美国前总统克林顿离开白宫后从未闲着，他不仅写书、演讲、做形象大使，还在为零售业巨头罗恩·比尔克莱“打工”，从中可能获取“数亿美元”的收入。据《每日电讯报》4月24日报道，克林顿将获得罗恩·比尔克莱旗下公司的投资盈利分红。克林顿主要靠自己的声誉为比尔克莱的公司引进投资商。克林顿不会参与公司的日常工作且个人投资很少。

　　Bill Clinton stands to make "tens of millions" of dollars by working for a billionaire friend who made his fortune in supermarkets. The former president will share in the profits of investment funds run by Ron Burkle. In return, he offers Mr Burkle advice and lends his reputation to the funds. He has no day-to-day role and has invested little of his own money.

　　《纽约时报》在联系过比尔克莱和克林顿的助手后表示，在前总统克林顿游说下引进的3项投资基金总数超过了10亿美元，其中两项投资将用于美国落后地区的经济开发，因为传统的投资公司不愿意冒风险将资金投资到落后地区；而另一项投资将用于海外。如果两项国内投资的回报率超过9％，克林顿将获取分红。到目前为止，其中一项投资已经比原始额上涨了26％，而另一项上涨了51％。同时，在2011年前，克林顿还从那项海外投资中获取三分之一的盈利。

　　The New York Times, which spoke to Mr Burkle and Mr Clinton's aides, said the three funds that the former president advised contained more than $1 billion (?560 million). Two invest in poor areas of the United States where traditional firms are unwilling to risk their cash. A third invests overseas. Mr Clinton's deal will pay out if the two domestic funds produce returns exceeding nine per cent during their lifetimes. So far, one is up by 26 per cent and the other by 51 per cent. The former president is already receiving payments from the overseas fund and will take a third of the profits when it is dissolved, not sooner than 2011.

　　比尔克莱对《纽约时报》说：“如果我们赚了，他也就赚了。”尽管比尔克莱没有透露克林顿获利的详细数目，但《纽约时报》表示：“鉴于比尔克莱过去20年的投资收益，克林顿将获得数亿美元的回报。”

　　Mr Burkle told the paper: "If we make money, he makes money." He would not say how much but The New York Times report said: "If the funds perform as well as Mr Burkle's other investment funds have over the past two decades, Mr Clinton's share could reach tens of millions of dollars."

　　报道说，加利福尼亚人比尔克莱最初从超市业起家。1992年，当比尔克莱的连锁超市在洛杉矶的暴乱中因良好声誉而免遭破坏后，克林顿第一次面见了比尔克莱。比尔克莱说，现在他每年有500个小时和克林顿在一起，且经常一同乘坐他的波音757进行世界旅行。他指出，克林顿因其良好的声誉是一名了不起的投资说客，“他总是能更好地给客户解释某项投资的好处，这比我们都强。”

　　Mr Clinton met Mr Burkle, a Californian, in 1992 after hearing that his chain of supermarkets had been spared during the Los Angeles riots. The president was told that the company had a reputation for treating customers well. Mr Burkle said they now spent at least 500 hours a year together, often travelling around the world in his Boeing 757. Interviewed at Mr Clinton's Harlem office, he said the former president was a great communicator who gave credibility to the Yucaipa funds.  

　　尽管外界对克林顿为商界大老板拉投资的行为没有任何评说，但这恐怕会成为共和党反对希拉里·克林顿参选2008年美国总统的一张牌。如果希拉里成功当选为总统，克林顿将成为美国有史以来的第一位“第一先生”。

　　There is no suggestion that Mr Clinton is doing anything wrong but the revelation is certain to be seized on by Republicans looking for ammunition to use against Sen Hillary Clinton if, as widely expected, she runs for the presidency in 2008. If she reached the White House, Mr Clinton would be the first man to be dubbed "first gentleman" as the presidential spouse.