当地时间11月18日，美国第12个总统图书馆--克林顿图书馆正式向公众开放，克林顿政府要员、前总统老布什和现任总统小布什、演艺明星等人前往捧场。尽管天降大雨，还是有大约3万人出席了仪式。外电报道如下：Bill Clinton, America's first baby boomer president, opened his library Thursday with a rock 'n' roll gala that hailed¹ the $165 million glass-and-steel museum as "a gift to the future by a man who always believed in the future."

Despite a steady, bone-chilling rain, nearly 30,000 people joined a celebration that included tributes² from President Bush, his father and former President Carter. Rock stars Bono and The Edge of the band U2 performed a three-song set before Clinton spoke³ to a crowd that included dignitaries and ordinary folk. Poetry and gospel singing added a down-home flavor.

Ordinary folk表示“平民，老百姓”，和达官贵人（dignitary）相对应。Folk除了“人们，人民；民族”的宏大含义外，还表示“家人，亲属，父母，朋友”，例如：I'd like you to meet my folks.（我想要你见见我的父母/家人。）The old folk sat and talked.（老人坐下来说话。）Well folks, shall we go?（喂，朋友，我们出去吗？）