Bill Clinton

Un article de Vev.

Modèle:Pp-semi-protected Modèle:Infobox President

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III<ref name="whitehouse.gov bio">Biography of William J. Clinton, The White House</ref> on August 19 1946) was the forty-second President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. Before his presidency, Clinton served nearly twelve years as the 50th and 52nd Governor of Arkansas. He was the third-youngest president, older only than Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. He became president at the end of the Cold War, and is known as the first baby boomer president, as he was born in the period after the Second World War.<ref>Marc Sandalow, Clinton Era Marked by Scandal, Prosperity: 1st Baby Boomer in White House Changed Notions of Presidency, San Francisco Chronicle; January 14, 2001</ref>

Clinton was described as a New Democrat and was mainly responsible for the Third Way philosophy of governance that came to epitomize his two terms as president.<ref>Joe Klein, 'The Natural': The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton, 2003, ISBN 0-7679-1412-0</ref> His policies, on issues such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, have been described as "centrist."<ref>William Safire, "Essay; Looking Beyond Peace," New York Times, December 6, 1993.</ref> <ref>Michael Duffy, "Secrets Of," Time Magazine, Nov 29, 1993.</ref> Clinton presided over the longest period of peace-time economic expansion in American history, which included a balanced budget and a federal surplus.<ref name = "economic expansion">whitehouse.gov -- April 2, 1999: The Longest Peacetime Expansion in History</ref><ref> Library of Congress - House Report 105-648 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 1999

.</ref> His presidency was also quickly challenged. On the heels of a failed attempt at health care reform with a Democratic Congress, Republicans won control of the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years.<ref>H-net Online Book Review: Benjamin Ginsberg and Alan Stone, eds. Do Elections Matter. Third Edition. Armonk, N.Y. (1997)</ref> In his second term he was impeached by the U.S. House for perjury<ref>Clinton impeached December 19, 1998</ref>, but was subsequently acquitted by the United States Senate and completed his term.<ref>Washingtonpost.com Clinton Accused - Special report.</ref>

Clinton left office with a 65% approval rating, the highest end-of-presidency rating of any President that came into office after World War II. However, public reaction to the Lewinsky scandal left a mixed impression about his personal character. Since leaving office, Clinton has been involved in public speaking and humanitarian work. He created the William J. Clinton Foundation to promote and address international causes, such as treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS and global warming. In 2004, he released a personal autobiography, My Life. His wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is the Junior United States Senator from the state of New York, where they both currently reside, and a Democratic candidate for president in the 2008 election.

Sommaire 1 Biography 1.1 Early life and education 1.2 Early political career 1.2.1 Governor of Arkansas 1.2.2 Campaign for the Democratic nomination 1.2.3 Presidential Election 2 Presidency, 1993–2001 2.1 First term, 1993–1997 2.2 Second term, 1997–2001 2.3 Legislation and programs 2.4 Supreme Court appointments 3 Public approval 4 Public image 5 Post-presidential career 5.1 Public speaking and campaigning 5.2 William J. Clinton Presidential Center 5.3 Published Work 5.4 William Clinton Foundation 5.5 Relations with George H. W. Bush 5.6 Environment 5.7 Personal health 6 Honors and accolades 7 Other Awards and Nominations 7.1 Nominations 8 Controversies 8.1 Impeachment and trial in the Senate 8.2 Disbarment 8.3 Administrative controversy 8.4 Pardons and campaign finance 8.5 Sexual assault allegation 8.6 Clinton and the death penalty 9 Gallery 10 See also 11 References 12 Further reading 12.1 Primary sources 12.2 Popular books 12.3 Academic studies 13 External links

Biography

Early life and education

William Jefferson Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III in Hope, Arkansas, and raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His father was William Jefferson Blythe, Jr., a traveling salesman, who died in a car accident three months prior to the birth of his son.<ref name="whitehouse.gov bio">Biography of William J. Clinton, The White House</ref> In 1950, his mother, Virginia Dell Cassidy (1923-1994), married Roger Clinton, a partner with his brother in an automobile dealership.<ref name="My Life">My Life, Bill Clinton, Random House, 2004, ISBN 0-375-41457-6</ref>

It was not until Billy (as he was known then) turned 14 that he formally adopted his stepfather's surname of Clinton, although he had assumed use of it prior to that. Clinton has said that he remembers his stepfather as a gambler and an alcoholic who regularly abused his mother and, at times, his half-brother, Roger, Jr.<ref name="My Life">My Life, Bill Clinton, Random House, 2004, ISBN 0-375-41457-6</ref><ref name="First In His Class">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref>

In Hot Springs, Clinton attended St. John's Catholic Elementary School, Ramble Elementary School, and Hot Springs High School - where he was an active student leader, avid reader, and musician.<ref> President Bill Clinton's Hometown Homepage

. Retrieved on 2007-02-01. </ref> 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:

Modèle:Cquote

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">My Life, Bill Clinton, Random House, 2004, ISBN 0-375-41457-6</ref><ref name="First In His Class">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref> The other was listening to Martin Luther King's 1963 I Have a Dream speech (which he memorized).<ref> It All Began in a Place Called Hope

. Retrieved on 2007-01-02. </ref>

Clinton was also a member of Youth Order of DeMolay, but he never actually became a Freemason.<ref> Famous Non-Masons

. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. </ref> He is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi's National Honorary Band Fraternity, Inc. With the aid of scholarships, Clinton attended the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., receiving a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (B.S.F.S.) degree in 1968. It was at Georgetown that he interned for Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright.<ref name="My Life">My Life, Bill Clinton, Random House, 2004, ISBN 0-375-41457-6</ref> While in college he became a brother of Alpha Phi Omega and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.<ref> Clinton, brother of Alpha Phi Omega

.</ref>

Upon graduation he won a Rhodes Scholarship to University College, Oxford where he studied government.<ref name="First In His Class">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref> 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 protests, including organizing an October 1969 Moratorium event.<ref name="My Life">My Life, Bill Clinton, Random House, 2004, ISBN 0-375-41457-6</ref> In later life he admitted to smoking cannabis at the university, but claimed that he "never inhaled".<ref name="First In His Class">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref>

After Oxford, Clinton attended Yale Law School and obtained a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in 1973.<ref name="First In His Class">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref> While at Yale, he began dating law student Hillary Rodham who was a year ahead of him. They married in 1975 and their only child, Chelsea, was born in 1980.

Early political career

Governor of Arkansas

After graduating from Yale Law School, Clinton returned to Arkansas and became a University of Arkansas law professor. A year later, in 1974, he ran for the House of Representatives. The incumbent, John Paul Hammerschmidt, defeated Clinton with 52% of the vote. In 1976, Clinton was elected Attorney General of Arkansas without opposition in the general election.<ref name="First In His Class">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref> Modèle:See

In 1978, Bill Clinton was elected Governor of Arkansas for the first time; at 32, he was the youngest governor in the country. He worked on educational reform and the infrastructure of Arkansas's roads, but his first term also was fraught with difficulties, including an unpopular motor vehicle tax and citizens' anger over the escape of Cuban refugees (from the Mariel boatlift) detained in Fort Chaffee in 1980. A political maverick, Monroe Schwarzlose of Kingsland in Cleveland County, polled a surprising 31% of the vote against Clinton in the 1980 Democratic gubernatorial primary. Some suggested that Schwarzlose's unexpected voter turnout foreshadowed Clinton's defeat in the general election that year by 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">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref>

Modèle:See

In 1982, Clinton reclaimed his old job as governor and kept it for another 10 years, helping Arkansas transform its economy and significantly improving the state's educational system. He became a leading figure among the New Democrats.<ref name="The Natural">The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton, Joe Klein, 2003, ISBN 0-7679-1412-0</ref> The New Democrats, organized within the 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">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref>

Clinton made economic growth, job creation and educational improvement high priorities of his administration. He removed the sales tax from medicine for senior citizens and increased the home property tax exemption for the elderly. Clinton was also responsible for some state educational improvement programs, notably more spending for schools, rising opportunities for gifted children, an increase in vocational education, and raising of teachers' salaries.<ref name="First In His Class">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref><ref name="The Natural">The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton, Joe Klein, 2003, ISBN 0-7679-1412-0</ref>

Clinton's approach answered conservative criticism during his terms as governor, but personal and business transactions made by the Clintons during this period became the basis of the Whitewater investigation, which dogged his later presidential administration.<ref name="Clinton Wars">The Clinton Wars, ISBN 0-374-12502-3, 2003, ISBN ISBN 0-374-12502-3</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">First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton, David Maraniss, Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0684818900</ref><ref name="The Survivor">The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House, John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref>

Campaign for the Democratic nomination

Modèle:See There was some media speculation in 1987 that Clinton would enter the race for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination after then-New York Governor Mario Cuomo declined to run and Democratic front-runner Gary Hart left the nomination owing to revelations about marital infidelity. Then often called the "Boy Governor" because of his youthful appearance, Clinton decided to remain as Arkansas governor and postpone his presidential ambitions until 1992.<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> Clinton then endorsed Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis for the nomination. He did, however, give the opening night address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention, a nationally-televised speech that introduced him to the American public, but was criticized for its length. 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">Joe Klein, The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton (2003; ISBN 0-7679-1412-0).</ref><ref name="The Choie">Bob Woodward, The Choice: How Clinton Won (1996; ISBN 0-684-81308-4).</ref>

In 1992, Clinton was the early favorite of the Democratic Party for the presidential nomination and was able to garner the support of many superdelegates even before the first nominating contests were conducted.<ref name="First In His Class"/> However, Clinton's presidential bid ran into difficulty in the opening weeks. First he finished well behind in the Iowa caucus, which was largely uncontested due to the presence of Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, who subsequently won. Secondly the campaign encountered difficulty when, during the New Hampshire Primary campaign, revelations of a possible extramarital affair with Gennifer Flowers began to surface. Clinton and his wife Hillary decided to go on 60 Minutes following the Super Bowl to refute these charges of infidelity, as Clinton had fallen far behind former Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas in the New Hampshire polls.<ref name="First In His Class" />

Their television appearance was a calculated risk, but it seemed to pay off as Clinton regained several delegates. He finished second to Tsongas in the New Hampshire primary, but the media viewed it as a moral victory for Clinton, since he came within single digits of winning after trailing badly in the polls. Clinton shrewdly labeled himself "The Comeback Kid" on election night to help foster this perception and came out of New Hampshire as the leader by a large percentage. Tsongas, on the other hand, picked up little or no momentum from his victory.<ref name="First In His Class" />

Clinton used his new-found momentum to win many of the Democratic Southern primaries, including the big prizes of Florida and Texas, and build up a sizable delegate lead over his opponents in the race for the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination. However, there were still some doubts whether he could secure the nomination, as former California Governor Jerry Brown was scoring victories elsewhere and Clinton had yet to win a significant contest outside of his native South.<ref name="First In His Class" /><ref name="The Choie" />

With no major Southern state remaining on the primary calendar, Clinton targeted the New York primary, which contained a large number of delegates and was to be his proving ground. He scored a resounding victory in New York City. He finally shed his image as a regional candidate.<ref name="The Choie" /> 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" />

Presidential Election

Main article: United States presidential election, 1992

Modèle:See also

Clinton won the 1992 presidential election (43.0% of the vote) against Republican incumbent George H. W. Bush (37.4% of the vote) and billionaire populist H. Ross Perot, who ran as an independent (18.9% of the vote) on a platform focusing on domestic issues; a large part of his success was Bush's steep decline in public approval. Previously described as "unbeatable" because his approval ratings were in the 80% range during the Persian Gulf conflict, Bush saw his public approval rating drop to just over 40% by election time because of a souring economy.<ref name="The Choie">The choice: how Clinton won, Bob Woodward,1996, ISBN 0-684-81308-4</ref>

Additionally, Bush reneged on his promise not to raise taxes when he compromised with Democrats in an attempt to lower the Federal deficits; this hurt his approval rating among conservatives. Clinton capitalized on Bush's policy switch, repeatedly condemning the president for making a promise he failed to keep.<ref name="The Choie">The choice: how Clinton won, Bob Woodward, 1996, ISBN 0-684-81308-4</ref>

Finally, Bush's party base was in disarray. Conservatives had previously been united by anti-communism, but with the end of the Cold War, new issues would have to emerge. The 1992 Republican National Convention was perceived by some moderate voters to have been uninspiring and usurped by religious conservatives.<ref> Le Beau , Bryan

.    The Political Mobilization of the New Christian Right 
. Creighton University 
   

. Retrieved on 2006-12-01. </ref> All of this worked in Clinton's favor. Clinton could point to his moderate, "New Democrat" record as governor of Arkansas, though some on the far left remained suspicious of him leading up to the election.<ref>«  »</ref> Many Democrats who had supported Ronald Reagan and Bush in previous elections switched their allegiance to Clinton.<ref> Clinton beats Bush to the White House, BBC News, 1992

.</ref>

His election ended an era of Republican rule of the White House for the previous 12 years, and 20 of the previous 24 years. The election also gave the Democrats full control of both branches of Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Clinton was the first president to enjoy this privilege since Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s.

However, questions of conflict of interest regarding state business and the politically powerful Rose Law Firm, at which Hillary Rodham Clinton was a partner, arose during the campaign. Further controversy arose when Bill Clinton announced that voters would be getting two presidents "for the price of one". Considering Hillary Clinton's prominent role in the administration, especially in such projects such as health care, adoption and foster care reform, and foreign policy, "co-presidents" became a popular deragotary term for the Clintons among conservatives.

Presidency, 1993–2001

Main articles: Clinton Administration and Foreign policy of the Clinton Administration

Modèle:Infobox U.S. Cabinet

First term, 1993–1997

Clinton was inaugurated on January 20, 1993 as the 42nd President of the United States. In his inaugural address he declared that:

Modèle:Cquote

Shortly after taking office, Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which required large employers to allow their employees to take unpaid leave because of pregnancy or a serious medical condition. While this action was popular, Clinton's attempt to fulfill another campaign promise of allowing openly homosexual men and women to serve in the armed forces was the subject of criticism. His handling of the issue garnered criticism from the left (for being too tentative in promoting gay rights) and the right (for being too insensitive to military life). After much debate, Congress implemented the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, stating that homosexual men and women may serve in the military as long as their sexuality is kept secret. Later in his presidency, in 1999, Clinton said he did not "think any serious person could say" that the way the policy was being implemented was not "out of whack".<ref>President seeks better implementation of 'do not ask, do not tell' - CNN, 1999-12-11 </ref> Some gay rights advocates criticized Clinton for not going far enough and accused him of making his campaign promise simply to get votes and contributions.<ref>Stranger Among Friends. - book reviews - John Cloud, Washington Monthly, November 1996</ref><ref>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 felt Clinton should have integrated the military by executive order, noting that President Harry Truman ended racial segregation of the armed forces in that manner. Clinton's defenders argued that an executive order might have prompted the Senate, which then had a Democratic majority, to write the exclusion of gays into law, potentially making it even harder to integrate the military in the future.<ref name="The Natural">The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton, Joe Klein, 2003, ISBN 0-7679-1412-0</ref>

The Clinton-Gore administration launched the first official White House website on 21 October, 1994.<ref>"

   Welcome to the White House 
     
 "
  . Retrieved on 2007-06-06
 . </ref><ref>"
   The Clinton White House Web Site 
     
 "
  . Retrieved on 2007-06-06
 . </ref> It was followed by three more versions, resulting in the final edition launched in 2000.<ref>"
   Welcome to the White House 
     
 "
  . Retrieved on 2007-06-06
 . </ref><ref>"
   The Clinton White House Web Site: Part 2: Preserving the Clinton White House Web Site 
     
 "
  . Retrieved on 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 17 July 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>   Longley , Robert 
     
 

.    The Clinton White House Web Site: Part 1: Perhaps the most important Web site in American history 
. About.com 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-06-06. </ref>

Also in 1993, Clinton promoted another controversial issue, this time regarding free trade when he supported the North American Free Trade Agreement for ratification by the U.S. Senate. Clinton, along with most of his Democratic Leadership Committee allies, strongly supported free trade measures, however there was strong opposition from within the main democratic party. 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 1 January 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">The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House, John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref>

One of the most prominent items on Clinton's legislative agenda was a health care reform plan, the result of a taskforce headed by Hillary Clinton, 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 that the program failed because of a lack of co-ordination within the White House.<ref name="The Survivor">The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House, John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref> Despite his party holding a majority in the House and Senate, 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">The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton, Joe Klein, 2003, ISBN 0-7679-1412-0</ref><ref name="The Survivor">The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House, John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref>

Two months later, after two years of Democratic Party control under Clinton's leadership, the mid-term elections in 1994 proved disastrous for the Democrats. This was the first time the Democratic Party had lost control of both houses of Congress in 40 years.

In August 1993, Clinton signed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, which passed Congress without a single Republican vote. It raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.2% of taxpayers,<ref> 1994 State of the Union Address

.</ref> while cutting taxes for 15 million low-income families and making tax cuts available to 90% of small businesses.<ref> Presidential Press Conference - 08/03/1993

.</ref> Additionally, it mandated that the budget be balanced over a number of years, through the implementation of spending restraints.

Second term, 1997–2001

In the 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 candidate Ross Perot (8.4% of the popular vote), becoming the first Democrat to win reelection to the presidency 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 Electoral College votes, with Dole receiving 159 electoral votes.

On January 21, 1998, a controversy was raised by the media and prominent Republicans<ref>"

   Time Line 
     
 " , Washington Post Special Report: Clinton Accused , The Washington Post
  , September 13, 1998
  , p. A32
   
 . </ref> over Clinton's relationship with a young White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, resulting in the Lewinsky scandal.<ref name="The Survivor">The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House, John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref> In a lame duck session after the 1998 elections, the Republican-controlled House voted to impeach Clinton for matters related to the scandal. The Republican-controlled Senate then voted to acquit Clinton the following year, and he remained in office to complete his term.<ref>   Clinton acquitted by Senate, CNN, 1999 

 

.</ref>

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, enacted by Clinton on October 21, 1998, served as the first significant amendment to the Copyright Act since 1976. The DMCA extended the protection of intellectual property to outlaw reverse engineering of digital protection. It also provided a framework for 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>Modèle:Cite press release</ref>

The Elián González affair took prominent stage during early 2000. The boy survived a boat wreck as his family fled from Cuba, but his mother died, setting off an international legal fight for where the boy should stay. Eventually the administration, via Janet Reno, had González forcefully obtained and returned to Cuba.

Two notable military events occurred during Clinton's second term. The first was Operation Desert Fox, a bombing campaign designed to weaken Saddam Hussein's grip on power over Iraq. The four-day campaign lasted from December 16 to December 19, 1998. It began after Clinton signed H.R. 4655 into law on October 31, 1998, which instituted a policy of "regime change" against Iraq, though it explicitly stated that it did not speak to the use of American military forces.<ref>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>The Iraq Liberation Act, Statement by the President, Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release, October 31, 1998</ref> The law was signed months after his State of the Union Address to Congress where Clinton warned Congress of Saddam Hussein's pursuit of nuclear weapons:

Modèle:Cquote

The second was Operation Allied Force, a 1999 NATO bombing campaign against the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Clinton authorized the use of American troops in the mission to stop the ethnic cleansing and genocide<ref>Cohen, William (April 7, 1999). "Secretary Cohen's Press Conference at NATO Headquarters".</ref><ref>Clinton, Bill (June 25, 1999). "Press Conference by the President".</ref> of Albanians at the hands of the nationalist Serbians. General Wesley Clark was Supreme Allied Commander of NATO at the time and oversaw the mission. The bombing campaign ended on June 10, 1999, with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 adopted that same day, placing Kosovo under UN administration and authorizing a peacekeeping force.<ref>Resolution 1244 adopted by the United Nations Security Council on June 10 1999.</ref> NATO claimed to have suffered zero deaths in combat,<ref name="roblect">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 — Actors, Interactions, Perceptions, Security". Retrieved January 25 2007.</ref> and two deaths total from an Apache helicopter crash.<ref>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 Clinton and his administration as greatly exaggerated.<ref>Pilger, John (September 4, 2000). "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 that genocide did not take place, although it did recognize, "a systematic campaign of terror, including murders, rapes, arsons and severe maltreatments".<ref>"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>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>"The charges against Milosevic". (July 5, 2004). BBC.</ref>

In the closing year of his administration, Clinton attempted to address the Arab-Israeli conflict. After initial successes such as the Oslo accords of the early-1990s, the situation had quietly deteriorated, breaking down completely with the start of the Second Intifada. Clinton brought Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat together at Camp David.<ref name="The Survivor">The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House, John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref> However, Barak and Arafat could not find common ground, and the negotiations were ultimately unsuccessful.<ref name="The Survivor">The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House, John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref>

In November 2000, Clinton became the first president to visit Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War.<ref>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> Langer , Gary

  . 
 "
   Historical Presidential Approval Ratings 
     
 " , abcnews.go.com
  , January 17, 2001
 
  . Retrieved on 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>   Historical Budget Data 
 (PDF)
. Congressional Budget Office 
 
 (January 26, 2006)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-01-20. </ref>

Legislation and programs

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 Bill 1994-09-13 - Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, part of an omnibus crime bill, the federal death penalty was expanded to some 60 different offenses (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 terrorists. 1996-04-09 - Line Item Veto Act 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 marriages, 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

Major legislation vetoed national budget H.R. 1833, partial birth abortion ban Twice vetoed welfare reform before signing the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Congress overrode the veto, however, to enact the bill into law. Proposals not passed by Congress 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 settlement agreement. Initiated the Don't ask, don't tell policy toward 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. Extraordinary rendition got approval for the first time in the USA from the Clinton administration.

Supreme Court appointments

Clinton appointed the following justices to the Supreme Court:

• Ruth Bader Ginsburg - 1993
• Stephen Breyer - 1994<ref> Appointment and swearing in of Justice Breyer, 1994

.</ref>

Public approval

While Clinton's job approval rating varied over the course of his first term, ranging from a low of 36% in mid-1993 to a high of 64% in late-1993 and early-1994,<ref> Job Performance Ratings for President Clinton

. Retrieved on 2006-02-25. </ref> his job approval rating consistently ranged from the high-50s to the high-60s in his second term.<ref>Bill Clinton: Job Ratings - PollingReport.com</ref> Clinton's approval rating reached its highest point at 73% approval in the aftermath of the impeachment proceedings in 1998 and 1999.<ref>Poll: Clinton's approval rating up in wake of impeachment - CNN, 1998-12-20</ref>

A CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup poll conducted as he was leaving office, revealed deeply contradictory attitudes regarding Clinton.<ref>Poll: Majority of Americans glad Clinton is leaving office - Keating Holland, CNN, 2001-01-10</ref> Although his approval rating at 68% was higher than that of any other departing president since polling began more than seventy years earlier, only 45% said they would miss him. While 55% thought he "would have something worthwhile to contribute and should remain active in public life", 68% thought he would be remembered for his "involvement in personal scandal" rather than his accomplishments as president, 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>Poll: Majority of Americans glad Clinton is leaving office - Keating Holland, CNN, 2001-01-10</ref>

In recent public rankings of American presidents, Bill Clinton ranked highly. The Gallup Organization published a poll in February 2007 that asked 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 that asked respondents to name the best president since World War II, Clinton ranked second with 25% of the vote, 3% behind Ronald Reagan. However, in the same poll, when respondents were asked to name the worst president since World War II, Clinton came in third with 16% of the vote, 1% behind Nixon and 18% behind George W. Bush. <ref> Presidents and History

. pollingreport.com  
 

 

. Retrieved on 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>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 — and he's done a heck of a good job."<ref>Poll: Clinton Legacy Mixed, ABCNews.com, January 17, 2001.</ref>

Public image

As the first Baby Boomer president, Clinton was the first president in a half-century not to have been shaped by World War II. The public image of Clinton was important throughout his presidency and his innovative use of soundbite-ready dialogue, personal charisma, and public perception-oriented campaigning is stated by authors Martin Walker and Bob Woodward as one of the major reasons for his high public approval ratings.<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> With his pioneering use of pop culture in his campaigning, such as playing the saxophone on The Arsenio Hall Show, Clinton was sometimes described by religious conservatives as "the MTV president".<ref> Bresler , Robert J.

  . 
 "
   The Muddled Meaning of the 2000 Election 
     
 " , USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education)
  , January 2001
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-01-02
 . </ref>

Clinton was also very popular among African Americans and made improving race relations a major theme of his presidency.<ref>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> Morrison , Toni

     (October 1998)
   
.    Clinton as the first black president 
. The New Yorker 
   

. Retrieved on 2006-12-01. </ref>

Standing over 6'2.5" tall (1.88 m), Clinton was one of the tallest U.S. Presidents in the nation's history.<ref>«  »</ref><ref>«  »</ref>

Post-presidential career

Public speaking and campaigning

Clinton has engaged in a career as a public speaker on a variety of issues. In his speaking engagements around the world, he continues to comment on aspects of contemporary politics.<ref>Press release: 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. "Bill Clinton to speak at Class Day", The Daily Princetonian, 2006-04-18</ref> One notable theme is his advocacy of multilateral solutions to problems facing the world. Clinton's close relationship with the African American community has been highlighted in his post-presidential career with the opening of his personal office in the Harlem section of New York City.<ref> Clinton Is Welcome in Harlem

. Congressman Charles Rangel, Washington D.C. Office 
 
 (2001-02-14)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-03-25. </ref>

After the Clintons had moved to Chappaqua, New York, in the northern suburbs of New York City, at the end of his Presidency, he assisted his wife, Hillary Clinton, in her campaign for office as Senator from New York.<ref name = "historic win">"

   Hillary Rodham Clinton scores historic win in New York 
     
 " , CNN
  , 2000-11-08
 
  . Retrieved on 2006-08-22
 . </ref> Clinton also campaigned for a number of Democratic candidates for the Senate in the 2002 elections.<ref>   Clinton Campaign Blitz, CNN, 2002 

 

.</ref>

On July 26, 2004, Clinton spoke for the fifth consecutive time to the Democratic National Convention, using the opportunity to praise candidate John Kerry. In it, he criticized President George W. Bush's depiction of Kerry, saying that "strength and wisdom are not opposing values." Unfortunately for Kerry, despite Clinton's strong speech, the post-convention bounce to his poll numbers was less than was hoped for.<ref> Page , Susan

  . 
 "
   Poll: No boost for Kerry after convention 
     
 " , USA TODAY
  , August 1, 2004
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-02-01
 . </ref>

Clinton has given dozens of paid speeches each year since leaving office, mostly to corporations and philanthropic groups in North America and Europe, earning sums from $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 N.Y. Sun article.</ref> He earned more than $30 million in speaking fees from 2001 to 2005, according to his wife’s Senate ethics reports.<ref> Bill Clinton Ponders a role as 'First Gentlemen', NY Times, 2007

.</ref> In 2007, it is now estimated that he has amassed around $40 million (£20 million) from speaking fees.<ref> Forty Million Dollar Bill, Independent, 2007

.</ref>

Clinton is currently active supporting his wife Hillary Clinton as a Democratic candidate for the Presidential election of 2008. He has helped make public speeches supporting his wife and engaged in efforts to help raise funds for her campaign.<ref> Hillary Clinton's campaign has help: Bill, Associated Press, 2007

.</ref><ref> Clinton Raises $70,000 for Campaign, NY Times, 2007

.</ref><ref> Historic Campaign Financing, Chicago Times, 2007

.</ref>

In April 2007, Clinton made his first visit to new United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The 45-minute meeting, called at Clinton's request, touched on a host of topics, including the continuing human tragedy in Africa, especially in the Darfur region. The Middle East, the conflict in Iraq, and Iran's nuclear standoff with the U.N. were also on the agenda, as well as the continuing HIV/AIDS crisis.<ref>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.[1]

William J. Clinton Presidential Center

Main article: William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park

Clinton dedicated his presidential library, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, which has the largest archives of any presidential library, in Little Rock, Arkansas on November 18, 2004.<ref> Clinton Library open for business, BBC News, 2004

.</ref> Under rainy skies, Clinton received words of praise from former presidents Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush, as well as from the current president, George W. Bush. He was also treated to a musical rendition from Bono and The Edge from U2, who expressed their gratitude at Clinton's efforts to resolve the Northern Ireland conflict during his presidency.<ref> Opening of Clinton Library in Pictures, BBC News, 2004

.</ref>

Published Work

In 2004, Clinton released a personal autobiography, My Life. The book was published by the Knopf Publishing Group at Random House on June 22, 2004, and set a worldwide record for single day non-fiction book sales according to the publisher.<ref>Alfred A. Knopft (2004) 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. He received U.S. $12 million in advance as a writer's fee.<ref> Glaister , Dan

  . 
 "
   Oprah Winfrey book deal tops Clinton's $12 m 
     
 " , The Guardian
  , 22 May 2006
 
 . </ref>

In September 2007, he released a second book, Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, which also became a bestseller.<ref> New York Times Best Seller list for 9/23/07

. New York Times  
 

 

. Retrieved on 2007-09-18. </ref> The book is about citizen activism and the role of public charity and public service in the modern world.<ref> Bill Clintons New Book

. MSNBC  
 

 

. Retrieved on 2007-11-23. </ref>

William Clinton Foundation

Main article: 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.

The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), funded by the Clinton Foundation, was inaugurated September 15-September 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> Clinton Global Initiative

.</ref>

On May 3, 2005, 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.<ref> William J. Clinton Foundation announces agreement to reduce junk food in schools

.</ref>

Relations with George H. W. Bush

Clinton has also engaged in humanitarian work in cooperation with fellow former-President George H. W. Bush, specifically in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami disaster and Hurricane Katrina. They were later awarded on October 5, 2006, the 2006 Philadelphia Liberty Medal for their work on the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund and Bush-Clinton Tsunami Fund.<ref> 2006 Philadelphia Liberty Medal Award

.</ref> They also spoke together at the funeral of Boris Yeltsin.<ref> Former Presidents Bush, Clinton Represent U.S. at Boris Yeltsin's Funeral, Fox News, 2007

.</ref>

On January 3 2005, President George W. Bush named Clinton and George H. W. Bush to lead a nationwide campaign to help the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. On February 1, 2005, he was selected by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to head the United Nations earthquake and tsunami relief and reconstruction effort.<ref> Clinton named head of U.N. tsunami rebuilding, CNN, 2005

.</ref>

Five days later, Clinton appeared with Bush on the Super Bowl XXXIX pre-game show on Fox in support of their bipartisan effort to raise money for relief of the disaster through the USA Freedom Corps, an action which Bush described as "transcending politics".<ref> Senior Bush, Clinton to Appear at Super Bowl, Washington Post, 2005

.</ref> Thirteen days later, they traveled to the affected areas to see the relief efforts.<ref> Bush, Clinton end tsunami visit, BBC News, 2005

.</ref>

On August 31, 2005, following the devastation of the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina, Clinton again worked with George H. W. Bush to coordinate private relief donations, in a campaign similar to their earlier one in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami.<ref> Former Presidents announce storm grants, NY Times, 2005

.</ref>

Environment

On August 1, 2006, the William J. Clinton Foundation entered into a partnership with the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group to create the Clinton Foundation Climate Change Initiative (CCI), 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> Clinton Foundation and Climate Partnership, Press Release

.</ref>

On December 9, 2005, speaking at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal, Clinton publicly criticized the Bush administration for its handling of emissions control. Further, Clinton twice visited the University of California, Los Angeles in 2006 to promote initiatives concerning the environment. First, on August 1, 2006, he met with Tony Blair, Ken Livingstone, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Gavin Newsom to advertise the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group. On October 13, 2006, he spoke in favor of California Proposition 87 on alternative energy, which was voted down.<ref> Indravudh , Peach

  . 
 "
   Clinton backs Prop. 87 
     
 " , Daily Bruin , UCLA
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-07-19
 . </ref>

Personal health

On September 2, 2004, Clinton had an episode of angina and was evaluated at Northern Westchester Hospital. It was determined that he had not suffered 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 that, had he not had surgery, he would likely have suffered a massive heart attack within a few months.<ref> Vedantam , Shankar

  . 
 "
   Clinton's Heart Bypass Surgery Called a Success 
     
 " , The Washington Post
  , September 7, 2004
  , pp. A01
    . Retrieved on 2007-01-02
 . </ref> On March 10, 2005, he underwent a follow-up surgery to remove scar tissue and fluid from his left chest cavity, a result of his open-heart surgery.<ref>   Clinton follow-up surgery, International Herald Tribune, 2005 

 

.</ref> He has since recovered.

Honors and accolades

In 1998, Clinton was awarded the First Class with Collar Chain of the Order of the White Lion from the President of the Czech Republic.<ref>List of Individuals Awarded the Order of the White Lion </ref>

In December 1999, Clinton was among 18 included in Gallup's List of Widely Admired People of the 20th century, from a poll conducted of the American people.

Clinton received the 2000 International Charlemagne Prize of the city of Aachen (a prestigious European prize),<ref> International Prize of the city of Aachen (German)

.</ref> 2004 Grammy Award for 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, 2005 J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding,<ref> Fulbright prize to Clinton, 2006

.</ref> and 2007 TED Prize (named for the confluence of technology, entertainment and design).<ref>Acceptance speech.</ref>

On October 17, 2002, Clinton became the first white person to be inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.<ref>Campaign Season; Another First for Clinton at New York Times.com</ref>

He received an honorary doctorate of laws from Tulane University in New Orleans (along with George H. W. Bush),<ref> President Bill Clinton with an honorary doctorate of law

.</ref> and also from the University of Michigan.<ref> Bill Clinton Speaks at U. of Michigan

.</ref> He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Pace University's Lubin School of Business,<ref> Clinton kicks off centennial anniversary of university, 2006

.</ref> from Rochester Institute of Technology,<ref> Keynote speaker at RIT

.</ref> and from Knox College.<ref>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> Clinton School of Public service

.</ref>

On December 3, 2006, Clinton was made an 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> Jones , Lloyd

     (2005-12-03)
   
.    It's 'Chief Clinton' to you 
. news.com.au 
   

. Retrieved on 2006-12-03. </ref>

On June 2, 2007, Clinton, along with former president George H. Bush, received the International Freedom Conductor Award, for their help with the fund raising following the tsunami that devastated South Asia in 2004.<ref>freedomcenter.org</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> Clinton honoured in Kosovo, Reuters News

.</ref> A statue of Clinton was also built and a road was named Clinton Boulevard.

Other Awards and Nominations

Nominations

• The audiobook version of Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World was nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award in the category of Best Spoken Word Album.

Controversies

Main articles: Lewinsky scandal, Whitewater (controversy), Troopergate, and Paula Jones

Impeachment and trial in the Senate

Main article: Impeachment of Bill Clinton

In 1998, as a result of allegations that he had lied during grand jury testimony regarding his testimony during the Paula Jones civil deposition, Clinton was the second U.S. president to be impeached by the House of Representatives (the other being Andrew Johnson). The House held no serious impeachment hearings before the 1998 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 actually 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> The Republican leadership then called a lame duck session in December 1998 to hold impeachment proceedings.

Although the House Judiciary Committee hearings were perfunctory and ended in a straight party line vote, the debate on the floor of the House was lively. The two charges that were 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> 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> Clinton acquitted by Senate, CNN, 1999

.</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.

On February 12, 1999, the Senate concluded a 21-day trial with the vote on both counts falling short of the Constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority to convict and remove an office holder. The final vote was generally along party lines, with no Democrats voting guilty, although for both charges some Republicans voted not guilty. On the perjury charge 55 senators voted to acquit, including 10 Republicans, and 45 voted to convict; on the obstruction charge the Senate voted 50-50.<ref>"

   Clinton acquitted; president apologizes again 
     
 " , CNN
  , February 12, 1999
 
  . Retrieved on 2006-12-21
 . </ref> Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson, being the only two American presidents to be impeached, both served the remainder of their terms.

Disbarment

In a separate case, Clinton was disbarred from his Arkansas law license for five years and ordered to pay $25,000 in fines to that state's bar officials.<ref>"

   Clinton to contest Supreme Court suspension 
     
 " , CNN
  , October 2, 2001
 
  . Retrieved on 2006-12-21
 . </ref> The agreement came on the condition that Whitewater prosecutors would not pursue federal perjury charges against him.<ref>"
   Bill Clinton Disbarment to End 
     
 " , AP/11alive.com
  , January 18, 2006
 
  . Retrieved on 2006-12-21
 . </ref> In October 2001, Clinton was suspended by the Supreme Court and, facing disbarment from the high court as well, Clinton resigned from the Supreme Court bar in November.<ref>"
   Clinton asks to quit Supreme Court Bar 
     
 " , CNN.com
  , November 9, 2001
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-09-20
 . </ref>

Administrative controversy

Main articles: White House travel office controversy and White House FBI files controversy

The White House travel office controversy began on May 19, 1993, when several longtime employees of the White House Travel Office were fired. 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 could find 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> No substantial and credible evidence, CNN

.</ref><ref> Clinton FBI Files Scandal

.</ref>

Pardons and campaign finance

Main articles: Bill Clinton pardons controversy and 1996 United States campaign finance controversy

On his last day in office (January 20, 2001), Clinton issued 141 pardons and 36 commutations.<ref name="The Survivor">The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House, John F. Harris , 2005, ISBN 0-375-50847-3</ref><ref>"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>"

   Clinton pardons: Cast of characters 
     
 " , BBC
  , 22 February, 2001
 
  . Retrieved on 2006-12-21
 . </ref> Some of Clinton's pardons remain a point of controversy.<ref>Curl, Joseph, "Clintons hit over Libby criticism", Washington Post</ref>

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, "Chinese Embassy Role In Contributions Probed", Washington Post, February 13, 1997 </ref>

Sexual assault allegation

Main articles: Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick

Two claims of sexual misconduct on the part of Bill Clinton were alleged by Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick (referred to as Jane Doe #5 by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr), during the Clinton administration. Neither claim was proven in a court of law; neither claim ever resulted in charges being made. In the Willey case no charges were brought and with regard to a sexual allegation by Broaddrick, the Arkansas statute of limitations had long since expired, and Broaddrick's only sworn statement was a denial of the allegations she subsequently made.<ref> Clinton Accuser's Story Aired, Washington Post, 1999

.</ref>

Clinton and the death penalty

Clinton’s 1994 Omnibus Crime Bill expanded the application of the federal death penalty, to include crimes not resulting in death such as running a large-scale drug enterprise. Clinton remarked enthusiastically during his re-election campaign, "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> William J Clinton Foundation Speech by President to the People of New Orleans, LA, 1996

.</ref>

While campaigning for U.S. President, Clinton returned to Arkansas to see that Ricky Ray Rector would be executed. Rector's IQ was said to be around 70 due to brain damage received during a suicide attempt (after killing a police officer and a civilian, Rector shot himself in the head).^{[citation needed]}.

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</ref>

Gallery

Clinton with Jacques Chirac outside Élysée Palace.

Clinton meets Ryutaro Hashimoto at the Akasaka Palace.

Clinton and Jiang Zemin

Clinton (left) with Kim Dae-jung at APEC meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, on September 12, 1999

See also

Modèle:Further Modèle:Bill Clinton

References

Further reading

Primary sources

• Clinton, Bill. My Life. (2004). ISBN 0-375-41457-6.
• --- (with Al Gore). Science in the National Interest. Washington, DC: The White House, August 1994.
• --- (with Al Gore). The Climate Change Action Plan. Washington, DC: The White House, October, 1993.
• --- (with Al Gore). Technology for America’s economic growth, a new direction to build economic strength. Washington, DC: The White House, February 22, 1993.
• 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 (199Image:Cool.gif ISBN 1-891620-24-X
• George Stephanopoulos All Too Human: A Political Education (199Image:Cool.gif ISBN 0-316-92919-0
• S. Daniel Abraham 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 (199Image:Cool.gif ISBN 0-684-86296-4
• Dick Morris with Eileen McGann Because He Could (2004) ISBN 0-06-078415-6
• Roger Morris Partners in Power: The Clintons and Their America (1996) ISBN 0-89526-302-5
• 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 (199Image:Cool.gif 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

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• Extensive essay on Bill Clinton and shorter essays on each member of his cabinet and First Lady from the Miller Center of Public Affairs
• Full audio of a number of Clinton speeches via the Miller Center of Public Affairs (UVa)
• White House biography
• William J. Clinton Foundation official website
• Clinton Global Initiative official website
• Clinton Presidential Library official website
• Clinton Presidential Materials Project Archive of press releases and transcripts of speeches from the administration.
• Clinton School of Public Service
• Modèle:Worldcat id
• Modèle:Gutenberg author
• Modèle:Imdb name
• The Wanderer- A profile of Clinton in The New Yorker, 18 September 2006. Clinton's most extensive interview in his post-presidency
• Bill Clinton Coat of Arms - "Armigerous American Presidents Series" article from the American Heraldry Society.
• Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Bill Clinton

Modèle:S-offModèle:S-ppoModèle:S-legalModèle:S-precModèle:S-hon

Preceded by Joe Purcell	Governor of Arkansas 1979 – 1981	Succeeded by Frank D. White
Preceded by Frank D. White	Governor of Arkansas 1983 – 1992	Succeeded by Jim Guy Tucker
Preceded by Lamar Alexander Tennessee	Chairman of the National Governor's Association 1986 – 1987	Succeeded by John H. Sununu New Hampshire
Preceded by George H. W. Bush	President of the United States January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001	Succeeded by George W. Bush
Preceded by Jacques Chirac France	Chair of the G8 1997	Succeeded by Tony Blair United Kingdom
Preceded by Michael Dukakis	Democratic Party presidential candidate 1992, 1996	Succeeded by Al Gore
Preceded by Jim Guy Tucker	Attorney General of Arkansas 1977 – 1979	Succeeded by Steve Clark
Preceded by George H. W. Bush	United States order of precedence Former President of the United States	Succeeded by U.S. ambassadors (while at their posts; otherwise Condoleezza Rice)
Preceded by Ted Turner	Time's Man of the Year 1992	Succeeded by The Peacemakers: Nelson Mandela, F.W. de Klerk, Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin
Preceded by Andy Grove	Time's Men of the Year 1998 with Kenneth Starr	Succeeded by Jeffrey P. Bezos as Person of the Year

Modèle:USPresidents Modèle:USDemPresNominees Modèle:ARGovernors Modèle:Bill Clinton Modèle:Hillary Rodham Clinton

Modèle:Persondata Modèle:DEFAULTSORT:Clinton, Bill Modèle:Link FA Modèle:Link FAam: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 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 fr:Bill Clinton ga:William J. Clinton gl:William Jefferson Clinton ko:빌 클린턴 hy:Բիլ Քլինտոն hi:विलियम क्लिण्टन hr:Bill Clinton io:Bill Clinton id:Bill Clinton is:William Jefferson Clinton it:Bill Clinton he:ביל קלינטון kn:ಬಿಲ್ ಕ್ಲಿಂಟನ್ ka:ბილ კლინტონი la:Gulielmus Clinton lv:Bils Klintons lt:Bill Clinton jbo:bil.klinton hu:Bill Clinton ml:ബില്‍ ക്ലിന്റണ്‍ mr:विल्यम जेफरसन क्लिंटन ms: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 ro:Bill Clinton rm:Bill Clinton ru:Клинтон, Уильям Джефферсон sq:Bill Clinton simple:Bill Clinton sk:Bill Clinton sl:Bill Clinton sr:Бил Клинтон sh:Bill Clinton fi:Bill Clinton sv:Bill Clinton th:บิล คลินตัน vi:Bill Clinton tpi:Bill Clinton tr:Bill Clinton uk:Клінтон Білл yi:ביל קלינטאן zh:比尔·克林顿