biography
| name: |
Clinton, Bill
|
| |
popular name of William Jefferson Clinton, born William Jefferson Blythe
|
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1946– )
|
| biography:
| US statesman and 42nd president (1993–2000), born in Hope, Arkansas, USA. His father, William Blythe, died in a car accident three months before he was born, and he was adopted by his stepfather, Roger Clinton. As a youth, he thrilled to John F Kennedy's promise, especially when he shook Kennedy's hand in the Rose Garden in 1963. He went to Georgetown University and then to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and received what would become a controversial draft deferment during the Vietnam War. He graduated from Yale Law School (1973) and married Hillary Rodham, a fellow Yale law student (1975). A committed Democrat, he was attorney general of Arkansas (1977–9), then won the governor's seat in 1978. Not re-elected in 1980, he went through a period of soul-searching and made a comeback in 1982, becoming governor again. He was re-elected in 1984, 1986, and 1990 and was named ‘the most effective’ by his fellow governors. Overcoming serious charges involving alleged extramarital affairs and questions about his draft deferment, he won the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992. He was accused of ‘waffling’ in his campaign speeches, but he kept the pressure on incumbent George Bush by focusing on the economic plight of many Americans. He won the three-way presidential race with 43% of the popular vote and 370 out of 525 electoral votes. His inauguration was notable for the participation of rock stars, poets, and the public at large, all of which led many to see his administration as the passing of the torch to a new generation, but he faced an enormous national debt and a country fragmented by social strife. He was re-elected in 1996. From the outset of his national career, he was dogged by stories of financial improprieties and sexual misconduct. Despite the efforts of two special prosecutors, charges of criminality in his Whitewater real estate investments and other ventures proved groundless. In 1998 his sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky came to light and led, along with the sexual harassment charges of Paula Jones, to his impeachment by the House of Representatives in December. A Senate trial followed, and he was acquitted of perjury and of obstruction of justice in February 1999. Despite the controversies that culminated in his impeachment, Clinton governed from the centre of American politics. His economic policies helped to produce a balanced budget, he joined Republicans in reforming the welfare system and saw a reduction of the crime rate. Sustained prosperity helped to keep his job ratings at a high level during his second term. In foreign policy, Clinton pushed for peace initiatives in Haiti, Ireland, and the Middle East. He maintained the existing policy towards Iraq, and oversaw the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into Eastern Europe. Few major foreign policy crises occurred during his administrations. His historical reputation will depend on how his personal life is viewed in the perspective of his political career. |
|
|
