In this March 19, 1994 file photo, Socks the cat peers over the podium in the White House briefing room in Washington. Socks, the White House cat during the Clinton administration, has died. He was about 18. [Agencies] |
Socks, the White House cat during the Clinton administration who waged war on Buddy the pup, has died. He was around 18.
Socks had lived with Bill Clinton's secretary, Betty Currie, in Hollywood, Md., since the Clintons left the White House in early 2001.
Currie confirmed Socks' death Friday evening and said she was "heartbroken." She did not give details, referring calls to the Clinton Foundation office.
The foundation released a statement from the Clintons:
"Socks brought much happiness to Chelsea and us over the years, and enjoyment to kids and cat lovers everywhere. We're grateful for those memories, and we especially want to thank our good friend, Betty Currie, for taking such loving care of Socks for so many years."
Socks had reached his late teens — an advanced age for a cat — when reports surfaced in late 2008 that he had cancer and Currie had ruled out invasive efforts to prolong his life.
"It's not a happy prognosis," presidential historian Barry Landau, a friend of Currie's, said at the time.
Socks was what feline-lovers call a tuxedo cat — mostly black with white down the front and belly and on his feet, suggesting a fashionable dandy in a black satin evening jacket with a snowy shirt peeping out. He had markings that looked a bit like a mustache and goatee.
日前，美國前總統柯林頓當政時期的白宮第一貓「襪子」去世，「享年」約18歲。「襪子」生前與白宮第一寵物狗巴迪關係不合，
2001年初，柯林頓攜全家離開白宮時把「襪子」託付給了他的秘書貝蒂•柯裡，此後「襪子」一直隨柯裡生活在馬裡蘭州的好萊塢（Hollywood）。
柯裡於上周五晚間證實了「襪子」的死訊，並稱自己「非常傷心」。她沒有透露「襪子」的具體死因，只稱如有問題可以聯繫柯林頓基金會辦公室。
該基金會發布了一份來自柯林頓全家的聲明：
「這些年來，『襪子』給切爾西和我們帶來了無盡歡樂，各地的孩子和愛貓人士也非常喜愛他。我們對這些美好的記憶感激不盡，同時我們要特別感謝好友貝蒂•柯裡多年來對『襪子』的悉心照料。」
去年年底，就有消息稱「襪子」罹患癌症，但柯裡拒絕使用介入療法延長其生命。當時襪子它已經十幾歲，在貓中屬於「高齡」。
當時柯裡的朋友、總統歷史學家巴裡•蘭道稱：「這種療法預後並不樂觀」。
「襪子」被愛貓人士稱為「燕尾服貓」，它的身體大部分為黑色，但面部、腹部和爪子是白色，很像一位身著黑綢晚禮服、露出雪白襯衣的時尚紳士。它的面部還有看起來有點像小鬍子的斑紋。
（實習生許雅寧 英語點津姍姍編輯）