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Line 1: − <!-- Citation formatting: Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_templates for citation formatting! -->+ − + − {{Infobox Officeholder+ − |name = William Jefferson Clinton+ − + − + − |office = President of the United States+ − + − + − + − + − + − + − |office2 = Governor of Arkansas+ − |term_start2 = January 11, 1983+ − |term_end2 = December 12, 1992+ − |lieutenant2 = [[Winston Bryant]] (1983-1991)<br/> [[Jim Guy Tucker]] (1991-1992) − |predecessor2 = [[Frank D. White]] − |successor2 = [[Jim Guy Tucker]] − |term_start3 = January 9, 1979 − |term_end3 = January 19, 1981 − |lieutenant3 = [[Joe Purcell]] − |predecessor3 = [[Joe Purcell]] (acting) − |successor3 = [[Frank D. White]] − |office4 = [[Arkansas Attorney General]] − |term_start4 = 1977 − |term_end4 = 1979 − |predecessor4 = [[Jim Guy Tucker]] − |successor4 = [[Steve Clark (attorney)|Steve Clark]] − |birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1946|08|19}} − − − − − − |occupation = [[Lawyer]] − |alma_mater = [[Georgetown University]]<br/> [[Yale Law School]] − − |signature = Signature of Bill Clinton.svg − |website = [http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/ William J. Clinton Presidential Library] + − '''William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton''' (born '''William Jefferson Blythe III''', August 19, 1946)<ref name="whitehouse.gov bio">{{cite web |title=Biography of William J. Clinton |publisher=[[The White House]] |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref> served as the [[List of Presidents of the United States|forty-second]] [[President of the United States]] from 1993 to 2001. He was the fifteenth Democrat elected to that office. He was the [[List of United States presidents by age at ascension to office|third-youngest president]], only older than [[Theodore Roosevelt]] and [[John F. Kennedy]] when he went into office. He became president at the end of the [[Cold War]], and as he was born in the period after [[World War II]], is known as the first [[Baby Boomer]] president.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sandalow |first=Marc |title=Clinton Era Marked by Scandal, Prosperity: 1st Baby Boomer in White House Changed Notions of Presidency |publisher=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=2001-01-14 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/01/14/MN71509.DTL |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref> His wife, [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]], is a [[United States Senator]] from [[New York]], and former candidate for the Democratic nomination in 2008.+ − + − + − In 2004, he released his autobiography, ''[[My Life (Bill Clinton autobiography)|My Life]]'', and more recently has been involved in his wife Hillary's [[Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, 2008|2008 presidential campaign]] and in that of [[President-elect]] [[Barack Obama]].+ − + − [[Image:William Jefferson Blythe 1950.jpg|thumb|upright|left|William Jefferson Blythe, III, in 1950 at age four. Known at the time as Billy, he did not formally adopt his stepfather's name until age fourteen.]] − + − + − Although he assumed use of his stepfather's surname, it was not until Billy (as he was known then) turned fourteen that he formally adopted the surname Clinton, partially as a gesture toward his stepfather.<ref name="My Life" /> Clinton says he remembers his stepfather as a [[gambler]] and an [[alcoholism|alcoholic]] who regularly abused his mother and, at times, his half-brother, [[Roger Clinton, Jr.|Roger, Jr.]]<ref name="My Life" /><ref name="First In His Class">{{cite book |last=Maraniss |first=David |title=First In His Class: A Biography Of Bill Clinton |publisher=Touchstone |date=1996 |isbn= 0684818906}}</ref> Clinton intervened multiple times with the threat of violence to protect them.+ − == Education ==+ − − {{cquote|(…) Sometime in my sixteenth year I decided I wanted to be in public life as an elected official. I loved music and thought I could be very good, but I knew I would never be [[John Coltrane]] or [[Stan Getz]]. I was interested in medicine and thought I could be a fine doctor, but I knew I would never be [[Michael E. DeBakey|Michael DeBakey]]. But I knew I could be great in public service.<ref name ="My Life" />}}+ − [[Image:Clinton at Georgetown 1967.jpg|right|upright|thumb|Clinton attended the School of Foreign Service at [[Georgetown University]] in [[Washington D.C.]], receiving a degree in 1968, during which he ran for [[President]] of the Student Council.]]+ − In 1963, two influential moments in Clinton's life contributed to his decision to become a public figure. One was his visit to the [[White House]] to meet President [[John F. Kennedy]], as a [[Boys Nation]] senator.<ref name="My Life" /><ref name="First In His Class" /> The other was listening to [[Martin Luther King, Jr.|Martin Luther King's]] 1963 ''[[I Have a Dream]]'' speech (he memorized Dr. King's words).<ref>{{cite web |title=It All Began in a Place Called Hope (Archived whitehouse.gov Article) |publisher=[[National Archives and Records Administration]], previously [[The White House]] |url=http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/EOP/OP/html/Hope.html |accessdate=2007-01-02}}</ref> − With the aid of scholarships, Clinton attended the [[Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service]] at [[Georgetown University]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], receiving a [[List of tagged degrees|Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service]] ([[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]][[Diplomatic service|F.S.]]) degree in 1968. He spent the summer of 1967, the summer before his senior year, working as an [[intern]] for Arkansas [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[J. William Fulbright]].<ref name="My Life" /> While in college he became a brother of [[Alpha Phi Omega]] and was elected to [[Phi Beta Kappa]]. Clinton was also a member of Youth Order of [[DeMolay International|DeMolay]], but he never actually became a [[Freemasonry|Freemason]].{{Fact|date=October 2008}} He is a member of [[Kappa Kappa Psi]]'s National Honorary Band Fraternity, Inc.{{Fact|date=October 2008}}+ + − Upon graduation he won a [[Rhodes Scholarship]] to [[University College, Oxford]] where he studied [[Government]].<ref name="First In His Class" /> He developed an interest in [[rugby union]], playing at Oxford and later for the Little Rock Rugby club in Arkansas. While at Oxford he also participated in [[Vietnam War]] [[Opposition to the Vietnam War|protests]], including organizing an October 1969 [[Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam|Moratorium]] event.<ref name="My Life" /> In later life he admitted to smoking [[cannabis]] at the university, but claimed that he "never inhaled".<ref name="First In His Class" /><ref name = "My Life" />+ − After Oxford, Clinton attended [[Yale Law School]] and obtained a [[Juris Doctor]] (J.D.) degree in 1973.<ref name="First In His Class" /> While at Yale, he began dating law student [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Hillary Rodham]] who was a year ahead of him. They married in 1975 and their only child, [[Chelsea Clinton|Chelsea]], was born in 1980.+ + + − ==Early political career==+ − ===Leader of Texas McGovern Presidential Campaign of 1972=== − During Yale, Clinton took a job with the [[George McGovern|McGovern]] campaign and was assigned to lead McGovern's effort in Texas. He spent considerable time in Dallas, Texas, at the McGovern campaign's local headquarters on Lemmon Avenue where he had an office. There, Clinton worked with [[Ron Kirk]], who was later elected mayor of Dallas twice, future governor of Texas [[Ann Richards]], and then unknown television director (and future filmmaker) [[Steven Spielberg]]. − ===Governor of Arkansas===+ − After graduating from Yale Law School, Clinton returned to Arkansas and became a professor at the [[University of Arkansas]]. A year later, he ran for the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] in 1974. The incumbent, [[John Paul Hammerschmidt]], defeated Clinton by a 52% to 48% margin. Without opposition in the general election, Clinton was elected [[Arkansas]] [[Attorney General]] in 1976.<ref name="First In His Class" /> − {{see|Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1978}} − [[Image:Bill Clinton 1978.jpg|thumb|left|Clinton, as the newly elected [[Governor of Arkansas]] meeting with President [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1978.]]+ − − {{see|Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1980}} − + − Clinton made economic growth, job creation and educational improvement high priorities. For [[senior citizens]], he removed the [[sales tax]] from [[medicine]] and increased the home property tax exemption.+ − In the early 1980s, Clinton made reform of the Arkansas education system a top priority. The Arkansas Education Standards Committee, chaired by Clinton's wife, attorney and [[Legal Services Corporation]] chair [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Hillary Rodham]], succeeded in reforming the education system, transforming it from the worst in the nation, into one of the best. This has been considered by many the greatest achievement of the Clinton governorship. Clinton and the committee were responsible for state educational improvement programs, notably more spending for schools, rising opportunities for gifted children, an increase in vocational education, raising of teachers' salaries, inclusion of a wider variety of courses, and mandatory teacher testing for aspiring educators.<ref name="First In His Class" /><ref name="The Natural" /> + − + − ===Democratic presidential primaries of 1988===+ − [[Image:Reagans with the Clintons.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Governor and Mrs. Clinton attend the Dinner Honoring the Nation's Governors in the [[White House]] with President [[Ronald Reagan]] and first lady [[Nancy Reagan]], 1987. Though Governor Clinton had little to do with national politics at the time, Hillary Rodham had, several years previously, clashed over [[Legal Services Corporation]] funding with President Reagan as the organization's chair.]] − In 1987 there was media speculation Clinton would enter the race after then-[[Governor of New York|New York Governor]] [[Mario Cuomo]] declined to run and Democratic front-runner [[Gary Hart]] withdrew owing to revelations of marital infidelity. Clinton decided to remain as Arkansas governor (following consideration for the potential candidacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton for governor, initially favored, but ultimately vetoed, by the First Lady).<ref name="First In His Class">David Maraniss, ''First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton'' (New York: Random House, 1996; ISBN 978-0684818900).</ref> For the nomination, Clinton endorsed [[Governor of Massachusetts|Massachusetts Governor]] [[Michael Dukakis]]. However, he gave the opening night address at the [[1988 Democratic National Convention]], which was nationally televised, but it was criticized for length.<ref>{{cite news|last=Church|first=George J.|title=Cover: Is Bill Clinton For Real?|url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,974739,00.html|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=1992-01-27|accessdate=2008-03-28}}</ref> Presenting himself as a moderate and a member of the [[New Democrat]] wing of the Democratic Party, he headed the moderate [[Democratic Leadership Council]] in 1990 and 1991.<ref name="The Natural" /><ref name="The Choice">{{cite book |last=Woodward |first=Bob |title=The Choice: How Bill Clinton Won |publisher=[[Simon and Schuster]] |edition= |date=2005 |isbn= 074328514X}}</ref> − ===Democratic presidential primaries of 1992=== − ====Boy Governor==== − {{see|Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 1992}} − Due to his youthful appearance he was often called the "Boy Governor". In the first contest, the [[Iowa caucus]], he finished a very distant third to Iowa Senator [[Tom Harkin]]. During the campaign for the [[New Hampshire Primary]] reports of an extramarital affair with [[Gennifer Flowers]] surfaced. As Clinton fell far behind former [[Massachusetts]] Senator [[Paul Tsongas]] in the New Hampshire polls,<ref name="First In His Class" /> following the [[Super Bowl]], Clinton and his wife Hillary went on ''[[60 Minutes]]'' to refute the charges. − + − Their television appearance was a calculated risk but Clinton regained several delegates. He finished second to Tsongas in the [[New Hampshire primary]], but after trailing badly in the polls and coming within single digits of winning, the media viewed it as a victory. On election night, Clinton labeled himself "The Comeback Kid". He ended leading New Hampshire by a large percentage. However, Tsongas picked up little or no momentum from his victory.<ref name="First In His Class" />+ − Winning the big prizes of [[Florida]] and [[Texas]] and many of the [[Southern United States|Southern primaries]] gave Clinton a sizable delegate lead. However, former [[California]] Governor [[Jerry Brown]] was scoring victories and Clinton had yet to win a significant contest outside of his native South.<ref name="First In His Class" /><ref name="The Choice" />+ − With no major Southern state remaining, Clinton targeted the New York primary, which contained a large number of delegates. He scored a resounding victory in [[New York City]] and won, shedding his image as a regional candidate.<ref name="The Choice" /> Having been transformed into the consensus candidate, he secured the Democratic Party nomination, finishing with a victory in [[Jerry Brown]]'s home state of [[California]].<ref name="First In His Class" />+ + − + − + + + − {{main|United States presidential election, 1992}}+ − {{see also|Bill Clinton presidential campaign, 1992}} − Clinton won the [[U.S. presidential election, 1992|1992 presidential election]] (43.0% of the vote) against Republican incumbent [[George H. W. Bush]] (37.4% of the vote) and billionaire [[Populism|populist]] [[Ross Perot]], who ran as an independent (18.9% of the vote) on a platform focusing on domestic issues; a significant part of Clinton's success was Bush's steep decline in public approval. Because Bush's [[approval rating]]s were in the 80% range during the [[Gulf War]], he was described as "unbeatable." However, when Bush compromised with Democrats in an attempt to lower Federal deficits, he reneged on his [[Read my lips: no new taxes|promise not to raise taxes]], hurting his approval rating. Clinton repeatedly condemned Bush for making a promise he failed to keep.<ref name="The Choice" /> By election time, the economy was souring and Bush saw his approval rating plummet to slightly over 40%.<ref>{{cite news |title=How the Presidents Stack Up: A look at U.S. presidents' job-approval ratings |publisher=[[Wall Street Journal|The Wall Street Journal Online]] |date=2006 |url=http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-presapp0605-31.html |accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref><ref name="The Choice" /> Finally, conservatives were previously united by anti-[[communism]], but with the end of the [[Cold War]], the party lacked a uniting issue. When [[Pat Buchanan]] and [[Pat Robertson]] addressed Christian themes+ − at the [[1992 Republican National Convention|Republican National Convention]], with Bush criticizing Democrats for omitting God from their platform, many moderates were alienated.<ref>{{cite web|last=Le Beau|first=Bryan|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Political Mobilization of the New Christian Right|work= |publisher=[[Creighton University]]|date= |url=http://are.as.wvu.edu/lebeau1.htm|format= |doi= |accessdate=2006-12-01 }}</ref> Clinton then pointed to his moderate, "New Democrat" record as governor of Arkansas, though some on the more liberal side of the party remained suspicious.<ref>{{citation |last=Walker |first=Martin |title=Tough love child of Kennedy |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1240962,00.html |accessdate=2007-10-12}}</ref> Many Democrats who supported [[Ronald Reagan]] and Bush in previous elections switched their allegiance to Clinton.<ref>{{cite news |title=On this day (November 4) in 1992: Clinton beats Bush to the White House |publisher=[[BBC News Online]] |date= |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/4/newsid_3659000/3659498.stm |accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> − His election ended twelve years of Republican rule of the [[White House]], and twenty of the previous twenty four years. The election gave Democrats full control of the [[United States Congress]].<ref name="whitehouse.gov bio"/> Clinton was the first president to enjoy this windfall since [[Jimmy Carter]] in the late 1970s.+ − However, during the campaign questions of [[conflict of interest]] regarding state business and the politically powerful [[Rose Law Firm]], at which Hillary Rodham Clinton was a partner, arose. Clinton maintained questions were moot because all transactions with the state were deducted prior to determining Hillary's firm pay.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ifill |first=Gwen |title=Hillary Clinton Defends Her Conduct in Law Firm |publisher=[[The New York Times]] |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE1D61039F934A25750C0A964958260 |date=1992-03-17 |accessdate=2008-03-28}}</ref><ref name=<ref name="My Life"/> Further concern arose when Bill Clinton announced that, with Hillary, voters would be getting two presidents "for the price of one".<ref>{{cite news|last=MacGillis|first=Alec |last2=Kornblut |first2=Anne E. |title=Hillary Clinton Embraces Her Husband's Legacy |publisher=[[The Washington Post]]|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122102588.html |pages=A1|date=2007-12-21 |accessdate=2008-03-28}}</ref>+ + − ==Presidency, 1993–2001==+ − {{main|Clinton Administration|Foreign policy of the Clinton Administration}} − {{Infobox U.S. Cabinet+ − |align = right − |Name = Clinton − |President = [[Bill Clinton]] − |President start = 1993 − |President end = 2001 − |Vice President = [[Al Gore]] − |Vice President start = 1993 − |Vice President end = 2001 − |State = [[Warren Christopher]] − |State start = 1993 − |State end = 1997 − |State 2 = [[Madeleine Albright]] − |State start 2 = 1997 − |State end 2 = 2001 − |Treasury = [[Lloyd Bentsen]] − |Treasury start = 1993 − |Treasury end = 1994 − |Treasury 2 = [[Robert Rubin]] − |Treasury start 2 = 1995 − |Treasury end 2 = 1999 − |Treasury 3 = [[Lawrence Summers]] − |Treasury start 3 = 1999 − |Treasury end 3 = 2001 − |Defense = [[Les Aspin]] − |Defense start = 1993 − |Defense end = 1994 − |Defense 2 = [[William Perry]] − |Defense start 2 = 1994 − |Defense end 2 = 1997 − |Defense 3 = [[William Cohen]] − |Defense start 3 = 1997 − |Defense end 3 = 2001 − |Justice = [[Janet Reno]] − |Justice start = 1993 − |Justice end = 2001 − |Interior = [[Bruce Babbitt]] − |Interior start = 1993 − |Interior end = 2001 − |Agriculture = [[Mike Espy]] − |Agriculture start = 1993 − |Agriculture end = 1994 − |Agriculture 2 = [[Daniel Glickman]] − |Agriculture start 2 = 1994 − |Agriculture end 2 = 2001 − |Commerce = [[Ron Brown (U.S. politician)|Ron Brown]] − |Commerce start = 1993 − |Commerce end = 1996 − |Commerce 2 = [[Mickey Kantor]] − |Commerce start 2 = 1996 − |Commerce end 2 = 1997 − |Commerce 3 = [[William M. Daley|William Daley]] − |Commerce start 3 = 1997 − |Commerce end 3 = 2000 − |Commerce 4 = [[Norman Mineta]] − |Commerce start 4 = 2000 − |Commerce end 4 = 2001 − |Labor = [[Robert Reich]] − |Labor start = 1993 − |Labor end = 1997 − |Labor 2 = [[Alexis Herman]] − |Labor start 2 = 1997 − |Labor end 2 = 2001 − |Health and Human Services = [[Donna Shalala]] − |Health and Human Services start = 1993 − |Health and Human Services end = 2001 − |Education = [[Richard Riley]] − |Education start = 1993 − |Education end = 2001 − |Housing and Urban Development = [[Henry Cisneros]] − |Housing and Urban Development start = 1993 − |Housing and Urban Development end = 1997 − |Housing and Urban Development 2 = [[Andrew Cuomo]] − |Housing and Urban Development start 2 = 1997 − |Housing and Urban Development end 2 = 2001 − |Transportation = [[Federico Peña]] − |Transportation start = 1993 − |Transportation end = 1997 − |Transportation 2 = [[Rodney E. Slater|Rodney Slater]] − |Transportation start 2 = 1997 − |Transportation end 2 = 2001 − |Energy = [[Hazel R. O'Leary|Hazel O'Leary]] − |Energy start = 1993 − |Energy end = 1997 − |Energy 2 = [[Federico Peña]] − |Energy start 2 = 1997 − |Energy end 2 = 1998 − |Energy 3 = [[Bill Richardson (politician)|Bill Richardson]] − |Energy start 3 = 1998 − |Energy end 3 = 2001 − |Veterans Affairs = [[Jesse Brown]] − |Veterans Affairs start = 1993 − |Veterans Affairs end = 1997 − |Veterans Affairs 2 = [[Togo D. West, Jr.|Togo West]] − |Veterans Affairs start 2 = 1998 − |Veterans Affairs end 2 = 2000 − |Chief of Staff = [[Mack McLarty]] − |Chief of Staff start = 1993 − |Chief of Staff end = 1994 − |Chief of Staff 2 = [[Leon Panetta]] − |Chief of Staff start 2 = 1994 − |Chief of Staff end 2 = 1997 − |Chief of Staff 3 = [[Erskine Bowles]] − |Chief of Staff start 3 = 1997 − |Chief of Staff end 3 = 1998 − |Chief of Staff 4 = [[John Podesta]] − |Chief of Staff start 4 = 1998 − |Chief of Staff end 4 = 2001 − |Environmental Protection = [[Carol Browner]] − |Environmental Protection start = 1993 − |Environmental Protection end = 2001 − |Management and Budget = [[Leon Panetta]] − |Management and Budget start = 1993 − |Management and Budget end = 1994 − |Management and Budget 2 = [[Alice Rivlin]] − |Management and Budget start 2 = 1994 − |Management and Budget end 2 = 1996 − |Management and Budget 3 = [[Franklin Raines]] − |Management and Budget start 3 = 1996 − |Management and Budget end 3 = 1998 − |Management and Budget 4 = [[Jacob Lew]] − |Management and Budget start 4 = 1998 − |Management and Budget end 4 = 2001 − |National Drug Control = [[Lee P. Brown|Lee Brown]] − |National Drug Control start = 1993 − |National Drug Control end = 1995 − |National Drug Control 2 = [[Barry McCaffrey]] − |National Drug Control start 2 = 1996 − |National Drug Control end 2 = 2001 − |Trade = [[Mickey Kantor]] − |Trade start = 1993 − |Trade end = 1997 − |Trade 2 = [[Charlene Barshefsky]] − |Trade start 2 = 1997 − |Trade end 2 = 2001 − }} − − ===First term, 1993–1997=== − Clinton was inaugurated as the 42nd [[President of the United States]] on January 20, 1993. In his inaugural address he declared: − − {{cquote|Our democracy must be not only the envy of the world but the engine of our own renewal. There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/presiden/inaug/clinton1.htm|title=Bill Clinton First Address, 1993}}</ref>}} − − ====Legislative agenda==== − Shortly after taking office, Clinton signed the [[Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993]], which required large employers to allow employees to take unpaid leave for pregnancy or a serious medical condition. While this action was popular, Clinton's attempt to fulfill another campaign promise of allowing openly [[homosexuality|homosexual men and women]] to serve in the armed forces garnered criticism from the left (for being too tentative in promoting [[LGBT rights in the United States|gay rights]]) and from the right (who opposed any effort to allow homosexuals to serve). After much debate, Congress implemented the "[[Don't Ask, Don't Tell]]" policy, stating as long as homosexuals keep their sexuality secret, they may serve in the military. Some gay rights advocates criticized Clinton for not going far enough and accused him of making his campaign promise to get votes and contributions.<ref>[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_n11_v28/ai_18855826 Stranger Among Friends. - book reviews] - John Cloud, ''[[Washington Monthly]]'', November 1996</ref><ref>[http://www.gaymilitary.ucsb.edu/PressClips/03_0110_WashingtonBladeEd.htm Washington Blade Editorial: Bush Has Mandate to Let Gays Serve] - Kevin Naff, Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military, [[2003-01-10]]</ref> These advocates feel Clinton should have integrated the military by executive order, noting President [[Harry Truman]] used executive order to racially desegregate the armed forces. Clinton's defenders argue an executive order might have prompted the Democratic Senate to write the exclusion of homosexuals into law, potentially making it harder to integrate the military in the future.<ref name="The Natural" /> Later in his presidency, in 1999, Clinton said he did not think any serious person could say the way the policy was being implemented was not "out of whack."<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/1999/ALLPOLITICS/stories/12/11/clinton.gays.military/index.html President seeks better implementation of 'do not ask, do not tell'] - [[CNN]], [[1999-12-11]] </ref> − − The Clinton administration launched the first official [[White House]] website on October 21, 1994.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |url=http://clinton1.nara.gov/White_House/html/White_House_Home.html |title=Welcome to the White House|work= |publisher= | date|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |url=http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa012201b.htm |title=The Clinton White House Web Site|work= |publisher= | date|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref> It was followed by three more versions, resulting in the final edition launched in 2000.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |url=http://clinton5.nara.gov/index.html|title=Welcome to the White House|work= |publisher= | date|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |url=http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa012201b.htm|title=The Clinton White House Web Site: Part 2: Preserving the Clinton White House Web Site|work= |publisher= | date|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref> The White House website was part of a wider movement of the Clinton administration toward web-based communication. According to Robert Longley, "Clinton and Gore were responsible for pressing almost all federal agencies, the U.S. court system and the U.S. military onto the Internet, thus opening up America's government to more of America's citizens than ever before. On July 17, 1996, President Clinton issued Executive Order 13011 – Federal Information Technology, ordering the heads of all federal agencies to fully utilize information technology to make the information of the agency easily accessible to the public."<ref>{{cite web |first=Robert |last=Longley |url=http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa012201a.htm|title=The Clinton White House Web Site: Part 1: Perhaps the most important Web site in American history|work= |publisher=About.com |accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref> − − [[Image:ClintonAdmin.jpg|left|350px|thumb|President Clinton's Cabinet, 1993. The President is seated front right, with Vice President [[Al Gore]] seated front left.]] − − Also in 1993, Clinton controversially supported ratification of the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] by the U.S. Senate. Clinton, along with most of his Democratic Leadership Committee allies, strongly supported free trade measures; there remained, however, strong intra-party disagreement. Opposition chiefly came from anti-trade Republicans, protectionist Democrats and supporters of [[Ross Perot]]. The bill passed the house with 234 votes against 200 opposed (132 Republicans and 102 Democrats voting in favor, 156 Democrats, 43 Republicans, and 1 independent against). The treaty was then ratified by the Senate and signed into law by the President on January 1, 1994.<ref>Livingston, C. Don, Kenneth A. Wink; "The Passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement in the U.S. House of Representatives: Presidential Leadership or Presidential Luck?" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 27, 1997</ref> − − Clinton signed the [[Brady Bill]], which imposed a five-day waiting period on handgun purchases. He also expanded the [[Earned Income Tax Credit]], a subsidy for low income workers.<ref name="The Survivor" /> − − One of the most prominent items on Clinton's legislative agenda was the result of a taskforce headed by [[Hillary Clinton]], which was [[Clinton health care plan|a health care reform plan]] aimed at achieving universal coverage via a national healthcare plan. Though initially well-received in political circles, it was ultimately doomed by well-organized opposition from conservatives, the [[American Medical Association]], and the health insurance industry. However, [[John F. Harris]], a biographer of Clinton's, states the program failed because of a lack of co-ordination within the [[White House]].<ref name="The Survivor" /> Despite his party holding a majority in Congress, the effort to create a national healthcare system ultimately died under heavy public pressure. It was the first major legislative defeat of Clinton's administration.<ref name="The Natural" /><ref name="The Survivor" /> − − Two months later, after two years of Democratic Party control, the Democrats lost control of Congress in the [[U.S. House election, 1994|mid-term elections in 1994]], for the first time in forty years. − − Clinton signed the [[Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993]] in August 1993, which passed Congress without a Republican vote. It cut taxes for fifteen million low-income families, made tax cuts available to 90% of small businesses,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clintonfoundation.org/legacy/080393-presidential-press-conference-in-nevada.htm|title=Presidential Press Conference - 08/03/1993}}</ref> and raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.2% of taxpayers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org/legacy/012594-speech-by-president-sotu-address.htm|title=1994 State of the Union Address}}</ref> Additionally, through the implementation of spending restraints, it mandated the budget be balanced over a number of years. − − In 1997 Senators [[Ted Kennedy]], a Democrat, and [[Orrin Hatch]], a Republican, teamed up with Hillary Rodham Clinton and her staff and succeeded in passing legislation forming the [[Children's Health Insurance Program]], the largest (successful) health care reform in the years of the Clinton Presidency. That same year Hillary Clinton shepherded the [[Adoption and Safe Families Act]] through Congress and two years later Rodham Clinton succeeded in helping pass the [[Foster Care Independence Act]]. Bill Clinton supported both bills as well, and signed both of them into law. − − ====Travelgate controversy==== − {{main|White House travel office controversy|White House FBI files controversy}} − − When several longtime employees of the White House Travel Office were fired, the White House travel office controversy began on May 19, 1993. A [[whistleblower]]'s letter, written during the previous administration, triggered an FBI investigation, which revealed evidence of financial malfeasance. Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr investigated the firings and found no evidence of wrongdoing on the Clintons' part.<ref>Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, [[1998-11-23]]</ref> − − The White House FBI files controversy of June 1996 arose around improper access to [[FBI]] security-clearance documents. Craig Livingstone, head of the White House Office of Personnel Security, improperly requested, and received from the FBI, background report files without asking permission of the subject individuals; many of these were employees of former Republican administrations. In March 2000, Independent Counsel Robert Ray determined that there was no credible evidence of any criminal activity. Ray's report further stated "there was no substantial and credible evidence that any senior White House official was involved" in seeking the files.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/07/28/clinton.filegate/|title=No substantial and credible evidence, CNN}}</ref> − − ====Death penalty==== − {{see|Capital punishment in Arkansas|Capital punishment by the United States federal government}} − − The application of the federal death penalty was expanded to include crimes not resulting in death, such as running a large-scale drug enterprise, by Clinton’s 1994 Omnibus Crime Bill. During Clinton's re-election campaign he said, "''My 1994 crime bill expanded the death penalty for drug kingpins, murderers of federal law enforcement officers, and nearly 60 additional categories of violent felons.''"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clintonfoundation.org/102496-speech-by-president-to-the-people-of-new-orlean-la.htm|title=William J Clinton Foundation Speech by President to the People of New Orleans, LA, 1996}}</ref> − − While campaigning for U.S. President, then-Governor Clinton returned to Arkansas to see that [[Ricky Ray Rector]] would be executed. After killing a police officer and a civilian, Rector shot himself in the head, leading to what his lawyers said was a state where he could still talk but didn't understand the concept of death. According to Arkansas state and Federal law, a seriously mentally impaired inmate cannot be executed. The courts disagreed with the claim of grave mental impairment and allowed the execution. Clinton's return to Arkansas for the execution was framed in a [[New York Times]] article as a possible political move to counter "soft on crime" accusations.<ref>{{cite news|last=Applebome|first=Peter|title=Arkansas Execution Raises Questions on Governor's Politics|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEED91F3EF936A15752C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all|work=The New York Times|date=1992-01-25|accessdate=2008-03-28}}</ref><ref name = "mbsrgd">[[George Stephanopoulos]], ''All Too Human: A Political Education'', 1999</ref> − − According to some sources Clinton was a death penalty opponent in his early years who switched positions.<ref name = "mbsrgd"/> During Clinton's term, Arkansas performed its first executions since 1964 (the death penalty was re-enacted on March 23, 1973<ref>[http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/state/ Death Penalty Information Center]</ref>). As Governor, he oversaw four executions: one by [[electric chair]] and three by [[lethal injection]]. However, Clinton was the first President to pardon a death row inmate since the federal death penalty was reintroduced in 1988.<ref>[http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=126&scid=13 Clemency<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Federal executions were resumed under his successor [[George W. Bush]]. − − ===Second term, 1997–2001=== − [[Image:Clinton Karlspreis.jpg|thumb|Clinton receiving the 2000 [[Charlemagne Prize]] for his work toward [[European integration]].]] − − In the [[United States presidential election, 1996|1996 presidential election]], Clinton was re-elected, receiving 49.2% of the popular vote over Republican [[Bob Dole]] (40.7% of the popular vote) and [[Reform Party USA|Reform]] candidate [[Ross Perot]] (8.4% of the popular vote), becoming the first Democrat to win presidential reelection since Franklin Roosevelt. The Republicans lost a few seats in the House and gained a few in the Senate, but overall retained control of the Congress. Clinton received 379, or over 70% of the [[United States Electoral College|Electoral College]] votes, with Dole receiving 159 electoral votes. − − ====Lewinsky scandal==== − {{Main|Lewinsky scandal}} − The media and prominent Republicans<ref>{{cite news |title=Time Line |work=Washington Post Special Report: Clinton Accused |date=September 13, 1998 |page=A32 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/timeline.htm | |publisher=The Washington Post | accesseddate =2007-01-20 }}</ref> raised controversy over Clinton's relationship with a 22-year-old White House intern named [[Monica Lewinsky]], resulting in the [[Lewinsky scandal]], on January 21, 1998.<ref name="The Survivor" /> In a [[lame duck (politics)|lame duck]] session after the 1998 elections, for the belief Clinton lied about his relationship with Lewinsky in a sworn [[deposition]] in the [[Paula Jones]] lawsuit, the Republican-controlled House [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|voted to impeach Clinton]] in 1998, making him the second U.S. president to be impeached after [[Andrew Johnson]]. − − =====Impeachment and trial in the Senate===== − {{main|Impeachment of Bill Clinton}} − The House held no serious impeachment hearings before the [[U.S. midterm election|mid-term elections]]. Though the mid-term elections held in November 1998 were at the 6-year point in an 8-year presidency (a time in the electoral cycle where the party holding the White House usually loses Congressional seats) the Democratic Party gained several seats.<ref name="The Survivor">''The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House,'' John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref> To hold impeachment proceedings, the Republican leadership called a [[lame duck (politics)|lame duck]] session in December 1998. − − [[Image:Senate in session.jpg|thumb|left|The impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton in 1999, [[William H. Rehnquist|Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist]] presiding.]] − − While the [[House Judiciary Committee]] hearings were perfunctory and ended in a straight party line vote, there was lively debate on the House floor. The two charges passed in the House (largely on the basis of Republican support but with a handful of Democratic votes as well) were for [[perjury]] and [[obstruction of justice]]. The perjury charge arose from Clinton's testimony about his relationship to [[Monica Lewinsky]] during a sexual harassment lawsuit (later dismissed, appealed and settled for $850,000)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/pjones/pjones.htm|title=Case Closed, Washington Post}}</ref> brought by former Arkansas state employee [[Paula Jones]]. The obstruction charge was based on his actions during the subsequent investigation of that testimony. The Senate later voted to acquit Clinton on both charges.<ref>"CNN-Clinton_aquiter"</ref> The Senate refused to convene to hold an impeachment trial before the end of the old term, so the trial was held over until the next Congress. Clinton was represented by Washington law firm [[Williams & Connolly]]. − − The Senate concluded a twenty-one day trial on February 12, 1999, with the vote on both counts falling short of the Constitutional two-thirds majority requirement to convict and remove an office holder. The final vote was generally along party lines, with no Democrats voting guilty. Some Republicans voted not guilty for both charges. On the perjury charge, fifty five senators voted to acquit, including ten Republicans, and forty five voted to convict; on the obstruction charge the Senate voted 50–50.<ref>{{cite news |title=Clinton acquitted; president apologizes again |publisher=CNN |date=February 12, 1999 |url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/02/12/impeachment/ |accessdate=2006-12-21 }}</ref> − − ====Digital Millennium Copyright Act==== − Clinton enacted the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]] on October 21, 1998. It served as the first significant amendment to the [[United States Copyright Act|Copyright Act]] since 1976. The DMCA extended the protection of [[intellectual property]] to outlaw [[reverse engineering]] of digital protection. It provided a framework for [[record label|sound recording copyright owners]] and recording artists to seek public performance royalties under statute, which proved to be a landmark achievement for the recording industry.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Senate Ratifies Historic Treaties Securing Copyright Online |date=October 21, 1998 |url=http://www.riaa.com/news/newsletter/press1998/102198.asp |publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |accessdate=2007-02-12 }}</ref> − − ====Military and foreign events==== − Three notable military events occurred during Clinton's second term. In Clinton's [[State of the Union Address]], Clinton warned Congress of Iraqi dictator [[Saddam Hussein|Saddam Hussein's]] pursuit of nuclear weapons: − − {{cquote|Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world," and when I say to him, "You have used weapons of mass destruction before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Senate Ratifies Historic Treaties Securing Copyright Online |date=January 27, 1998 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/states/docs/sou98.htm|publisher=The Washington Post|accessdate=2007-07-15 }}</ref></blockquote>}} − To weaken Saddam Hussein's grip of power, Clinton signed H.R. 4655 into law on October 31, 1998, which instituted a policy of "regime change" against Iraq, though it explicitly stated it did not speak to the use of American military forces.<ref>[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.4655.ENR: Iraq Liberation Act of 1998], H.R.4655, One Hundred Fifth Congress of United States of America at Second Session; Library of Congress</ref><ref>[http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/libera.htm The Iraq Liberation Act, Statement by the President], Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release, October 31, 1998</ref> The administration then launched a four-day bombing campaign named [[Operation Desert Fox]], lasting from December 16 to December 19, 1998.+ − The [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]] also occurred in [[Somalia]] in 1993. During the operation, two U.S. [[MH-60 Black Hawk]] helicopters were shot down by [[rocket-propelled grenade]] attacks to their [[tail rotor]]s, trapping soldiers behind enemy lines. This resulted in an urban battle that killed 18 American soldiers, wounded 73 others, and one was taken prisoner. There were many more Somali casualties. Some of the American bodies were dragged through the streets and broadcasted on television news programs. In response, U.S. forces were withdrawn from Somalia and later conflicts were approached with fewer soldiers on the ground.+ + − [[Image:Clinton.jpg|thumb|right|Clinton's official White House portrait]]+ − To stop the [[ethnic cleansing]] and [[genocide]]<ref>Cohen, William (April 7, 1999). "[http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=582 Secretary Cohen's Press Conference at NATO Headquarters]".</ref><ref>Clinton, Bill (June 25, 1999). "[http://clinton6.nara.gov/1999/06/1999-06-25-press-conference-by-the-president.html Press Conference by the President]".</ref> of [[Albanians]] by nationalist [[Serbs|Serbians]] in the former [[Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]]'s province of [[Kosovo]], Clinton authorized the use of American troops in a [[NATO]] bombing campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999, named [[Operation Allied Force]]. [[General Wesley Clark]] was [[Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe#Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR)|Supreme Allied Commander of NATO]] and oversaw the mission. With [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244]], the bombing campaign ended on June 10, 1999. The resolution placed Kosovo under [[UN]] administration and authorized a [[Kosovo Force|peacekeeping force]].<ref>[http://www.unmikonline.org/press/reports/N9917289.pdf Resolution 1244] adopted by the United Nations Security Council on June 10, 1999.</ref> NATO claimed to have suffered zero combat deaths,<ref name="roblect">[http://www.princeton.edu/~lisd/events/talks/Roberts_Lecture.pdf The Impact of the Laws of War in Contemporary Conflicts] (PDF) by Adam Roberts on April 10, 2003 at a seminar at Princeton University titled "The Emerging International System{{ndash}} Actors, Interactions, Perceptions, Security". Retrieved January 25, 2007.</ref> and two deaths from an [[AH-64 Apache|Apache helicopter]] crash.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/335709.stm Two die in Apache crash] by BBC News on May 5, 1999. Retrieved January 25, 2007.</ref> Opinions in the popular press criticized pre-war genocide claims by the Clinton administration as greatly exaggerated.<ref>Pilger, John (September 4, 2000). "[http://www.newstatesman.com/200009040011 US and British officials told us that at least 100,000 were murdered in Kosovo. A year later, fewer than 3,000 bodies have been found]". ''New Statesman''.</ref><ref>Pearl, Daniel and Block, Robert (December 31, 1999). "War in Kosovo Was Cruel, Bitter, Savage; Genocide It Wasn’t". ''The Wall Street Journal'', p. A1.</ref> A U.N. Court ruled genocide did not take place, but recognized, "a systematic campaign of terror, including murders, rapes, arsons and severe maltreatments".<ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1530781.stm Kosovo assault 'was not genocide']". (September 7, 2001). BBC.</ref> The term "ethnic cleansing" was used as an alternative to "genocide" to denote not just ethnically motivated murder but also displacement, though critics charge there is no difference.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9390062/ethnic-cleansing Encylopaedia Britannica - Ethnic Cleansing].</ref> [[Slobodan Milošević]], the President of Yugoslavia at the time, was eventually charged with the "murders of about 600 individually identified ethnic Albanians" and "crimes against humanity."<ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1402790.stm#kosovo The charges against Milosevic]." (July 5, 2004). BBC.</ref> − After initial successes such as the [[Oslo accords]] of the early 1990s, Clinton attempted to address the [[Arab-Israeli conflict]]. Clinton brought Israeli Prime Minister [[Ehud Barak]] and Palestinian Authority Chairman [[Yasser Arafat]] together at [[Camp David]].<ref name="The Survivor" /> However, the [[Camp David 2000 Summit|negotiations]] were ultimately unsuccessful.<ref name="The Survivor" /> The situation broke down completely with the start of the [[Second Intifada]].+ − Clinton became the first president to visit [[Vietnam]] since the end of the [[Vietnam War]]+ − in November 2000.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1025169.stm Clinton's Vietnam Visit, [[BBC]] News 2000]</ref> Clinton remained popular with the public throughout his two terms as President, ending his presidential career with a 65% approval rating, the highest end-of-term approval rating of any President since [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Gary |last=Langer |title=Historical Presidential Approval Ratings |date=January 17, 2001 |url=http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/poll_clintonlegacy010117.html |publisher=abcnews.go.com |accessdate=2007-01-20 }}</ref> Clinton also oversaw a boom of the U.S. economy. Under Clinton, the United States had a projected federal budget surplus for the first time since 1969.<ref>{{cite web |title=Historical Budget Data |url=http://www.cbo.gov/budget/historical.pdf |format=PDF |publisher=Congressional Budget Office |date=January 26, 2006 |accessdate=2007-01-20 }}</ref> − ====Whitewater controversy====+ − {{main|Whitewater (controversy)}} − The Whitewater controversy was an [[United States|American]] political controversy that began with the [[real estate]] dealings of Bill and [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Hillary Clinton]] and their associates, [[Jim McDougal|Jim]] and [[Susan McDougal]] in the [[Whitewater Development Corporation]], a failed business venture in the 1970s and 1980s. − [[David Hale (Whitewater)|David Hale]], the source of criminal allegations against President Bill Clinton in the Whitewater affair, claimed in November 1993 that Bill Clinton, while governor of Arkansas, pressured him to provide an illegal $300,000 loan to Susan McDougal, the partner of the Clintons in the Whitewater land deal.<ref name="salon031798">[[Jonathan Broder]] and [[Murray Waas]], [http://www.salon.com/news/1998/03/cov_17news.html "The road to Hale"], [[Salon.com]], March 17, 1998. Accessed August 25, 2007.</ref>+ − A [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] investigation did result in convictions against the McDougals for their role in the Whitewater project, but the Clintons themselves were never charged, and Clinton maintains innocence in the affair.+ − ====Law license suspension====+ − In a separate case, Clinton was ordered to pay $25,000 in fines to Arkansas state's bar officials and his Arkansas law license was suspended for five years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Clinton to contest Supreme Court suspension |publisher=CNN |date=October 2, 2001 |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/LAW/10/01/scotus.clinton/ |accessdate=2006-12-21 }}</ref> The agreement came on the condition that Whitewater prosecutors would not pursue federal [[perjury]] charges against him.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bill Clinton Disbarment to End |publisher=AP/11alive.com |date=January 18, 2006 |url=http://www.11alive.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=74815 |accessdate=2006-12-21 }}</ref> Clinton was suspended by the Supreme Court in October 2001, and, facing disbarment from that court, Clinton resigned from the Supreme Court bar in November.<ref>{{cite news |title=Clinton asks to quit Supreme Court Bar |publisher=CNN.com |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/11/09/clinton.bar/ |date=November 9, 2001 |accessdate=2007-09-20 }}</ref> − + − {{main|Troopergate (Bill Clinton)}} − Troopergate is the popular name of an alleged [[scandal]] involving allegations by two [[Arkansas]] state troopers that they arranged sexual liaisons for then-[[governor]] Bill Clinton. The allegations by state troopers [[Larry Patterson]] and Roger Perry were first reported by [[David Brock]] in the [[American Spectator]] in 1993. The story mentioned a woman named ''Paula'', a reference to [[Paula Jones]]. The troopers were discovered to have been paid for their stories and Brock later admitted journalistic dishonesty and apologized. − ====Pardons and campaign finance====+ − {{main|Bill Clinton pardons controversy|1996 United States campaign finance controversy}} − − The 1996 United States campaign finance controversy was an alleged effort by the [[People's Republic of China]] (PRC) to influence the domestic policies of the United States, prior to and during the Clinton administration and also involved the fundraising practices of the administration itself.<ref name=embassy>Woodward, Bob and Duffy, Brian, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/china1.htm "Chinese Embassy Role In Contributions Probed"], ''Washington Post'', February 13, 1997+ − ===Legislation and programs===+ − {{col-begin}}+ − {{col-2}} − − '''Major legislation signed''' − *[[1993-02-05]] - [[Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993]] − *[[1993-08-10]] - [[Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993]] - Raised income tax rates; [[income tax]], top rate: 39.6%; [[corporate tax]]: 35% − *[[1993-09-21]] - creation of the [[AmeriCorps]] volunteer program − *[[1993-11-30]] - [[Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act|Brady Bill]] − *[[1994-09-13]] - [[Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act]], part of an omnibus crime bill, the federal [[capital punishment|death penalty]] was expanded to some 60 different [[offense]]s (see [[Federal assault weapons ban]]) − *[[1996-02-01]] - [[Communications Decency Act]] − *[[1996-02-08]] - [[Telecom Reform Act]]: eliminated major ownership restrictions for radio and television groups. − *[[1996-02-26]] - [[Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act]], a [[welfare reform]] bill − *[[1996-03-14]] - authorized $100 million [[counter-terrorism]] agreement with [[Israel]] to track down and root out [[terrorism|terrorists]]. − *[[1996-04-09]] - [[Line Item Veto Act of 1996|Line Item Veto Act]]<ref>This law was declared to be unconstitutional in [[Clinton v. City of New York]].</ref> − *[[1996-04-24]] - [[Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act]] − *[[1996-08-20]] - [[Minimum wage]] Increase Act − *[[1996-09-21]] - [[Defense of Marriage Act]], allowed states to refuse recognition of certain [[same-sex marriage]]s, and defined marriage as between a male and female for purposes of federal law. − *[[1997-08-05]] - [[Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997]] − *[[1998-10-28]] - [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]] − *[[1998-10-31]] - [[Iraq Liberation Act]] − {{col-2}} − − '''Major legislation vetoed''' − *[[United States budget process|national budget]] − *H.R. 1833, [[partial birth abortion]] ban − *Twice vetoed [[welfare reform]] before signing − *the [[Private Securities Litigation Reform Act]]. Congress [[List of United States presidential vetoes#Bill Clinton|overrode]] the veto, however, to enact the bill into law. − − '''Proposals not passed by Congress''' − *[[Clinton health care plan|Health care reform]] − *[[Campaign finance reform]] (1993) − − '''Initiatives''' − *Tried to get [[Ehud Barak]] of [[Israel]] and [[Yasser Arafat]] of the [[Palestinian National Authority]], to agree to a final [[Oslo Accords|settlement agreement]]. − *Initiated the [[Don't ask, don't tell]] policy toward [[Gay (term)|gays]] in the military, 1993. − *Reversed a ban on senior [[Sinn Féin]] politicians entering the U.S. − *Proposed a national challenge to end the racial divide in America, the [[One America Initiative]]. − {{col-end}} − − ===Supreme Court appointments=== − Clinton appointed the following justices to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]]: − *[[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]] - 1993{{Fact|date=October 2008}} − *[[Stephen Breyer]] - 1994<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law.onecle.com/ussc/justices/512usxi-appointment-of-justice-breyer.html|title=Appointment and swearing in of Justice Breyer, 1994}}</ref> − − ==Public approval== − [[Image:Clinton approval rating.png|thumb|300px|Clinton's [[approval rating]]s throughout his presidential career]] − − Clinton's job [[approval rating]] ranged from 36% in mid-1993 to 64% in late 1993 and early 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/cgi-bin/hsrun.exe/Roperweb/PresJob/PresJob.htx;start=HS_fullresults?pr=Clinton|title=Job Performance Ratings for President Clinton|accessdate=2006-02-25}}</ref> In his second term, his rating was consistently ranged from the high-50s to the high-60s.<ref>[http://www.pollingreport.com/clinton-.htm Bill Clinton: Job Ratings] - PollingReport.com</ref> After his impeachment proceedings in 1998 and 1999, Clinton's rating reached its highest point at 73% approval.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/20/impeachment.poll/ Poll: Clinton's approval rating up in wake of impeachment] - [[CNN]], [[1998-12-20]]</ref> He finished with an approval rating of 68%, which was higher than that of any other departing president since polling began more than seventy years earlier. − − As he was leaving office, a CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup poll revealed only 45% said they'd miss him. While 55% thought he "would have something worthwhile to contribute and should remain active in public life", 68% thought he'd be remembered for his "involvement in personal scandal", and 58% answered "No" to the question "Do you generally think Bill Clinton is honest and trustworthy?". 47% of the respondents identified themselves as being Clinton supporters. 47% said he would be remembered as either "outstanding" or "above average" as a president while 22% said he would be remembered as "below average" or "poor".<ref name = "CNN-Clinton-gone">[http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/stories/01/10/cnn.poll.clinton/ Poll: Majority of Americans glad Clinton is leaving office] - Keating Holland, [[CNN]], [[2001-01-10]]</ref> − − The [[Gallup Organization]] published a poll in February 2007 asking respondents to name the greatest president in U.S. history; Clinton came in fourth place, capturing 13% of the vote. In a 2006 [[Quinnipiac University]] poll asking respondents to name the best president since [[World War II]], Clinton ranked 3% behind [[Ronald Reagan]] to place second with 25% of the vote. However, in the same poll, when respondents were asked to name the worst president since World War II, Clinton placed 1% behind Nixon and 18% behind George W. Bush to come in third with 16% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pollingreport.com/wh-hstry.htm |title=Presidents and History |publisher=pollingreport.com |accessdate=2007-06-25 }}</ref> − − In May 2006, a CNN poll comparing Clinton's job performance with that of his successor, George W. Bush, found that a strong majority of respondents said Clinton outperformed Bush in six different areas questioned.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/12/bush.clinton.poll/index.html Poll: Clinton outperformed Bush] - CNN.com</ref> [[ABC News]] characterized public consensus on Clinton as, "You can't trust him, he's got weak morals and ethics{{ndash}} and he's done a heck of a good job."<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/poll_clintonlegacy010117.html Poll: Clinton Legacy Mixed], ABCNews.com, January 17, 2001.</ref> Clinton's 65% Gallup Poll approval rating was also the highest Gallup approval rating of any President leaving office.<ref name="C)(0">[http://uspolitics.about.com/od/polls/l/bl_historical_approval.htm Historical Presidential Approval Ratings - End Of Term Plus Current Ratings<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> − − ==Public image== − [[Image:ClintonChild.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Clinton reading with a child in [[Chicago]], September, 1998.]] − − As the first [[Baby Boomer]] president, Clinton was the first president in a half-century not to have been shaped by [[World War II]]. Authors Martin Walker and Bob Woodward state Clinton's innovative use of [[soundbite]]-ready dialogue, personal charisma, and public perception-oriented campaigning was major for his high public [[approval rating]]s.<ref>Martin Walker, Clinton: the President they deserve, Fourth Estate 1999</ref><ref>Bob Woodward, The choice: how Clinton won, Touchstone 1996, ISBN 0-684-81308-4</ref> When Clinton played the saxophone on ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]'', Clinton was sometimes described by religious conservatives as "the [[MTV]] president."<ref>{{cite news |last=Bresler |first=Robert J. |title=The Muddled Meaning of the 2000 Election |publisher=USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) − |month=January |year=2001 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_2668_129/ai_69698398 |accessdate=2007-01-02 }}</ref> − − Clinton was very popular among [[African American]]s and made improving race relations a major theme of his presidency.<ref>[http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=122950 A Conversation With President Bill Clinton on Race in America Today] - interview with Clinton, [[Center for American Progress]], July 16, 2004.</ref> In 1998, [[Nobel Prize]]-winning author [[Toni Morrison]] called Clinton "the first Black president," saying, "Clinton displays almost every trope of [[blackness]]: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, [[McDonald's]]-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas," and comparing Clinton's sex life, scrutinized despite his career accomplishments, to the stereotyping and [[double standards]] that blacks typically endure.<ref>{{cite web|last=Morrison |first=Toni |authorlink=Toni Morrison|coauthors= |title=Clinton as the first black president |work= |publisher=The New Yorker|month=October |year=1998|url=http://ontology.buffalo.edu./smith/clinton/morrison.html|format= |doi= |accessdate=2006-12-01 }}</ref> In 2008, after having endorsed the candidacy of [[Barack Obama]], Morrison distanced herself from her 1998 remark about Clinton, saying that it was misunderstood. She noted that she has "no idea what his real instincts are, in terms of race" and claimed she was only describing the way he was being treated during the impeachment trial as an equivalent to a poor black person living in the ghetto.<ref>Sachs, Andrea. [http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1738303,00.html "10 questions for Tony Morrison"], ''Time'', May 7, 2008. Accessed May 8, 2008.</ref> − − Standing over 6'2" tall (1.88 m), Clinton was one of the tallest U.S. Presidents in the nation's history.<ref>{{citation |last=Baker |first=Peter |title=Head and Shoulders Above the Rest |url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/10/11/head_and_shoulders_above.html |accessdate=2007-10-12}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Carnahan |first=Ira |title=Presidential Timber Tends To Be Tall |url=http://www.forbes.com/compensation/2004/05/19/cz_ic_0519beltway.html |accessdate=2007-10-12}}</ref> − − ===Sexual misconduct allegations=== − Throughout his career, Clinton has been subject to various allegations of sexual misconduct, though only his extramarital sexual relationships with Lewinsky and Flowers have been admitted by him.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E4D91739F937A25750C0A96E958260| title=TESTING OF A PRESIDENT: THE ACCUSER; JONES LAWYERS ISSUE FILES ALLEGING CLINTON PATTERN OF HARASSMENT OF WOMEN| publisher=[[The New York Times]]| date=1998-03-14| quote=The Presidential deposition released today confirmed several revelations reported earlier, including Mr. Clinton's confirmation... that he had had sex with Gennifer Flowers, a one-time Arkansas worker. | accessdate=2008-03-20}}</ref> − − For alleged misconduct during his governorship [[Paula Jones]] brought a sexual harassment lawsuit against Clinton while he was president. However, Jones did not have any clear evidence to support her allegations.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988011,00.html Sex And The Law - TIME<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> On April 2, 1998, Jones' lawsuit was dismissed.<ref name="JO#$">[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/02/clinton.jones.reax/ Clinton Welcomes Jones Decision; Appeal Likely - April 2, 1998<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> After which, Jones tried to file for an appeal.<ref name="JO#$" /> In May of 1998, Jones refiled her lawsuit with the US Court of Appeals and alleged Clinton both sexual harassed her and defamed her character.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/pjones/docs/reqad1.htm washingtonpost.com: Jones v. Clinton Resources and Links<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> During the depositions for this lawsuit, Clinton [[I did not have sexual relations with that woman|denied having sexual relations]] with [[Monica Lewinsky]]{{ndash}} a denial that became the basis for the impeachment charge of perjury. On November 18, 1998, Clinton agreed to an out-of-court settlement, and agreed to pay Jones and her attorneys a sum of $850,000.00.<ref name="CO{}{">[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/18/jones/ Appeals court ponders Paula Jones settlement - November 18, 1998<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Clinton, however, still offered no apology to Jones and still denied ever engaging in a sexual affair with her.<ref name="CO{}{" /> − − In 1998, [[Kathleen Willey]] alleged Clinton sexually assaulted her four years previously. In 1998, [[Juanita Broaddrick]] alleged she was raped by Clinton some twenty years previously. The claims by Willey and Broaddrick were never brought before a court. The independent counsel determined Willey gave "false information" to the FBI and inconsistent sworn testimony related to the Jones allegation. Broaddrick's only sworn testimony about Clinton was a previous denial of any harassment by Clinton.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/broaddrick022599.htm|title=Clinton Accuser's Story Aired, Washington Post, 1999}}</ref> [[Gennifer Flowers]], [[Elizabeth Ward Gracen]], [[Sally Perdue]] and Dolly Kyle Browning – claimed to have had [[Adultery|adulterous]] sexual relations with Clinton during or before his service as governor. Gracen later apologized to Hillary Clinton for having sex with Bill.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/25/clinton.gracen/ Former Miss America Apologizes To First Lady - April 25, 1998<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> − − Dolly Kyle Browning alleged that she and Clinton engaged in a long sexual affair between the years of 1959 and 1992.{{Fact|date=September 2008}} In 1998, like Paula Jones had previously done, Browning sued Clinton for sexual harassment, but her lawsuit was eventually dismissed.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/03/16/jones.clinton.docs/dolly.browning.declaration/ Legal Documents:The Dolly Kyle Browning Declaration - March 16, 1998<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> In April 2002, Browning tried to file for an appeal,<ref name="Brow237">[http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/federal/judicial/dc/opinions/01opinions/01-5050a.html Dolly Kyle Browning v. William J. Clinton<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> but the US Court of Appeals would deny her appeal.<ref name="Brow237" /> − − ==Security incidents== − [[Frank Eugene Corder]] crashed a stolen [[Cessna 150]] onto the South Lawn of the [[White House]] early on [[September 12]], [[1994]], apparently trying to hit the building; he was the sole casualty. − − [[Francisco Martin Duran]] on [[October 29]], [[1994]] fired 29 rounds from an [[assault rifle]] at the White House. He was later convicted of attempting to assassinate a [[United States]] [[President of the United States|President]] and sentenced to 40 years in prison. − − ==Post-presidential career== − ===Public speaking and campaigning=== − [[Image:ClintonSenate.jpg|thumb|upright|Hillary Clinton re-enacts being sworn in as a U.S. Senator by Vice President Gore as Bill and [[Chelsea Clinton]] observe.]] − − Clinton comments on contemporary politics in speaking engagements around the world.<ref>Press release: [http://www.witsa.org/press/clinton.htm President Bill Clinton to be keynote speaker at World Congress on IT 2002], ''World Information Technology and Services Alliance'', Adelaide, South Australia</ref><ref> − Katherine Hamilton. "[http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2006/04/18/news/15263.shtml Bill Clinton to speak at Class Day]", ''[[The Daily Princetonian]]'', 2006-04-18</ref> One notable theme is his advocacy of multilateral solutions to world problems. Clinton's opened his personal office in the [[Harlem]] section of [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/ny15_rangel/opedclintonharlem.html |title=Clinton Is Welcome in Harlem |publisher=Congressman [[Charles Rangel]], Washington D.C. Office|date=2001-02-14 |accessdate=2007-03-25}}</ref> − − After the Clintons moved to [[Chappaqua, New York]], in the northern suburbs of New York City, at the end of his Presidency, he assisted his wife, [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Hillary Clinton]], in her campaign for office as [[United States Senate|Senator]] from [[New York]].<ref name = "historic win">{{cite news |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/11/07/senate.ny/ |title=Hillary Rodham Clinton scores historic win in New York |publisher=CNN |date=2000-11-08 |accessdate=2006-08-22 }}</ref> Clinton campaigned for a number of Democratic candidates for the Senate in the 2002 elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/11/02/elec02.campaign.countdown/index.html|title=Clinton Campaign Blitz, CNN, 2002}}</ref> − − Clinton spoke for the fifth consecutive time at the [[2004 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] on July 26, 2004, praising candidate [[John Kerry]]. He said of President George W. Bush's depiction of Kerry, "strength and wisdom are not opposing values." Despite Clinton's speech, the post-convention bounce to Kerry's poll numbers was less than was hoped for.<ref>{{cite news |last=Page |first=Susan |title=Poll: No boost for Kerry after convention |publisher=USA TODAY |date=August 1, 2004 |url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-08-01-poll-kerry_x.htm |accessdate=2007-02-01 }}</ref> − − Mostly to corporations and philanthropic groups in [[North America]] and [[Europe]], Clinton has given dozens of paid speeches each year, earning $100,000 to $300,000 per speech.<ref>Josh Gerstein, ''Clinton Eligible, Once Again, To Practice Law'', New York Sun, January 17, 2006, downloaded from [http://www.nysun.com/article/25965?page_no=2 N.Y. Sun article].</ref> According to his wife’s Senate ethics reports, he earned more than $30 million in speaking from 2001 to 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/us/politics/10clinton.html?_r=1&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fC%2fClinton%2c%20Bill&oref=slogin|title=Bill Clinton Ponders a role as 'First Gentlemen', NY Times, 2007}}</ref> In 2007, it is estimated he amassed around $40 million from speaking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2300374.ece|title=Forty Million Dollar Bill, Independent, 2007}}</ref> − − Clinton made his first visit to new [[United Nations]] Secretary-General [[Ban Ki-moon]] in April 2007. The 45-minute meeting, called at Clinton's request, touched on a host of topics, including disease, war, famine and poverty in Africa, especially in the [[Darfur]] region. The [[Middle East]], the conflict in Iraq, and Iran's nuclear standoff with the U.N. were on the agenda, as well as HIV/AIDS.<ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/4/13/121244.shtml Bill Clinton's Strange U.N. Visit]. NewsMax.com, April 13, 2007.</ref> − − He was the opening speaker at the Ontario Economic Summit held on November 13, 2007 in which he addressed people on various subjects including [[Canada's role in Afghanistan]], [[environmentalism]] and access to [[healthcare]].<ref>[http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071114/clinton_afghan_071114/20071114?hub=Canada Ontario Economic Summit], CTV.</ref> − − Clinton served as one of the organizers for the [[New Baptist Covenant]] alongside former President [[Jimmy Carter]] and other Baptist leaders. This effort sought to bring various Baptists in America together, especially across racial lines, to discuss issues that unite them. Clinton spoke at the January 2008 celebration in Atlanta, GA. − − ===William J. Clinton Presidential Center=== − − Clinton dedicated his [[presidential library]], the [[William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park|William J. Clinton Presidential Center]] in [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]], Arkansas on November 18, 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4021201.stm|title=Clinton Library open for business, BBC News, 2004}}</ref> Under rainy skies, Clinton received praise from former presidents [[Jimmy Carter]] and [[George H. W. Bush]], as well as from president [[George W. Bush]]. He was treated to a musical rendition from [[Bono]] and [[David Howell Evans|The Edge]] from [[U2]], who expressed their gratitude at Clinton's efforts to resolve [[The Troubles|the Northern Ireland conflict]] during his presidency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4022823.stm|title=Opening of Clinton Library in Pictures, BBC News, 2004}}</ref> The Clinton facility received a $10 million dollar donation from the royal family of Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121402124.html|title=Clinton library got funds from abroad, Washington Post, 2007}}</ref> The library has the largest archives of any presidential library. − − ===Published work=== − Clinton released a personal [[autobiography]], ''[[My Life (Bill Clinton autobiography)|My Life]]'' in 2004. The book was published by the [[Alfred A. Knopf|Knopf Publishing Group]] at [[Random House]] on June 22, 2004. According to the publisher, for single day non-fiction book sales, the book set a worldwide record.<ref>Alfred A. Knopft (2004) [http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/clinton/salesrecord.pdf Bill Clinton's ''My Life'' sets one day, non-fiction sales record]</ref> Later released as an audio book, total sales were in excess of 400,000 copies. As a writer's fee, he received U.S. $12 million in advance.<ref>{{cite news |last=Glaister |first=Dan |title=Oprah Winfrey book deal tops Clinton's $12 m |date=May 22, 2006 |publisher=The Guardian |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1780286,00.html}}</ref> − − He released, ''[[Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World]]'' in September 2007, which became a bestseller and gandered positive reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/books/bestseller/0923besthardnonfiction.html?_r=1&oref=slogin|title=New York Times Best Seller list for 9/23/07|accessdate=2007-09-18|publisher=New York Times}}</ref> The book is about citizen activism and the role of public charity and [[public service]] in the modern world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20593850/ |title=Bill Clintons New Book|accessdate=2007-11-23|publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> The [[audiobook]] version was nominated for a 2008 [[Grammy Award]] in the category of [[50th Grammy Awards#Best Spoken Word Album|Best Spoken Word Album]]. − − ===William Clinton Foundation=== − {{main|William J. Clinton Foundation}} − The William J. Clinton Foundation promotes and provides for a number of humanitarian causes. Within the foundation, the Clinton Foundation [[HIV]] and [[AIDS]] Initiative (CHAI) strives to make treatment for HIV/AIDS more affordable and to implement large-scale integrated care, treatment, and prevention programs. While in [[Sydney]] to attend a Global Business Forum, Clinton signed a memorandum of understanding on behalf of his presidential foundation with the Australian government to promote HIV/AIDS programs in the [[Asia-Pacific]] region. − − [[Image:Bush and Clinton.jpg|thumb|left|Clinton with former President [[George H. W. Bush]] in January 2005.]] − The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), funded by the Clinton Foundation, was inaugurated September September 15-17 2005 in New York City to coincide with the [[2005 World Summit]]. The focus areas of the initiative include attempts to address world problems such as global [[public health]], [[poverty]] alleviation and religious and [[ethnic conflict]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/|title=Clinton Global Initiative}}</ref> − − Clinton announced through the [[William J. Clinton Foundation]] an agreement by major soft drink manufacturers to stop selling sugared sodas and juice drinks, in public primary and secondary schools within the United States, − on May 3, 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2006/05/03/383279.html|title=William J. Clinton Foundation announces agreement to reduce junk food in schools}}</ref> − − ===Relations with George H. W. Bush=== − In the aftermath of the [[Indian Ocean tsunami|Asian tsunami]] and [[Hurricane Katrina]], Clinton established, with fellow former-President George H. W. Bush, the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund and Bush-Clinton Tsunami Fund, for which they were awarded the 2006 [[Philadelphia Liberty Medal]] on October 5, 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.constitutioncenter.org/libertymedal/|title=2006 Philadelphia Liberty Medal Award}}</ref> They spoke together at the funeral of [[Boris Yeltsin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,268092,00.html|title=Former Presidents Bush, Clinton Represent U.S. at Boris Yeltsin's Funeral, Fox News, 2007}}</ref> − − President George W. Bush, to help the victims of the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake]], named Clinton and [[George H. W. Bush]] to lead a nationwide campaign on January 3, 2005. U.N. Secretary-General [[Kofi Annan]] selected Clinton to head the [[United Nations]] [[Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|earthquake and tsunami relief and reconstruction effort]] on February 1, 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/01/clinton.tsunami/index.html|title=Clinton named head of U.N. tsunami rebuilding, CNN, 2005}}</ref> − − Five days later, to raise money for relief through the [[USA Freedom Corps]], Clinton and Bush appeared on the [[Fox Television Network|Fox]] [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] pre-game show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39788-2005Jan26.html|title=Senior Bush, Clinton to Appear at Super Bowl, Washington Post, 2005}}</ref> Thirteen days later, to see the relief efforts, they traveled to the affected areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4281627.stm|title=Bush, Clinton end tsunami visit, BBC News, 2005}}</ref> − − [[Image:JPII on bier.jpg|thumb|right|Clinton, along with [[George W. Bush]], [[Laura Bush]], [[George H. W. Bush]], [[Condoleezza Rice]], and [[Andrew Card]] pay their respects to Pope [[John Paul II]] before the [[Funeral of Pope John Paul II|pope's funeral]].]] − − ===Environment=== − To create the Clinton Foundation Climate Change Initiative (CCI), the [[William J. Clinton Foundation]] entered into a partnership with the [[Large Cities Climate Leadership Group]] on August 1, 2006, agreeing to provide resources to allow the participating cities to enter into an energy-saving product purchasing consortium and to provide technical and communications support.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clintonfoundation.org/080106-nr-cf-cci-pr-president-clinton-launches-clinton-climate-initiative.htm|title=Clinton Foundation and Climate Partnership, Press Release}}</ref> − − Clinton criticized the Bush administration for its handling of emissions control while speaking at the [[United Nations Climate Change Conference]] in [[Montreal]] on December 9, 2005. To promote initiatives concerning the [[environmentalism|environment]], Clinton twice visited the [[University of California, Los Angeles]] in 2006. First, to advertise the [[Large Cities Climate Leadership Group]], he met with [[Tony Blair]], [[Ken Livingstone]], [[Antonio Villaraigosa]], and [[Gavin Newsom]] on August 1, 2006. On October 13, 2006, he spoke in favor of [[California Proposition 87 (2006)|California Proposition 87]] on [[Energy development|alternative energy]], which was voted down.<ref>{{cite news |first=Peach |last=Indravudh |coauthors= |title=Clinton backs Prop. 87 |date= |publisher=[[UCLA]] |url=http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/2006/oct/16/clinton-backs-prop-87/ |work=Daily Bruin |pages= |accessdate=2007-07-19 |language=}}</ref> − − ===Personal health=== − Clinton had an episode of [[Angina pectoris|angina]] and was evaluated at Northern Westchester Hospital on September 2, 2004. It was determined he did not suffer a [[coronary infarction]], and he was sent home, returning the following day for [[angiography]], which disclosed multiple vessel [[coronary artery disease]]. He was transferred to [[Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center]] in New York City, where he underwent a successful quadruple [[coronary artery bypass surgery]] on September 6, 2004. The medical team stated, had he not had surgery, he would have likely suffered a massive [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] within a few months.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vedantam |first=Shankar |title=Clinton's Heart Bypass Surgery Called a Success |pages=A01 |publisher=The Washington Post |date=September 7, 2004 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A409-2004Sep6.html |accessdate=2007-01-02 }}</ref> As a result of his open-heart surgery, he underwent a follow-up surgery to remove scar tissue and fluid from his left chest cavity on March 10, 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/03/09/news/clinton.php|title=Clinton follow-up surgery, International Herald Tribune, 2005}}</ref> He has since recovered. − − ===2008 election involvement=== − In the course of the [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008|2008 Democratic presidential primary campaign]], Clinton vigorously advocated on behalf of his wife, [[Hillary Clinton]], leading some observers and party members to question the appropriateness of his role in view of his status as a former president.<ref>[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jKO5e6zT8U1vEd2XfWjNq4IF4z9QD8UCHOE01 The Associated Press: Quotes on Bill Clinton's Campaign Role<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Some felt that Clinton was overshadowing his wife in the campaign,<ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-assess_tackett_sunjan27,0,5782634.story For better or worse, Bill Clinton in race - chicagotribune.com<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref><ref>[http://www.vanityfair.com/ontheweb/blogs/daily/2008/01/bruce-feirste-1.html VF Daily: Bruce Feirstein: Bill Clinton, Nasty Man: On The Web: vanityfair.com<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref><ref>[http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/627lchzc.asp The Bubba Factor<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> with her presidential rival [[Barack Obama]] complaining that he sometimes "did not know which Clinton he was running against."<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-brooks24jan24,0,1569475.column A Clinton twofer's high price - Los Angeles Times<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> At a MSNBC debate, Republican primary candidate [[Mitt Romney]] said that he "can't imagine Bill Clinton left with nothing to do in the White House", suggesting that Clinton would be a "co-president and try and help manage the economy and help manage the world affairs".<ref>[http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/26/611577.aspx Romney on McCain, the Clintons], Posted: Saturday, January 26, 2008 3:19 PM by Mark Murray</ref> − − [[Image:Bill Clinton @ Hillary Rally.jpg|thumb|left|Clinton speaking at a rally for his wife at [[Dickinson College]].]] − Top Democratic Party officials, including Rep. [[Rahm Emmanuel]], chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and a declared Clinton supporter, asked Clinton to tone down his attacks on Obama following the bitterly contested Nevada caucus, suggesting that Clinton could be damaging his own political capital and global stature.<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/id/96385 Leading Democrats To Bill Clinton: Pipe Down | Newsweek Periscope | Newsweek.com<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Some commentators even accused the former president of "playing the race card" against Obama, who is half-black, by suggesting he would understand if South Carolina's African Americans naturally would vote for the black candidate, but rejected suggestions that America was not ready for a black President.<ref>[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=a86pY4CBoF0U Bloomberg.com: News<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref><ref>[http://www.slate.com/id/2182569#obamaescape Obama beats... Jesse Jackson? - By Mickey Kaus - Slate Magazine<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref><ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004141629_apclintonrace23.html Politics | ON DEADLINE: Clinton Makes Race an Issue | Seattle Times Newspaper<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Many felt that by alienating black voters who had once overwhelmingly supported the Clintons, Clinton had tarnished his legacy as the so-called "first black president."<ref name = "CBS-Tarnish">[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/26/politics/main3755521.shtml Analysis: Bill Clinton's Lost Legacy, CBSNews.com's Vaughn Ververs: Inflammatory Remarks Tarnish Ex-President's Reputation - CBS News<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/opinion/23dowd.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin Two Against One - New York Times<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> In particular, Rep. [[James Clyburn]] (D-SC) suggested that Clinton's vocal attacks on Obama could damage the former President's legacy.<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0801/21/sitroom.03.html CNN.com - Transcripts<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> − Following his wife's disappointing defeat in South Carolina, Clinton again made headlines when he appeared to undermine and racialize Obama's victory by comparing it to [[Jesse Jackson]]'s failed 1984 bid for the Presidency.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqd2dfjl2pw YouTube - Bill Clinton on Barack Obama<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Some observers suggested that the controversial comments fueled Sen. [[Ted Kennedy]]'s decision to endorse Sen. Obama for the Presidency.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/27/sen-kennedy-backs-obama-_n_83505.html Sen. Kennedy Backs Obama for President - Politics on The Huffington Post<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Clinton attracted further controversy with a series of attacks against Obama that many independents and former Clinton supporters felt to be unfair.<ref name = "Guardian-tomasky">[http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/michael_tomasky/2008/01/winning_ugly.html Comment is free: Winning ugly<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref><ref name = "CBS-Tarnish"/><ref name = "latimes-chait">[http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-chait26jan26,0,7890763.column Is the right right on the Clintons? - Los Angeles Times<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref><ref>[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/01/bill_clinton_credited_reagan_i.html RealClearPolitics - Articles - Clinton's Depressing Assault on Obama<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> While some believed the attacks might eventually pay off,<ref>[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/01/how_clinton_will_win_the_nomin.html RealClearPolitics - Articles - How Clinton Will Win the Nomination by Losing S.C<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> others felt they would damage Hillary Clinton's presidential prospects and alienate Democratic voters in the general election.<ref name = "Guardian-tomasky"/><ref name = "latimes-chait"/><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR2008012303325.html There You Go Again - washingtonpost.com<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Former President Bill Clinton defended his role in the [[Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2008]] in [[South Carolina]], disputing claims he made [[Race (classification of human beings)|race]] a campaign issue.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/17/clinton.bill/index.html Bill Clinton: What happened in South Carolina a 'myth' - cnn.com]</ref> According to some reports, the accusations of racism hurt him personally, as blacks had long been Clinton's most loyal supporters.<ref name="autogenerated2">[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/us/politics/08recon.html The Long Road to a Clinton Exit - NYTimes.com<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/08/america/08exit.php The long road to a Clinton exit - International Herald Tribune<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> − − During the primary campaign, his wife's aides criticized Clinton’s freelancing and deemed his office uncooperative{{ndash}} at one point, they complained, his people would not allow one of her people to ride on his plane to campaign stops. His aides, on the other hand, stewed over what they saw as her people’s disregard for the advice of one of this generation’s great political minds and bristled at surrendering control of his schedule. On the night of the [[Pennsylvania Democratic primary, 2008|Pennsylvania primary]], Clinton grew playfully competitive with his wife over who had done more events or had had more impact. Governor [[Ed Rendell]] showed Clinton the county-by-county returns, while she was superstitious and rarely watched election night coverage. According to Rendell, “The president wanted to know exactly what the returns were in the places he had been and Hillary hadn’t been. He kept showing Hillary, and she would laugh.”<ref name="autogenerated2" /><ref name="autogenerated1" /> − − Due to Clinton's prominent role in his wife's presidential run and his criticism of Obama, many perceived an enduring distance between the two. Clinton was asked later if he thought presidential nominee [[Barack Obama]] was qualified to be president. He replied that the Constitution sets qualifications. When pressed as to whether Obama was "ready" to be president, Clinton replied, "You could argue that no one is ready to be president."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/151388/output/print|publisher=Newsweek|author=Jonathan Alter|accessdate=2008-08-28|title=A Catharsis in Denver?}}</ref> Such remarks lead to apprehension that the party would be split to the detriment of Obama's election. Fears were allayed August 27, 2008 when Clinton enthusiastically endorsed Obama at the 2008 [[Democratic National Convention]], saying that all his experience as president assures him that Obama is "ready to lead".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/08/bill_clinton_vouches_for_obama.html|title=Bill Clinton vouches for Obama: now "ready to lead."|accessdate=2008-08-28|publisher=Sun-Times News Group}}</ref> − − ==Honors and accolades== − The President of the [[Czech Republic]] awarded Clinton the [[Order of the White Lion]], First Class with Collar Chain in 1998.<ref>[http://old.hrad.cz/kpr/rady/rbl_lide_uk.html List of Individuals Awarded the Order of the White Lion] </ref> − − [[Image:Clinton pres library.jpg|thumb|right|[[William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park]], [[Little Rock, Arkansas]].]] − − From a poll conducted of the American people in December 1999, Clinton was among eighteen included in [[Gallup's List of Widely Admired People|Gallup's List of Widely Admired People of the 20th century]]. − − Clinton received the 2000 [[Karlspreis|International Charlemagne Prize of the city of Aachen]] (a prestigious European prize),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karlspreis.de/index.php?id=12&doc=42|title=International Prize of the city of Aachen (German)}}</ref> 2004 [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children|Best Spoken Word Album for Children]] for narrating the [[Russian National Orchestra]]'s album ''[[Wolf Tracks and Peter and the Wolf]]'' (along with [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] and [[Sophia Loren]]) and 2005 [[Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album]] for ''[[My Life (Bill Clinton autobiography)|My Life]]'', 2005 [[J. William Fulbright]] Prize for International Understanding,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fulbright.org/prize/2005/fenton-may.htm|title=Fulbright prize to Clinton, 2006}}</ref> and 2007 [[TED (conference)|TED]] Prize (named for the confluence of technology, entertainment and design).<ref>[http://tedblog.typepad.com/tedblog/2007/04/2007_ted_prize__2.html Acceptance speech].</ref> On October 17, 2002, Clinton became the first white person to be inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE3DE153DF934A25753C1A9649C8B63&n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes%20Topics%2FSubjects%2FA%2FAwards%2C%20Decorations%20and%20Honors ''Campaign Season; Another First for Clinton'' at New York Times.com]</ref> − − He received an [[honorary doctorate]] of [[Doctor of Laws|laws]] from [[Tulane University]] in New Orleans (along with George H. W. Bush),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tulane.edu/newwave/cornerpics/051906_grads.html|title=President Bill Clinton with an honorary doctorate of law}}</ref> and also from the [[University of Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/29/AR2007042900145.html|title=Bill Clinton Speaks at U. of Michigan}}</ref> He is the recipient of an [[Doctor of Humane Letters|honorary doctorate of humane letters]] from [[Pace University]]'s [[Lubin School of Business]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://appserv.pace.edu/execute/page.cfm?doc_id=20436|title=Clinton kicks off centennial anniversary of university, 2006}}</ref> from [[Rochester Institute of Technology]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetigerbeat.com/news/?v=rit-welcomes-president-clinton-as-commencement-spe|title=Keynote speaker at RIT}}</ref> and from [[Knox College (Illinois)|Knox College]].<ref>[http://www.thewikifire.org/index.php?title=Bill_Clinton Bill Clinton] - from The Wiki Fire</ref> − On November 22, 2004, New York Republican Governor [[George Pataki]] named Clinton and the other living former presidents ([[Gerald Ford]], [[Jimmy Carter]], and [[George H. W. Bush]]) as honorary members of the board rebuilding the [[World Trade Center]]. In 2005, the [[University of Arkansas System]] opened the [[Clinton School of Public Service]] on the grounds of the Clinton Presidential Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clintonschool.uasys.edu/|title=Clinton School of Public service}}</ref>+ − + − On December 3, 2006, Clinton was made an [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Papua New Guinea|honorary chief and Grand Companion]] of the [[Order of Logohu]] by [[Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea]] [[Michael Somare]]. Clinton was awarded the honor for his "outstanding leadership for the good of mankind during two terms as U.S. president" and his commitment to the global fight against HIV/AIDS and other health challenges in developing countries.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Lloyd |title=It's 'Chief Clinton' to you |publisher=news.com.au |date=2005-12-03 |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20865977-1702,00.html|accessdate=2006-12-03}}</ref>+ − − − On June 2, 2007, Clinton, along with former president George H.W. Bush, received the International Freedom Conductor Award, for their help with the fund raising following the tsunami that devastated South Asia in 2004.<ref>[http://www.freedomcenter.org/ifca/International-Freedom-Conductor-Award-2007.html freedomcenter.org]</ref> On June 13, 2007, Clinton was honored by the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria alongside eight multinational-companies—[[HBO]], [[Chevron Corporation]], [[Standard Chartered plc]], [[Eli Lilly & Company]], Eskom Holdings Ltd, [[Marathon Oil Corporation]], [[Coca-Cola]], and [[Abbott]]—for his work to defeat HIV/AIDS.<ref>[http://www.businessfightsaids.org/live/media/news/article.php?id=114 GBC{{ndash}} News Articles<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> − − In Europe, Bill Clinton remains popular, especially in a large part of the [[Balkans]] and in [[Ireland]]. In [[Priština]], [[Kosovo]], a five-story picture of the former president was permanently engraved into the side of the tallest building in the province as a token of gratitude for Clinton's support during the crisis in Kosovo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2316200920070523|title=Clinton honoured in Kosovo, Reuters News}}</ref> A statue of Clinton was also built and a road was named Clinton Boulevard.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2316200920070523 Kosovo to honor Bill Clinton with statue | Reuters<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> − − On May 1, 1988, Bill Clinton was inducted into the [[DeMolay International]] Hall of Fame.<ref name=DeMolay-1> − {{cite web − |url=http://www.demolay.org/aboutdemolay/halloffame.php − |accessdate=2008-08-27 − |title=DeMolay Hall of Fame − }}</ref> − − On September 9, 2008, Bill Clinton was named as the next chairman of the [[National Constitution Center]] in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]. His term will begin January 1, 2009, he will succeed Fmr. [[President of the United States|President]] [[George H. W. Bush]]<ref> − {{cite web − |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080909_ap_billclintonnamedchairmanofconstitutioncenter.html − |accessdate=2008-09-10 − |title=Bill Clinton named chairman of Constitution Center − }}</ref>. − − ==Electoral history== − {{main|Electoral history of Bill Clinton}} − − ==Gallery== − <!--Public domain images ONLY--> − <center><gallery> − Image:Clintonchirac.jpg|Clinton with [[Jacques Chirac]] outside [[Élysée Palace]]. − Image:Clinton Hashimoto 1996.jpg|Clinton meets [[Ryutaro Hashimoto]] at the [[Akasaka Palace]]. − Image:Clinton and jiang.jpg|Clinton and [[Jiang Zemin]] − Image:Bill Clinton Kim Dae-Jung.jpg|Clinton (left) with [[Kim Dae-jung]] at [[APEC]] meeting in [[Auckland]], [[New Zealand]], on September 12, 1999 − Image:Clinton_Set_One_9_Reflective.jpg|Clinton speaking to California Democratic Convention Delegates at [[San Jose, California]] on March 31, 2008. − Image:Bill Clinton closeup at dedication of WWII memorial, May 2004.jpg|Clinton walking along the [[National Mall]] on his way to the dedication ceremonies for the [[National World War II Memorial]], May 2004 − </gallery></center> − <!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the<ref(erences/)> tags--> − + − ===Primary sources===+ − + − *--- (with [[Al Gore]]). ''[http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/22/4f/40.pdf Science in the National Interest].'' Washington, DC: The White House, August 1994.+ − + − − * [[Sidney Blumenthal]] ''The Clinton Wars''. (2003). ISBN 0-374-12502-3 − * [[Kenneth Starr]] ''The [[Starr Report]]: The Findings of Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr on President Clinton and the Lewinsky Affair'' (1998) ISBN 1-891620-24-X − * [[George Stephanopoulos]] ''All Too Human: A Political Education'' (1998) ISBN 0-316-92919-0 − * [[S. Daniel Abraham]] ''[[Peace is Possible (book)|Peace is Possible]]'', foreword by Bill Clinton − ===Popular books===+ − * Peter Baker ''The Breach: Inside the Impeachment and Trial of William Jefferson Clinton'' (2000) ISBN 0-684-86813-X+ − * [[James Bovard]] ''Feeling Your Pain: The Explosion and Abuse of Government Power in the Clinton-Gore Years'' (2000) ISBN 0-312-23082-6 − * [[Joe Conason]] and [[Gene Lyons]] ''The Hunting of the President: The Ten-Year Campaign to Destroy Bill and Hillary Clinton'' (2003) ISBN 0-312-27319-3 − * [[Elizabeth Drew]] ''On the Edge: The Clinton Presidency'' (1994) ISBN 0-671-87147-1 − * [[David Gergen]] ''Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership.'' (2000) ISBN 0-684-82663-1 − * Nigel Hamilton ''Bill Clinton: An American Journey'' (2003) ISBN 0-375-50610-1 − * [[John F. Harris]] ''The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House'' (2005) ISBN 0-375-50847-3 − * [[Christopher Hitchens]] ''No One Left to Lie to: The Triangulations of William Jefferson Clinton'' (1999) ISBN 1-85984-736-6 − * [[Michael Isikoff]] ''Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter's Story'' (1999) ISBN 0-609-60393-0 − * [[Mark Katz]] ''Clinton and Me: A Real-Life Political Comedy'' (2004) ISBN 978-0786869497 − * [[Joe Klein]] ''The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton'' (2003) ISBN 0-7679-1412-0 − * [[David Maraniss]] ''First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton'' (1996) ISBN 0-684-81890-6 − * [[David Maraniss]] ''The Clinton Enigma: A Four and a Half Minute Speech Reveals This President's Entire Life'' (1998) ISBN 0-684-86296-4 − * [[Dick Morris]] with Eileen McGann ''Because He Could'' (2004) ISBN 0-06-078415-6 − * [[Roger Morris (American writer)]] ''Partners in Power: The Clintons and Their America'' (1996) ISBN 0-89526-302-5 − * [[Richard Posner|Richard A. Posner]] ''An Affair of State: The Investigation, Impeachment, and Trial of President Clinton'' (1999) ISBN 0-674-00080-3 − * Mark J. Rozell ''The Clinton Scandal and the Future of American Government'' (2000) ISBN 0-87840-777-4 − * Michael Waldman ''POTUS Speaks: Finding the Words That Defined the Clinton Presidency'' (2000) ISBN 0-7432-0020-9 − * Ivory Tower Publishing Company [[Achievements of the Clinton Administration: the Complete Legislative and Executive]] (1995) ISBN 0-88032-748-0 − − ===Academic studies=== − * Cohen; Jeffrey E. "The Polls: Change and Stability in Public Assessments of Personal Traits, Bill Clinton, 1993-99" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 31, 2001 − * Cronin, Thomas E. and Michael A. Genovese; "President Clinton and Character Questions" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' Vol. 28, 1998 − * Davis; John. "The Evolution of American Grand Strategy and the War on Terrorism: Clinton and Bush Perspectives" ''White House Studies'', Vol. 3, 2003 − * Edwards; George C. "Bill Clinton and His Crisis of Governance" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly,'' Vol. 28, 1998 − * Fisher; Patrick. "Clinton's Greatest Legislative Achievement? the Success of the 1993 Budget Reconciliation Bill" ''White House Studies'', Vol. 1, 2001 − * Glad; Betty. "Evaluating Presidential Character" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 28, 1998 − * Harris, John F. ''The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House''. (2005) ISBN 0-375-50847-3, biography − * William G. Hyland. ''Clinton's World: Remaking American Foreign Policy'' (1999) ISBN 0-275-96396-9 − * Jewett, Aubrey W. and Marc D. Turetzky; " Stability and Change in President Clinton's Foreign Policy Beliefs, 1993-96" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 28, 1998 − * Johnson, Fard. "Politics, Propaganda and Public Opinion: The Influence of Race and Class on the 1993 - 1994 Health Care Reform Debate." (2004). ISBN 1-4116-6345-4 − * Laham, Nicholas, ''A Lost Cause: Bill Clinton's Campaign for National Health Insurance'' (1996) − * Lanoue, David J. and Craig F. Emmert; "Voting in the Glare of the Spotlight: Representatives' Votes on the Impeachment of President Clinton" ''Polity'', Vol. 32, 1999 − * Livingston, C. Don, Kenneth A. Wink; "The Passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement in the U.S. House of Representatives: Presidential Leadership or Presidential Luck?" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 27, 1997 − * Maurer; Paul J. "Media Feeding Frenzies: Press Behavior during Two Clinton Scandals" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly,'' Vol. 29, 1999 − * Nie; Martin A. "'It's the Environment, Stupid!': Clinton and the Environment" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 27, 1997 − * O'Connor; Brendon. "Policies, Principles, and Polls: Bill Clinton's Third Way Welfare Politics 1992-1996" ''The Australian Journal of Politics and History'', Vol. 48, 2002 − * Poveda; Tony G. "Clinton, Crime, and the Justice Department" ''Social Justice'', Vol. 21, 1994 − * Renshon; Stanley A. ''The Clinton Presidency: Campaigning, Governing, and the Psychology of Leadership'' Westview Press, 1995 − * Renshon; Stanley A. "The Polls: The Public's Response to the Clinton Scandals, Part 1: Inconsistent Theories, Contradictory Evidence" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 32, 2002 − * Rushefsky, Mark E. and Kant Patel. ''Politics, Power & Policy Making: The Case of Health Care Reform in the 1990s'' (1998) ISBN 1-56324-956-1 − * Schantz, Harvey L. ''Politics in an Era of Divided Government: Elections and Governance in the Second Clinton Administration'' (2001) ISBN 0-8153-3583-0 − * Wattenberg; Martin P. "The Democrats' Decline in the House during the Clinton Presidency: An Analysis of Partisan Swings" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 29, 1999 − * Wattier; Mark J. "The Clinton Factor: The Effects of Clinton's Personal Image in 2000 Presidential Primaries and in the General Election" ''White House Studies'', Vol. 4, 2004 − * Smithers, Luken J. "The Miracle Whip" − − == External links == − {{sisterlinks|Bill Clinton}} − *[http://www.millercenter.virginia.edu/index.php/academic/americanpresident/clinton Extensive essay on Bill Clinton and shorter essays on each member of his cabinet and First Lady from the Miller Center of Public Affairs] − *[http://millercenter.virginia.edu/scripps/digitalarchive/speechDetail/34 Full audio of a number of Clinton speeches via the Miller Center of Public Affairs (UVa)] − * [http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html White House biography] − * [http://www.clintonfoundation.org/ William J. Clinton Foundation] official website − * [http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org Clinton Global Initiative] official website − * [http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/ Clinton Presidential Library] official website − * [http://clinton6.nara.gov/ Clinton Presidential Materials Project] Archive of press releases and transcripts of speeches from the administration. − * [http://www.clintonschool.uasys.edu/ Clinton School of Public Service] − * {{worldcat id|id=lccn-n82-29644}} − * {{gutenberg author|id=Bill+Clinton | name=Bill Clinton}} − * {{imdb name|id=0001051|name=Bill Clinton}} − * [http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060918fa_fact1 ''The Wanderer'']- A profile of Clinton in [[The New Yorker]], September 18, 2006. Clinton's most extensive interview in his post-presidency − * [http://americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=President.Clinton] - "Armigerous American Presidents Series" article from the American Heraldry Society. − * Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=95 Bill Clinton] − − {{s-start}} − {{s-legal}} − {{s-bef|before=[[Jim Guy Tucker]]}} − {{s-ttl|title=[[Arkansas Attorney General|Attorney General of Arkansas]]|years=1977 – 1979}} − {{s-aft|after=[[Steve Clark (disambiguation)|Steve Clark]]}} − {{s-off}} − {{s-bef|before=[[Joe Purcell]] (acting)}} − {{s-ttl|title=[[List of Governors of Arkansas|Governor of Arkansas]]|years=1979 – 1981}} − {{s-aft|after=[[Frank D. White]]}} − {{s-bef|before=[[Frank D. White]]}} − {{s-ttl|title=[[Governor of Arkansas]]|years=1983 – 1992}} − {{s-aft|after=[[Jim Guy Tucker]]}} − {{s-bef|before=[[Lamar Alexander]]'''<br /><small>''[[Tennessee]]''</small>}} − {{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[National Governor's Association]]|years=1986 – 1987}} − {{s-aft|after=[[John H. Sununu]]'''<br /><small>''[[New Hampshire]]''</small>}} − {{s-bef|before=[[George H. W. Bush]]}} − {{s-ttl|title=[[President of the United States]]|years=January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001}} − {{s-aft|after=[[George W. Bush]]}} − {{s-bef|before=[[Jacques Chirac]]'''<br /><small>''France''</small>}} − {{s-ttl|title=[[G8|Chair of the G8]]|years=1997}} − {{s-aft|after=[[Tony Blair]]'''<br /><small>''United Kingdom''</small>}} − {{s-ppo}} − {{s-bef|before=[[David Pryor]]}} − {{s-ttl|title=[[US Democratic Party|Democratic Party]] nominee for [[Governor of Arkansas]]|years=[[Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1978|1978]], [[Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1980|1980]], [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1982|1982]], [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1984|1984]], [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1986|1986]], [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|1990]]}} − {{s-aft|after=[[Jim Guy Tucker]]}} − {{s-bef|before=[[Sam Nunn]]}} − {{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[Democratic Leadership Council]]|years=1990 – 1991}} − {{s-aft|after=[[John Breaux]]}} − {{s-bef|before=[[Michael Dukakis]]}} − {{s-ttl|title=[[List of United States Democratic Party presidential tickets|Democratic Party presidential candidate]]|years=[[U.S. presidential election, 1992|1992]], [[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996]]}} − {{s-aft|after=[[Al Gore]]}} − {{s-prec|usa}} − {{s-bef|before=[[George H. W. Bush]]'''<br />''Former President of the United States''}} − {{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence]]'''<br />''Former President of the United States''|years=}} − {{s-aft|after=U.S. ambassadors (while at their posts; otherwise Secretary of State [[Condoleezza Rice]]''')}} − {{end}} − {{Bill Clinton}} − {{US Presidents}} − {{USDemPresNominees}} − {{Governors of Arkansas}} − {{National Governors Association chairs}} − {{Hillary Rodham Clinton}} − {{Time Persons of the Year 1976-2000}} − − {{Persondata − |NAME=Clinton, Bill − |ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Clinton, William Jefferson (full name) − |SHORT DESCRIPTION=42nd [[President of the United States]] (1993–2001) − |DATE OF BIRTH={{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1946|8|19}} − |PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Hope, Arkansas|Hope]], [[Arkansas]] − |DATE OF DEATH= − |PLACE OF DEATH= − }} − {{Lifetime|1946|LIVING|Clinton, Bill}} − [[Category:Alumni of University College, Oxford]] − [[Category:American humanitarians]] − [[Category:American legal academics]] − [[Category:American memoirists]] − [[Category:American Rhodes scholars]] − [[Category:American saxophonists]] − [[Category:English Americans]] − [[Category:Scots-Irish Americans]] − [[Category:Irish-Americans]] − [[Category:Arkansas Attorneys General]] − [[Category:Arkansas Democrats]] − [[Category:Arkansas lawyers]] − [[Category:Baptists from the United States]] − [[Category:Bill Clinton| ]] − [[Category:Democratic Party (United States) presidential nominees]] − [[Category:Georgetown University alumni]] − [[Category:Governors of Arkansas]] − [[Category:Grammy Award winners]] − [[Category:Grand Companions of the Order of Logohu]] − [[Category:Honorary Fellows of University College, Oxford]] − [[Category:Impeached United States officials]] − [[Category:Karlspreis Recipients]] − [[Category:People associated with the University of Arkansas]] − [[Category:People from Hope, Arkansas]] − [[Category:People from Hot Springs, Arkansas]] − [[Category:Lewinsky scandal figures]] − + − + − [[Category:United States presidential candidates, 1992]] − [[Category:United States presidential candidates, 1996]] − [[Category:Yale Law School alumni]] − [[Category:PPE graduates]] − [[Category:Kentucky colonels]] − [[Category:Members of Phi Beta Kappa Society]] − − {{Link FA|he}} − [[af:Bill Clinton]] − [[am:ቢል ክሊንተን]] − [[ar:بيل كلينتون]] − [[frp:Bill Clinton]] − [[az:Bill Klinton]] − [[bn:বিল ক্লিনটন]] − [[zh-min-nan:Bill Clinton]] − [[be:Уільям Джэферсан Клінтан]] − [[be-x-old:Біл Клінтан]] − [[bs:Bill Clinton]] − [[br:Bill Clinton]] − [[bg:Бил Клинтън]] − [[ca:Bill Clinton]] − [[cs:Bill Clinton]] − [[co:Bill Clinton]] − [[cy:Bill Clinton]] − [[da:Bill Clinton]] − [[de:Bill Clinton]] − [[dv:ބިލް ކްލިންޓަން]] − [[et:Bill Clinton]] − [[el:Μπιλ Κλίντον]] − [[es:Bill Clinton]] − [[eo:William J. Clinton]] − [[eu:Bill Clinton]] − [[fa:بیل کلینتون]] − [[fo:Bill Clinton]] − [[fr:Bill Clinton]] − [[ga:William J. Clinton]] − [[gv:Bill Clinton]] − [[gd:Bill Clinton]] − [[gl:William Jefferson Clinton]] − [[ko:빌 클린턴]] − [[hy:Բիլ Քլինթոն]] − [[hi:विलियम क्लिंटन]] − [[hr:Bill Clinton]] − [[io:Bill Clinton]] − [[id:Bill Clinton]] − [[is:William Jefferson Clinton]] − [[it:Bill Clinton]] − [[he:ביל קלינטון]] − [[pam:Bill Clinton]] − [[kn:ಬಿಲ್ ಕ್ಲಿಂಟನ್]] − [[ka:ბილ კლინტონი]] − [[la:Gulielmus Clinton]] − [[lv:Bils Klintons]] − [[lt:Bill Clinton]] − [[jbo:Bill Clinton]] − [[hu:Bill Clinton]] − [[ml:ബില് ക്ലിന്റണ്]] − [[mr:विल्यम जेफरसन क्लिंटन]] − [[ms:Bill Clinton]] − [[nah:Bill Clinton]] − [[nl:Bill Clinton]] − [[ja:ビル・クリントン]] − [[no:Bill Clinton]] − [[nn:Bill Clinton]] − [[oc:Bill Clinton]] − [[pl:Bill Clinton]] − [[pt:Bill Clinton]] − [[ksh:Bill Clinton]] − [[ro:Bill Clinton]] − [[rm:Bill Clinton]] − [[ru:Клинтон, Уильям Джефферсон]] − [[se:Bill Clinton]] − [[sco:Bill Clinton]] − [[sq:Bill Clinton]] − [[scn:Bill Clinton]] − [[simple:Bill Clinton]] − [[sk:Bill Clinton]] − [[sl:Bill Clinton]] − [[sr:Бил Клинтон]] − [[sh:Bill Clinton]] − [[fi:Bill Clinton]] − [[sv:Bill Clinton]] − [[tl:Bill Clinton]] − [[ta:பில் கிளின்டன்]] − [[th:บิล คลินตัน]] − [[vi:Bill Clinton]] − [[tpi:Bill Clinton]] − [[tr:Bill Clinton]] − [[uk:Клінтон Білл]] − [[ur:بل کلنٹن]] − [[yi:ביל קלינטאן]] − [[zh:比尔·克林顿]]
Reverted edits by AnthonyToddler (Talk) to last version by Karajou
{{President
{{pp-semi-protected|small=yes}}
|image=billclinton.jpg
|seq=42
|term_start=January 20, 1993
|image = Bill Clinton.jpg
|term_end=January 20, 2001<ref>http://home.comcast.net/~sharonday7/Presidents/AP060301.htm</ref>
|order = 42nd
|party=Democratic
|vp=Al Gore
|term_start = January 20, 1993
|previous=George H. W. Bush
|term_end = January 20, 2001
|next=George W. Bush
|vicepresident = [[Al Gore]]
|birth_date=August 19, 1946
|predecessor = [[George H. W. Bush]]
|birth_place=Hope, Arkansas
|successor = [[George W. Bush]]
|death_date=
|order2 = 40th and 42nd
|death_place=
|spouse=[[Hillary Rodham Clinton]]
|spouse2=
|religion=[[Baptist]]
|birth_place = [[Hope, Arkansas]]
|nationality = [[United States|American]]
|party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|spouse = [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]]
|children = [[Chelsea Clinton]]
|religion = [[Protestant Christianity]] ([[Southern Baptist]])
}}
}}
'''William Jefferson''' "Bill" '''Clinton''' '''(August 19, 1946 - present)''' served two terms as the 42nd [[President of the United States of America]] from 1993-2000, following [[George H. W. Bush]] and preceding [[George W. Bush]].
== Early Life ==
Clinton was described as a [[New Democrats|New Democrat]] and was largely known for the [[Third Way (centrism)|Third Way]] philosophy of governance that came to epitomize his two terms as president.<ref name = 'The Natural'>{{cite book |last=Klein |first=Joe |title=The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton |publisher=Doubleday |date=2002 |isbn=0767914120}}</ref> His policies, on issues such as the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] and [[welfare reform]], have been described as "centrist."<ref>{{cite news |last=Safire |first=William |title=Essay; Looking Beyond Peace |publisher=[[The New York Times]] |date=1993-12-06 |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE5D91F39F935A35751C1A965958260 |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Duffy |first=Michael |coauthors=Laurence I. Barrett, Ann Blackman, James Carney |title=Secrets of |publisher=[[Time Magazine]] |date=1993-11-29 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979697,00.html?iid=chix-sphere |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref> Clinton presided over the longest period of peace-time economic expansion in American history, which included a balanced budget and a reported federal surplus.<ref name = "economic expansion">{{cite web |last=Clinton |first=Bill |title=April 2, 1999: The Longest Peacetime Expansion in History |publisher=[[National Archives and Records Administration]] |date=1999-04-02 |url=http://clinton4.nara.gov/textonly/WH/Work/040299.html whitehouse.gov{{ndash}} |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= House Report 105-648 - Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 1999 |publisher=[[Library of Congress]] |date=1999 |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp105&sid=cp105AqBYv&refer=&r_n=hr648.105&item=&sel=TOC_627612& |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref> Based on Congressional accounting rules, at the end of his presidency Clinton reported a surplus of $559 billion. On the heels of a failed attempt at [[Clinton health care plan|health care reform]] with a [[Democratic Party of the United States|Democratic]] [[United States Congress|Congress]], [[Republican Party of the United States|Republicans]] [[Republican Revolution|won control]] of the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] for the first time in forty years.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hulsey |first=Byron |title=The Altered Terrain of American Politics (Review of Do Elections Matter?) |date= |url=http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=2154881707717 |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref> Two years later, he was re-elected and became the first member of the Democratic Party since [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] to win a second term as President.<ref name="Clinton@2">{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Charles O. |title=The Presidency in a Separated System |publisher=[[The Brookings Institution]] |date=2005 |pages=318}}</ref> Later he was [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|impeached]] for [[obstruction of justice]], but subsequently was acquitted by the U.S. Senate.<ref>{{cite news |last=No Author |title=Clinton impeached |publisher=[[British Broadcasting Company|British Broadcasting Company News]] |date=1998-12-19 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/clinton_under_fire/latest_news/238784.stm |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Baker |first=Peter |coauthors=Helen Dewar |title=The Senate Acquits President Clinton |publisher=[[The Washington Post]] |date=1999-02-13 |pages=A1 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/impeach021399.htm |accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref>
Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946 in Hope, [[Arkansas]]. His father, William Jefferson Blythe Jr. died in a car accident while his mother was pregnant with him. Clinton's mother later married Roger Clinton, and the four year-old William was given his stepfather's name.<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html</ref>
Clinton left office with an [[approval rating]] at 65%, the highest end of office rating of any President since [[World War II]].<ref>http://uspolitics.about.com/od/polls/l/bl_historical_approval.htm</ref> Since then, Clinton has been involved in public speaking and humanitarian work. To promote and address international causes, such as treatment and prevention of [[HIV]]/[[AIDS]] and [[global warming]], he created the [[William J. Clinton Foundation]].
Clinton was active in high school, participating in various student government organizations as well as playing the saxophone. Roger Clinton, however, made Bill's family life unpleasant by repeatedly abusing Clinton's mother and her children. Bill Clinton would eventually stand up to his stepfather in high school, forcing his stepfather to stop beating his mother and kicking him out of the house.<ref>http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=50652</ref> After Roger Clinton underwent alcohol rehabilitation, he would eventually rejoin the family.
Clinton attended [[Georgetown University]], then [[Oxford University]] after receiving a prestigious [[Rhodes Scholarship]]. He also then earned a Juris Doctorate from [[Yale University]] in 1973. At Yale he met [[Hillary Clinton|Hillary Rodham]], whom he would later marry.<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html</ref>
== Early life ==
== Early Political Career ==
[[Image:Bill Clinton Boyhood Home in Hope, Arkansas IMG 1515.JPG|thumb|right|Bill Clinton Boyhood Home in [[Hope, Arkansas]]]]
After returning to live in Arkansas, Clinton was elected [[Attorney General]] of Arkansas in 1976. Two years later, he was elected Governor of Arkansas, becoming the youngest governor in the country at 32 years-old. Though defeated in 1980, Clinton won back the governorship in 1982 and held it until becoming President in 1992.
Bill Clinton was born "William Jefferson Blythe III" in [[Hope, Arkansas|Hope]], [[Arkansas]]. His father, [[William Jefferson Blythe, Jr.]], was a traveling [[salesman]] who died in an [[automobile]] accident three months before Bill was born.<ref name="whitehouse.gov bio" /> Following his birth, in order to study nursing, his mother [[Virginia Clinton Kelley|Virginia Dell Cassidy]] (1923-1994), traveled to [[New Orleans]], leaving Bill in Hope with grandparents Eldridge and Edith Cassidy, who owned and operated a small [[grocery store]].{{Fact|date=October 2008}} At a time when the [[Southern United States]] were [[Racial segregation in the United States|racially segregated]], Bill's grandparents sold goods on [[Credit (finance)|credit]] to people of all racial groups.{{Fact|date=October 2008}} In 1950, Bill's mother returned from nursing school and shortly thereafter married [[Roger Clinton, Sr.|Roger Clinton]], who together with his brother owned an [[Car dealership|automobile dealership]] in [[Hot Springs, Arkansas]].<ref name="My Life">{{cite book |last=Clinton |first=Bill |title=My Life |publisher=[[Random House, Inc]] |date=2004 |isbn=140003003X}}</ref> The family moved to Hot Springs in 1950.
In December 1989 a three-judge district federal court held Bill Clinton's state-wide legislative reapportionment plan violated Section 2 of the [[Voting Rights Act|Voting Rights Act of 1965]], 42 U.S.C. 1973. 1990 the [[Supreme Court]] of the United States found in the case of ''[[Clinton vs Jeffers]]'' <ref>Findings of the Supreme Court of the United States in [http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/briefs/1990/sg900402.txt Clinton vs Jeffers] No. 90-394 (1990) on appeal 730 F. Supp. 196, 198-201 (ED Ark. 1989) (three-judge court), aff'd, No. 89-2008 (Jan. 7, 1991).</ref> the former Arkansas Governor and [[Democratic]] president had violated the Voting Rights Act. The Justices findings were,
{{Cquote|Bill Clinton does not dispute here -- that "violations of the [[Fourteenth amendment|fourteenth]] or [[fifteenth amendment]] justifying equitable relief have occurred in Arkansas."
In May 1990, the district court turned to those claims, holding that "the State of Arkansas has committed a number of constitutional violations of the voting rights of black citizens." J.S. App. A5. In particular, the court determined that the "State has systematically and deliberately enacted new majority-vote requirements for municipal offices, in an effort to frustrate black political success in elections traditionally requiring only a plurality to win." In 1990...Devotion to majority rule for local offices lay dormant as long as the plurality system produced white office-holders. But whenever black candidates used this system successfully -- and victory by a plurality has been virtually their only chance of success in at-large elections in majority-white cities – the response was swift and certain. Laws were passed in an attempt to close off this avenue of black political victory.}}
In Hot Springs, Clinton attended St. John's Catholic Elementary School, Ramble Elementary School, and [[Hot Springs High School (Arkansas)|Hot Springs High School]] - where he was an active student leader, avid [[reader]], and [[musician]].{{Fact|date=October 2008}} He was in the chorus and played the [[tenor saxophone]], winning first chair in the state band's [[saxophone]] section. He briefly considered dedicating his life to [[music]], but as he noted in his [[autobiography]] ''[[My Life (Bill Clinton autobiography)|My Life]]'':
The court therefore concluded that
{{Cquote|This series of laws represents a systematic and deliberate attempt to reduce black political opportunity. Such an attempt is plainly unconstitutional. It replaces a system in which blacks could and did succeed, with one in which they almost certainly cannot. The inference of [[bigotry|racial motivation]] is inescapable.}}
===Early Scandals===
Clinton was known to have been involved in several scandals while Governor of Arkansas. He allegedly used Arkansas state policemen to arrange for him to meet women outside of marriage.{{fact}}
His close personal business partnerships with James and Susan McDougall in a failed Savings and Loan business venture led to investigation of the [[Whitewater]] affair. Several of the people involved with the sale of land prior to the Clinton presidency were indicted, but prosecutors were never able to charge the Clintons with a crime because Susan McDougall would not cooperate with investigators. Clinton later pardoned Susan McDougall for her role in the Whitewater affair.{{fact}}
== Presidency==
[[Image:Somalia.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Poster to end the "[[racist]] occupation of Somalia"; eighteen US soldiers were killed and some of their bodies were dragged through the streets.<ref>[http://www.netnomad.com/fineman.html The Oil Factor in Somalia]: Four American [[Big Oil|Petroleum Giants]] had Agreements with the African Nation before its Civil War began. They could reap big rewards if peace is restored. By Mark Fineman, ''Times Mirror Company'', January 18, 1993.</ref>]]
Clinton won in the [[United States presidential election of 1992]] with 43% of the popular vote versus President [[George H. W. Bush]]'s 37%, capitalizing on public discontent with a weak economy and public displeasure with Bush's proposed tax increases; third candidate Ross Perot managed 19%. Clinton had campaigned that he would cut taxes for the middle class -- a promise that never occurred.
In his first two years in office, 1993 through 1994, popular outcry against Clinton's [[radical]] health-care "reform" scheme led to failure of the plan. The collapse of the Soviet Bloc only a few years earlier made [[socialism]] unpopular and was credited for the widespread disillusionment with the proposal. The approach consisted of appointing secret members to an [[economic planning|economic planning committee]] to reshape this important sector of the economy.{{fact}} The [[Association of American Physicians and Surgeons]] successfully sued to force disclosure of the committee financing, expenses and membership. The program ultimately became so unpopular that after two years, the Democratic-controlled Congress shielded its committee members' records by never bringing it to the floor for a vote.
In 1994, voters expressed their high disapproval of Clinton's policies and several decades of Democratic control by giving an overwhelming victory to Republicans who suddenly found themselves in control of both Houses of Congress. This event was tagged the "Republican Revolution," and caused some headbutting as the new [[Speaker of the House]], [[Newt Gingrich]] attempted to fulfill the "Contract with America" that the Republicans had run under and Clinton tried to stop the proposals from passing. Showdowns between the two peaked in 1995 when Gingrich refused to pass Clinton's budget proposal, and the latter threatened to shut down the government as Reagan had done in the 1980s. Bolstered by polling showing that the Republicans were being blamed more than the Democrats for the impasse, Clinton did not back down, and eventually had his budget passed.<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/commentprint082800d.html</ref> The showdown had backfired for the Republicans, as it reinvigorated Clinton's flagging approval ratings.<ref>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Clinton_approval_rating.JPG</ref>
In late 1995, President Clinton dispatched some 20,000 U.S. troops to [[Bosnia]].
Clinton was elected [[Governor of Arkansas]] in 1978, making him the youngest governor in the country at age thirty-two. He worked on educational reform and Arkansas's roads, with wife Hillary leading a successful committee on urban health care reform. However, his term included an unpopular motor vehicle tax and citizens' anger over the escape of [[Cuba]]n refugees (from the [[Mariel boatlift]]) detained in [[Fort Chaffee]] in 1980. [[Monroe Schwarzlose]] of [[Kingsland, Arkansas|Kingsland]] in [[Cleveland County, Arkansas|Cleveland County]], polled 31% of the vote against Clinton in the Democratic gubernatorial primary of 1980. Some suggested Schwarzlose's unexpected voter turnout foreshadowed Clinton's defeat in the general election that year by [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] challenger [[Frank D. White]]. As Clinton once joked, he was the youngest ex-governor in the nation's history.<ref name="First In His Class" />
Clinton joined friend's [[Bruce Lindsey]]'s law firm of [http://www.wlj.com/ Wright, Lindsey and Jennings], though he spent most of the next two years working on his re-election campaign. Clinton was again elected governor and kept his job for ten years. He helped [[Arkansas]] transform its [[economy]] and significantly improve the state's educational system. He became a leading figure among the [[New Democrats]].<ref name="The Natural"/> The New Democrats, organized within the [[Democratic Leadership Council|Democratic Leadership Council (DLC)]] were a branch of the Democratic Party that called for welfare reform and smaller government, a policy supported by both Democrats and Republicans. He served as Chair of the [[National Governors Association]] from 1986 to 1987, bringing him to an audience beyond Arkansas.<ref name="First In His Class" />
Clinton was known for his positive and outspoken tolerance of [[homosexuality]]. <ref>[http://www.behindthebadge.net/articles/a105.html]</ref>
==1996==
Clinton was reelected in the [[United States presidential election of 1996]] and carried 49.2% of the popular vote against Republican candidate ([[Robert Dole | Bob Dole]]), who won 41%, and "populist" candidate, [[H. Ross Perot]], who won 8%. During Clinton's second term, together with the Republican-controlled Congress, he produced record federal budget surpluses reaching $236 billion by the year 2000, and representing a net federal budget gain of $526 billion.<ref>[http://www.uuforum.org/deficit.htm Congressional Budget Office figures]</ref>
Clinton's Governorship answered conservative criticism, but personal and business transactions made by the Clintons during this period became the basis of the [[Whitewater controversy|Whitewater]] investigation, which dogged his later presidential administration.<ref name="Clinton Wars">{{cite book |last=Blumenthal |first=Sidney |title=The Clinton Wars |publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux |edition=1st |date=2003 |isbn= 0374125023}}</ref> After very extensive investigation over several years, no indictments were made against the Clintons related to the years in Arkansas.<ref name="First In His Class" /><ref name="The Survivor">{{cite book |last= Harris |first=John F. |title=The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House |publisher=Random House Trade Paperbacks |date=2006 |edition=1st |isbn= 0375760849 }}</ref>
He spent much of the remainder of his presidency combating scandals. A special prosecutor's report was not released until well into Clinton's second term, and brought documented evidence of Clinton giving false testimony in the Paula Jones civil lawsuit while President which resulted in his impeachment and disbarment from the legal profession.{{fact}} The main charge was that he had committed perjury in a civil suit. The perjured testimony directly related to an attempt to defraud the plaintiff of damages. The Senate failed to make clear what constitutes high crimes and misdemeanors.<ref>[http://www.australianpolitics.com/usa/clinton/trial/statements/lieberman.shtml Statement by Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Connecticut)], Congressional Record for Friday, February 12, 1999.</ref>
In 1998 the [[Good Friday Agreement]] was signed between Northern Ireland's Nationalist and Unionist parties and the British and Irish governments. Clinton took part in brokering the deal, phoning the participants in negotiations, at Senator Mitchel's behest, and hosted Unionist and Nationalist leaders at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/10/nclinton.ireland.api/]</ref>
====The Comeback Kid====
== 1998 ==
President Clinton signed into law H.R. 4655, the [[Iraq]] Liberation Act. This act declares that it should be the policy of the [[United States]] to seek to remove the [[Saddam Hussein]] regime from power in Iraq and to replace it with a democratic government. Also that same year, Saddam had kicked out UN weapons inspectors and President Clinton ordered aerial bombings of key targets. Under President Clinton, the US Military was patrolling two Iraqi no-fly zones, one in southern Iraq, the other over Northern Iraq.
===al-Qaeda bombing===
During Clinton's presidency the [[terrorist]] group [[al-Qaeda]] conducted the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, simultaneous bombings of the US embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] in 1998, and the attack on the [[USS Cole]] in 2000. Terrorist leader [[Osama bin Laden]]<ref>[http://www.bannerofliberty.com/OS8-98MQC/8-24-1998.1.html Did Bill Clinton Smooth the Way for Bin Laden to Become the World's Most Successful Terrorist?], Mary Mostert, Original Sources, August 24, 1998.</ref> issued two public [[fatwa]]s declaring War on America.<ref>[http://www.kimsoft.com/2001/binladenwar.htm Bin Laden's Declaration of War], 1998.</ref> In the 1998 fatwa <ref>Bernard Lewis, [http://www.msu.edu/course/iss/325/stein/read-325-3.htm#Lewis License to Kill], Foreign Affairs, November/December 1998.</ref> bin Laden told ''[[Jihad|jihadist]]s'' worldwide,
{{Cquote|Clinton appeared in front of the whole world threatening and promising revenge, but these threats were merely a preparation for withdrawal. You have been disgraced by [[Allah]] and you withdrew; the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear. It was a pleasure for the "heart" of every Muslim and a remedy to the "chests" of believing nations to see you defeated in the three Islamic cities of Beirut, [[Aden]] and [[Mogadishu]].<ref>[http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/context.jsp?item=a1097mohamedinterview&scale=0#a1097mohamedinterview October 1997: [[Ali Mohamed]] Tells FBI He Helped Al-Qaeda Kill US Soldiers, But FBI Takes No Action]</ref>}}
===Presidential Election===
Bin Laden told ''ABC News'' at the time, "We do not have to differentiate between military or civilian. As far as we are concerned, they are all targets." <ref>The 9-11 Commission Report, [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/pdf/sec2.pdf2. The Foundation of the New Terrorism], Official Government Edition, GPO, 2004.</ref>
[[Image:Debates.jpg|thumb|right|Bill Clinton with [[Ross Perot]], Independent, and President [[George H. W. Bush]], [[Republican party (United States)|Republican]], in a national debate.]]
===Cruise missiles to manipulate opinion polls===
Suspicions often arose during Clinton's tenure about the timing of [[cruise missile]] attacks to manipulate public sympathy at crucial points when his approval ratings sagged. On several occasions <ref>[http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=NzhjODk1ODg4M2NiODU4Yzc3YWE1OTA1MDNmYWQ5M2Y= The Facts About Clinton and Terrorism], Byron York, ''National Review Online'', September 11, 2006. </ref> generally when the approval ratings dipped to 47%, surprise cruise missile attacks<ref>[http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/12/21/wwwh8d21.html Airstrikes Against Iraq: 'What Happens Now?'], U.S. Information Agency ''Daily Digest'', December 21, 1998.</ref> were launched which resulted in a 10 point gain in the public opinion polls. Nick Gillespie of ''Reason'' remarked,
{{Cquote|Consider, for instance, the relative lack of scrutiny accorded the August 20 cruise missile attacks on Afghanistan and [[Sudan]] … immediately after the bombing, polls showed that close to half of all Americans thought the missile strikes were meant to divert attention from the president's sex life… the Sudanese bombing suggests something else as well: If and when the public's and the media's attention shifts from the president's sex life to wider-ranging inquiries about how he makes deadly serious policy decisions…"<ref>[http://www.reason.com/news/show/30827.html Bombs Away - Troubling questions about the U.S. attack on Sudan], ''Reason'', December 1998.</ref>}}
Clinton also signed into law the [[Violence Against Women Act]], which opened the federal courts to claims of domestic disputes between men and women, which had always been handled under state rather than federal law. Portions regarding civil rights remedies were later found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff was John Podesta between 1998-2001.
Clinton left office with an approval rating of 65%, the highest of any modern president, and remains the only modern president to leave office with a higher approval rating than he had when he took office.<ref>[http://uspolitics.about.com/od/polls/l/bl_historical_approval.htm Presidential Approval Ratings]</ref>
===Impeachment===
On Aug. 17, 1998, after relentless media attention, leaks, and news of White House intern [[Monica Lewinsky]]'s upcoming testimony regarding her extramarital affair with the President, Clinton made history by becoming the first U.S. president to testify in front of a grand jury in an investigation of his own possibly criminal conduct. In an address to the nation, he admitted to having misled the public and a Federal Court over keys elements of testimony. [[Kenneth Starr]], a special prosecutor appointed to investigate the case, was instructed to pursue the matter.
In the second term Clinton was accused of perjury in connection to the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. Clinton adviser and close confidant [[George Stephanopoulos]] said publicly that there would be a "scorched-earth policy" if Clinton were impeached.<ref>[http://www.alamo-girl.com/02742.htm Insight Magazine], J Michael Waller, 6/19/00.</ref> Clinton previously had decried the "politics of personal destruction."<ref>[http://www.jewishworldreview.com/weekly/standard072299.asp Bill Clinton, Historian], Peter Wehner, Jewish World Review July 22, 1999.</ref>
During the impeachment trial, pornographer [[Larry Flynt]], an old friend of Clinton advisers [[James Carville]] and [[Strobe Talbott]], publicly offered a $1 million reward for any information about the personal lives of members of Congress that could be used for the purposes of blackmail.
In the end Clinton was tried in the Senate for two counts: "perjury" and "obstruction of justice" (the House turned down two other counts: "abuse of power" as well as another count of "perjury" in connection with the Paula Jones case). The Senate impeachment vote fell roughly according to party lines with all Democrats voting "not guilty" on both counts - joined by 5 and 10 "left-leaning" Republicans, respectively (making the counts 55-45 and 50-50 in favor of the verdicts). Although in the former case a majority of Senators voted to convict, two thirds majority being necessary to remove him from office.
[[David Gergen]], former White House Communications Director for both Presidents Reagan and Clinton, summarized the sentiments of many regarding the President's conduct:
{{Cquote|The deep and searing violation took place when he not only lied to the country, but co-opted his friends and lied to them....when you have gone over the line, you won't bring others into it...You don't foul the nest."<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/quinn110298.htm In Washington, That Letdown Feeling], By Sally Quinn, ''The Washington Post'', November 2, 1998, Page E01</ref>}}
Clinton lost his law license in Arkansas because he had committed perjury before a Federal judge.
It was during this scandal that Clinton famously stated: "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is".<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/21/newsid_2525000/2525339.stm</ref>
===Terrorist pardons===
On August 11, 1999, President Clinton offered clemency to members of the [[Armed Forces of National Liberation]] (FALN) [[terrorist]] group. <ref>[http://rpc.senate.gov/_files/92199CoddlingTerrorists.pdf U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee] testimony available at http://www.senate.gov/~judiciary/wl91599.htm, ''The Tampa Tribune'', S.J.Res. 33 (passed 95-2).</ref> On January 24, 1975 the FALN bombed Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan killing four people. Over a six-year period, the group claimed responsibility for more than 100 bombings that took six lives and injured some 130 people.<ref>[http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/puertorico/sep4.htm Clinton Pardons Terror], ''New York Post'', August 13, 1999. rtetrieve from http://www.latinamericanstudies.org September 14, 2007.</ref>
== Legacy ==
Clinton has spent much of time since leaving office working for charitable causes such as support and fund-raising for the victims of AIDS and the Asian tsunami. In the case of the Indian Ocean tsunami, he teamed with former president [[George H.W. Bush]] to raise money for relief efforts.
Bill Clinton's wife, [[Hillary_Rodham_Clinton|Hillary Clinton]], was elected Senator to New York in 2000. She was reelected in 2006. While his wife is now seeking financial donations for the [[2008_Presidential_Election#Declared_Democratic_Party_Candidates|Democratic presidential nomination in 2008]] may face a felony conviction that carries with it a five year sentence, according to WorldNetDaily, for receiving $1.9 million to her Senate Campaign in illegal donations,<ref>[http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55320 'Smoking gun' tape indicts Hillary] Art Moore, WorldNetDaily.com, April 21, 2007.</ref> Bill Clinton has refused to make known the identities of financial donors to his Presidential library.<ref>[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/09/clinton-libary-.html Clinton Library Donors Remain Secret], [[ABC News]], September 27, 2007.</ref>
===Troopergate===
==Involvement in Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign==
Clinton has been criticized by both liberals and conservatives for his actions in his wife's presidential campaign. [[Time Magazine]], hardly a conservative source, referred to him as "his wife's attack dog". <ref>http://media.www.tuftsdaily.com/media/storage/paper856/news/2008/01/28/OpEd/Editorial.On.The.Campaign.Trail.Bill.Clinton.Should.Keep.His.Mouth.Shut-3171498.shtml</ref> Some accused him of racism for comparing [[Barack Obama]] to [[Jesse Jackson]] when Bill Clinton commented on the campaign trail in [[South Carolina]] in 2008: "Jesse Jackson won South Carolina in '84 and '88. Jackson ran a good campaign. And Obama ran a good campaign here." <ref>http://www.rightwingnews.com/mt331/2008/01/jesse_jackson_barack_obama_wha.php</ref> Time Magazine further editorialized that he had broken his strong bond with the African-American community in the process of campaigning. <ref>Time Magazine, February 4, 2008</ref>
Clinton issued 141 pardons and 36 commutations on his last day in office on January 20, 2001.<ref name="The Survivor" /><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/20010120/aponline135239_000.htm "Clinton Pardon's List"], ''[[Associated Press]] via [[The Washington Post]]'', 2001-01-20</ref> Most of the controversy surrounded [[Marc Rich]] and allegations that Hillary Clinton's brother, [[Hugh Rodham]], accepted payments in return for influencing the president's decision-making regarding the pardons.<ref>{{cite news |title=Clinton pardons: Cast of characters |publisher=BBC |date=February 22, 2001 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1184118.stm |accessdate=2006-12-21 }}</ref> Some of Clinton's pardons remain a point of controversy.<ref>Curl, Joseph, [http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070706/NATION/107060099/1001 "Clintons hit over Libby criticism"], ''[[Washington Post]]''</ref>
Clinton received a "Pants on Fire" award from [[PolitiFact]] for denying that he said the Obama campaign "played the race card." <ref> http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/452/ Denies that he said the Obama campaign "played the race card."
</ref>
</ref>
Clinton received a second "Pants on Fire" award from [[PolitiFact]] for this false statement to a Boonville, Indiana
crowd on April 10th, 2008. {{cquote| Hillary (Clinton), one time late at night when she was exhausted, misstated and immediately apologized for it, what happened to her in Bosnia in 1995.}} <ref> http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/428/ "Hillary (Clinton), one time late at night when she was exhausted, misstated and immediately apologized for it, what happened to her in Bosnia in 1995."</ref>
{{main|William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park}}
==See also==
*[[Institute for Policy Studies]]
*[[Gay Bomb]]
[[Image:Billclinton 1.jpg|thumb|upright|Clinton speaks at [[Knox College (Illinois)|Knox College]] June 2, 2007.]]
== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}
==Further reading==
==External links==
<small>
* Clinton, Bill. ''[[My Life (Bill Clinton autobiography)|My Life]]''. (2004). ISBN 0-375-41457-6.
*[http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=625 No evidence of genocide or ethnic cleansing in Kosovo], by Rollie Keith, Global Research, July 2, 2005.
*[http://www.zmag.org/crisescurevts/germandocs.htm Internal Documents from Germany's Foreign Office Regarding Pre-Bombardment Genocide in Kosovo].
*--- (with [[Al Gore]]). ''[http://www.gcrio.org/USCCAP/toc.html The Climate Change Action Plan].'' Washington, DC: The White House, October, 1993.
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/author/bill-clinton/ What Liberals Say - Bill Clinton], [[Accuracy In Media]].</small>
* --- (with Al Gore). ''[http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/JPODOCS/BRIEFING/7423.pdf Technology for America’s economic growth, a new direction to build economic strength].'' Washington, DC: The White House, February 22, 1993.
{{USPresidents}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clinton, Bill}}
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:Spouses of United States Senators]]
[[Category:Arkansas Governors]]
[[Category:Time magazine Persons of the Year]]
[[Category:Democrat Governors]]