，奧巴馬接下來還得面臨長達兩年的“跛腳鴨”任期才能最終解脫。然而，只要進行人事調整并改變做事方法，奧巴馬也可能在最后四分之一的總統任期挽回局面。奧巴馬應該效仿小布什。