Policy would be discussed in a small closed group

而对策只在一个封闭的小群体里讨论
and the decision made by one man ultimately,

最终由一个人
the President of the United States.

即美国总统作出最终决策
If there were no leaks, a big if,

如果消息特别是大量消息没有泄漏
people would hear of it only when the die had been cast.

人们最后听到消息之时早已大局已定
A model for those of my vintage was the Cuban Missile Crisis,

在我那个年代有一个古巴导弹危机事件
which was kept as a great secret.

当时这个事件被当作机密问题处理
In those days the press actually would keep secrets

在那个年代媒体会代表国家安全
on behalf of the national security.

保守这个机密
Can you imagine such an old fashioned approach?

你能想象这种老旧的处理方式吗
Then they had been kicking it around for a week

他们会花一周时间考虑这个问题
when the President got on television

然后总统上了电视