Bill Clinton

Introduction

This paper will discuss the life and work of William Jefferson Blythe III @ Bill Clinton. It will summarize his early life, his rise in American politics, his achievements as the leader of the world’s superpower, his extremely infamous affair and his post-presidential career.

Early Life

The 42nd president of the United States of America was born on August 19, 1946 in Hope, Arkansas. Named after his father, who died 3 months before he was born, he was raised by his mother, Virginia Dell Cassidy and later his step-father, Roger Clinton. He assumed his last name “Clinton” legally when he was 14, according to Bill, his father was an alcoholic who regularly abused his mother and half-brother, Roger Jr.

Bill Clinton excelled while in high school, both academically and through extra-curricular activities. He was a talented saxophonist and at a point, considered dedicating his life to music. However, his interest in politics surfaced after a class trip to the White House to meet the current president then, John F. Kennedy. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Foreign Services at Georgetown University. He won a scholarship to University College, Oxford. After Oxford, Juris Doctor Degree from Yale Law school. It was here that he met his wife Hilary Rodham. They wedded in 1975 and were blessed with a daughter, Chelsea in 1980.

Political Career

In 1978, Bill Clinton was elected Governor of Arkansas. He was defeated for a second term due to an unpopular motor vehicle tax and anger by the public over escaped Cuban prisoners. However, in 1982 he won back the post and it was during his time as the 52nd Governor of Arkansas that he began to rise in great heights.

He was elected as president in 1992 when he won against George H.W. Bush by 43% of the votes. During his administration, the U.S enjoyed the most peace and economic well being than any other time in history. He achieved budget surplus, achieved the lowest unemployment rate of modern times, the lowest inflation rate in three decades, the highest home ownership in the country's history, dropping crime rates in many places, and reduced welfare rolls. The States had five consecutive years of real wage growth, after declining 4.3 percent during the two preceding administrations. This represented the longest consecutive increase since a period in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Record breaking home ownership at 2/3 of households being homeowners with minority homeownership also reaching new heights represented another of his great achievements. Another is the rapid decline of the poverty rate from 15.1 percent in 1993 to 11.3 percent in 2000. this was the lowest since 1974. The lowest unemployment rate was achieved by President Clinton keeping his word to reform the welfare system, moving more of the public from welfare to work. The administration provided 3 billion to move the long-time welfare receivers and those on low-income into jobs by helping communities design a better public transportation network to assist those on low-income to get to work.

His victories with international politics include success in brokering peace between Catholics and Protestants. President Clinton opened the way to an IRA ceasefire by granting Gerry Adams a visa and worked tirelessly for peace in Northern Ireland, helping to broker the Good Friday Peace Accord, ending decades of bloodshed and empowering the people of Northern Ireland to determine their future.

On the other hand, he did experience national setbacks to obtain health care reform. He was also impeached by the House of Representatives for lying under oath and obstruction of justice for his attempt at covering up his affair with white House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Lewinsky Scandal

Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky were involved in a sexual relationship which commenced in November 1996 and ended in April 1996 when she was transferred to work at the Pentagon due to her superiors concluding she was spending too much time with the president. It did continue in 1997 and knowledge of the affair surfaced to the media and public after Lewinsky’s co-worker secretly recorded telephone conversations between her and Clinton and submitted these tapes to the investigation of the whitewater Scandal- a controversy concerning real estate dealings between Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Both participants in the affair later admitted to their relationship which led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton due to him having denied his relationship with Monica Lewinsky on a nationally televised White House news conference.

The issue of Clinton having an affair with Monica Lewinsky is purely personal. It should have been discussed within his family and in his family alone. Many