Presidential Biographies: Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton was elected as President in 1992, defeating George W. Bush, a man who had once enjoyed a 90% approval rating. Clinton meanwhile was being accused of sexual impropriety by several women, but none of that mattered. The economy had suddenly gone south, and Clinton's campaign team spun the slogan "it's the economy stupid," a dig at Bush who was considered to be top-notch when it came to foreign affairs, but not so good at minding the store domestically. Clinton would go on to win re-election in 1996, presiding over a strong economy thanks to the dot-com revolution that followed the widespread use of the internet.
But things would not go well for Clinton. He faced impeachment proceedings because he lied about more sexual impropriety. An indignant Clinton told the nation "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." That woman was Monica Lewinsky. But when she produced a little blue dress with Clinton's DNA found on it, the lie was exposed. Voters knew they couldn't trust the man who had become known as "Slick Willy," but they liked the way the economy was going, and in the end impeachment proceedings ended up in an acquittal, though not without considerable shame and disgrace for the 42nd President. Things got worse for Clinton in retirement when he was tarnished by his acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile who had hosted Clinton on his plane and likely at his private island. The stench of "Slick Willy" would not only attach to Clinton, but also to his wife Hillary when she ran for President in 2016 and lost an election that most were certain that she would win.
It is difficult to find a good biography of Clinton because those written thus far don't explore his post-presidential life. Perhaps the best in existence is Nigel Hamilton's 2003 book Bill Clinton: An American Journey. David Maraniss wrote First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton, but that was published in 1995, before he had even completed his first term in office, though it is a good reference for Clinton's background.
Hamilton also wrote the 2007 book Bill Clinton: Mastering the Presidency, a book that examines Clinton's two terms in office. Clinton's presidency is also the subject of Joe Klein's 2003 book The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton. Klein is also the author of Primary Colors, a work of fiction by "anonymous" that tells the story of a slick presidential candidate who sounds a lot like Clinton. Other books about Clinton's presidency include the Miller Center's 2016 volume 42: Inside the Presidency of Bill Clinton (Miller Center of Public, edited by Michael Nelson and Barbara Perry; Patrick Maney's 2021 book Bill Clinton: New Gilded Age President; and Clinton advisor Sidney Blumenthal's 2003 book The Clinton Wars. Gil Troy takes a wide-angle lens view of the Clinton presidency in The Age of Clinton: America in the 1990s, published in 2015. The strange working relationship between President Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich is examined in Stephen Gillon's 2008 book The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry that Defined a Generation.
The University of Kansas Press's Presidential Election series volume Clinton's Elections: 1992, 1996 and the Birth of a New Era of Governance looks at the two presidential contests that Clinton won and analyzes what we've learned from them.
Clinton's impeachment is examined in two books by very capable authors. Peter Baker of the New York Times wrote The Breach: Inside the Impeachment and Trial of William Jefferson Clinton, published in 2000. Ken Gormley's 2011 book The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr also examines the impeachment investigation and proceedings, including a look at independent counsel Ken Starr's role. Even after Clinton avoided conviction at the impeachment proceedings, things were not so rosy for Clinton in office, and this is the subject of Barbara Olson's 2001 book The Final Days: The Last, Desperate Abuses of Power by the Clinton White House.
Clinton himself authored his autobiography, which was published in 2004 and simply called My Life. He later penned a second autobiography called Citizen: My Life After the White House, which hits bookshelves on November 24th of this year. He has authored several other books including Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy (published in 2011); Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World (published in 2007) and two fictional mystery books written with author James Patterson: The President in Missing, published in 2018, and The President's Daughter published in 2021.
Clinton's questionable voracity makes his being a subject of biography very difficult. His accomplishment of surplus budgets and his ability to pass legislation while working with a hostile Congress merit some praise for these accomplishments, but these have been overshadowed by his moral failings. These are often overlooked by voters in the moment, as their first consideration is generally that of self-interest. Over time however, history proves to be a harsh judge, and 100 years from now, one wonders if Clinton will be judged negatively for his lack of impulse control and his viewing the nation's highest office as a vehicle for personal gratification, in much the same way that those who defended slavery on grounds of expedience and personal gain are now seen as poor examples of moral leadership.
But things would not go well for Clinton. He faced impeachment proceedings because he lied about more sexual impropriety. An indignant Clinton told the nation "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." That woman was Monica Lewinsky. But when she produced a little blue dress with Clinton's DNA found on it, the lie was exposed. Voters knew they couldn't trust the man who had become known as "Slick Willy," but they liked the way the economy was going, and in the end impeachment proceedings ended up in an acquittal, though not without considerable shame and disgrace for the 42nd President. Things got worse for Clinton in retirement when he was tarnished by his acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile who had hosted Clinton on his plane and likely at his private island. The stench of "Slick Willy" would not only attach to Clinton, but also to his wife Hillary when she ran for President in 2016 and lost an election that most were certain that she would win.
It is difficult to find a good biography of Clinton because those written thus far don't explore his post-presidential life. Perhaps the best in existence is Nigel Hamilton's 2003 book Bill Clinton: An American Journey. David Maraniss wrote First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton, but that was published in 1995, before he had even completed his first term in office, though it is a good reference for Clinton's background.
Hamilton also wrote the 2007 book Bill Clinton: Mastering the Presidency, a book that examines Clinton's two terms in office. Clinton's presidency is also the subject of Joe Klein's 2003 book The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton. Klein is also the author of Primary Colors, a work of fiction by "anonymous" that tells the story of a slick presidential candidate who sounds a lot like Clinton. Other books about Clinton's presidency include the Miller Center's 2016 volume 42: Inside the Presidency of Bill Clinton (Miller Center of Public, edited by Michael Nelson and Barbara Perry; Patrick Maney's 2021 book Bill Clinton: New Gilded Age President; and Clinton advisor Sidney Blumenthal's 2003 book The Clinton Wars. Gil Troy takes a wide-angle lens view of the Clinton presidency in The Age of Clinton: America in the 1990s, published in 2015. The strange working relationship between President Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich is examined in Stephen Gillon's 2008 book The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry that Defined a Generation.
The University of Kansas Press's Presidential Election series volume Clinton's Elections: 1992, 1996 and the Birth of a New Era of Governance looks at the two presidential contests that Clinton won and analyzes what we've learned from them.
Clinton's impeachment is examined in two books by very capable authors. Peter Baker of the New York Times wrote The Breach: Inside the Impeachment and Trial of William Jefferson Clinton, published in 2000. Ken Gormley's 2011 book The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr also examines the impeachment investigation and proceedings, including a look at independent counsel Ken Starr's role. Even after Clinton avoided conviction at the impeachment proceedings, things were not so rosy for Clinton in office, and this is the subject of Barbara Olson's 2001 book The Final Days: The Last, Desperate Abuses of Power by the Clinton White House.
Clinton himself authored his autobiography, which was published in 2004 and simply called My Life. He later penned a second autobiography called Citizen: My Life After the White House, which hits bookshelves on November 24th of this year. He has authored several other books including Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy (published in 2011); Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World (published in 2007) and two fictional mystery books written with author James Patterson: The President in Missing, published in 2018, and The President's Daughter published in 2021.
Clinton's questionable voracity makes his being a subject of biography very difficult. His accomplishment of surplus budgets and his ability to pass legislation while working with a hostile Congress merit some praise for these accomplishments, but these have been overshadowed by his moral failings. These are often overlooked by voters in the moment, as their first consideration is generally that of self-interest. Over time however, history proves to be a harsh judge, and 100 years from now, one wonders if Clinton will be judged negatively for his lack of impulse control and his viewing the nation's highest office as a vehicle for personal gratification, in much the same way that those who defended slavery on grounds of expedience and personal gain are now seen as poor examples of moral leadership.