We both had to work to pay our way through law school, on top of the student loans we had taken out. But we still found time for politics. Bill decided to open a McGovern for President headquarters in New Haven, using his own money to rent a storefront. New Haven was one of the few places in America that voted for McGovern over Nixon.
我和比尔念法学院都是靠自己付学费，除了有学生贷款，还必须打工，但仍挤出时间参与政治活动。比尔决定在纽黑文帮麦戈文成立竞选总部，并自掏腰包租了一间门面。纽黑文是美国少数几个支持麦戈文当总统超过尼克松的地方。

After Christmas, Bill drove up from Hot Springs to Park Ridge to spend a few days with my family. My mother appreciated his good manners and willingness to help with the dishes. But Bill really won her over when he found her reading a philosophy book from one of her college courses and spent the next hour or so discussing it with her. It was slow going at first with my father, I wondered what he'd say to a southern Democrate with ever sideburns, he warmed up over games of cards, and in front of the television watching football bowl games. After I introduced Bill to Betsy Johnson, her mother, Roslyn, cornered me on the way out of their house and said, "I don't care what you do,but don't let this one go. He's the only one I've ever seen make you laugh!"
圣诞节过后，比尔开车从阿肯色州温泉市到帕克里奇，在我家住了几天。比尔教养好，又肯主动帮忙洗碗，深得母亲赏识，但真正让母亲打心底喜欢他的是：他看到母亲埋首阅读大学课程指定的一本哲学书，于是花了整整一个多小时和母亲讨论其内容。父亲属于慢热型，我开始还担心他会和我那个留着鬓角的民主党父亲说什么，所幸在玩扑克牌、看电视转播的球赛中，也慢慢热情起来。我带他到贝琪·约翰逊家，离去时，贝琪的母亲把我拉到一角告诉说：“我不管你用什么办法，绝对要留住他，我见过这么多人，他是惟一能让你笑的。”