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年国会选举后的第二天，小布什(George W Bush)承认共和党遭受“重大打击”。美国总统巴拉克•奥巴马(Barack Obama)将自己在2010年因“茶党”(Tea Party)而遭受的选举失败称为“惨败”。共和党很可能在本周二重新夺回美国参议院的控制权（编者注：本文英文发表于11月2日，根据最新报道，共和党已全面控制美国国会），届时奥巴马可能还得找个词。人们认为，奥巴马接下来还得面临长达两年的“跛脚鸭”任期才能最终解脱。然而，只要进行人事调整并改变做事方法，奥巴马也可能在最后四分之一的总统任期挽回局面。奥巴马应该效仿小布什。