Rice signs with talent agency

Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made a key step in her post-Bush administration career.

　　Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made a key step in her post-Bush administration career: The William Morris Agency (WMA) announced on Wednesday that it has signed her as a client.

　　The former professor and Stanford University provost has been in the Bush administration since its beginning, first as national security adviser and then as secretary of state. Her appointment ended on Tuesday afternoon, after Barack Obama was sworn in as president.

　　Although most other members of the Bush administration, save Karl Rove, might have trouble finding such a wide-ranging deal, Rice found a strong market among talent agencies.

　　"It was certainly a competitive situation," said Jim Wiatt, chairman and CEO of the William Morris Agency. "She was very thorough about the process and who she would feel most comfortable with and who would be speaking on her behalf."

　　It's unlikely that Rice will turn up as a talking head on television, however. The deal includes William Morris representation for books, lecture appearances and philanthropic initiatives, as well as business initiatives in media, sports and communications.

　　WMA co-chief operating officer Wayne Kabak said that the agency was struck not only by Rice's well-rounded resume. In addition to her political career, Rice is an accomplished concert pianist as well as a big-time National Football League fan.

　　"It's more than just books, it's much more than just lectures," Kabak said. "We're here to help her create and enhance an agenda that is very important to her in her post-government career."

　　That agenda will include philanthropic efforts involving classical music and college educations for disadvantaged students, as well as initiatives to help US children become global citizens.

　　In support of those efforts, Rice might appear on camera, but she won't be traveling the well-worn path as a news or policy analyst.

　　"She's not interested in being a shadow secretary of state," Kabak said. "It's not her goal to go on morning talk shows the day after something happens. That's not what she wants to do."

　　(Agencies)

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　　威廉-莫里斯经纪公司于本周三宣布，美国前国务卿康多莉扎-赖斯已成为其签约客户，这是赖斯在布什政府的任期结束后迈出的重要一步。

　　曾经做过大学教授以及斯坦福大学教务长的赖斯在布什政府组建之初就为其效力，起初担任国家安全事务顾问，之后成为国务卿。本周二下午，巴拉克-奥巴马宣誓就职后，她的任期也随即结束。

　　除了卡尔-罗夫以外，布什政府的大多数成员可能都不太容易能找到如此好的一个归宿，不过赖斯在经纪人公司那里倒是颇有市场。

　　威廉-莫里斯经纪公司总裁兼首席执行官吉姆-韦特说：“当时竞争很激烈。她对整个选择的过程、跟谁合作最轻松、以及谁会成为她的代理人等环节要求都非常细致。”

　　不过，赖斯不太可能以电视节目主持人的身份现身。双方签署的合约项目包括威廉-莫里斯公司所做的书籍代言、出席讲座、以及慈善活动，另外还包括媒体、运动和社交方面的一些商业活动。

　　威廉-莫里斯经纪公司联席执行官韦恩-卡巴科称他们看中的并不仅仅是赖斯无懈可击的个人履历。除其从政经历以外，赖斯还是一位出色的音乐会钢琴演奏家，同时还是国家足球联赛的超级球迷。

　　卡巴科透露说：“她要参与的活动不仅限于书籍和讲座。我们要帮她制作并实现她从政生涯结束之后另一个重要的发展规划。”

　　这个规划将包括推动古典音乐以及贫困学生大学教育等方面的慈善活动，还会在帮助美国儿童成为世界公民方面有一些举措。

　　为了宣传这些活动，赖斯可能需要出镜，但肯定不会走大家已经很熟悉的那种新闻分析师或政策分析师路线。

　　卡巴科说：“她不想活在国务卿的影子里。她的目标不是每天一早上脱口秀评论头一天发生的事情。那并不是她想做的事情。”

　　Vocabulary:

　　William Morris Agency (WMA): 威廉-莫里斯经纪公司，好莱坞三大经纪公司之一，旗下艺人包括茱莉亚·罗伯茨、梅尔· 吉布森、章子怡等。

　　save Karl Rove: 除了卡尔-罗夫以外（卡尔-罗夫，布什总统高级顾问，是布什两届竞选的幕后高参，被称为“布什的脑袋”，于2007年辞职。）

　　talking head: 电视节目主持人