Bill Clinton
42nd President of the United States
(January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001)
Full Name: William Jefferson Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III)
Nicknames: "Bill"
Born: August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas
Father: William Jefferson Blythe, Jr. (1918-1946)
Stepfather: Roger Clinton, Sr. (1908-1967)
Mother: Virginia Divine Cassidy Blythe Clinton Kelley (1923-1994)
Married: Hillary Rodham (1947- ), on October 11, 1975
Children: Chelsea Victoria Clinton (1980- )
Religion: Baptist
Education: Graduated from Georgetown University (1968); Attended Oxford University (1968-70); Graduated from Yale University Law School (1973)
Occupation: Lawyer, public official
Political Party: Democrat
Other Government Positions:
- Arkansas Attorney General, 1976-78
- Governor of Arkansas, 1978-80, 1982-92
Presidential Salary: $200,000/year + $50,000 expense account
Presidential Election Results:
Year Candidate Popular Votes Electoral Votes
1992 Bill Clinton 44,909,889 370
(map) George H. W. Bush 39,104,545 168
H. Ross Perot 19,742,267
Year Candidate Popular Votes Electoral Votes
1996 Bill Clinton 45,628,667 379
(map) Bob Dole 37,869,435 159
H. Ross Perot 7,874,283
Vice President: Albert Gore, Jr. (1993-2001)
Cabinet:
- Secretary of State
- Warren M. Christopher (1993-97)
Madeleine Albright (1997-2001) - Secretary of the Treasury
- Lloyd M. Bentsen (1993-94)
Robert E. Rubin (1995-99)
Lawrence H. Summers (1999-2001) - Secretary of Defense
- Les Aspin, Jr. (1993-94)
William J. Perry (1994-97)
William Cohen (1997-2001) - Attorney General
- Janet Reno (1993-2001)
- Secretary of the Interior
- Bruce Babbitt (1993-2001)
- Secretary of Agriculture
- Mike Espy (1993-94)
Dan Glickman (1994-2001) - Secretary of Commerce
- Ronald H. Brown (1993-96)
Mickey Kantor (1996-97)
William Daley (1997-2000)
Norman Y. Mineta (2000-01) - Secretary of Labor
- Robert B. Reich (1993-97)
Alexis M. Herman (1997-2001) - Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Donna E. Shalala (1993-2001)
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
- Henry G. Cisneros (1993-97)
Andrew M. Cuomo (1997-2001) - Secretary of Transportation
- Federico F. Peña (1993-97)
Rodney Slater (1997-2001) - Secretary of Energy
- Hazel R. O'Leary (1993-97)
Federico F. Peña (1997-98)
Bill Richardson (1998-2001) - Secretary of Education
- Richard W. Riley (1993-2001)
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Jesse Brown (1993-97)
Togo D. West, Jr. (1998-2000)
Hershel W. Gober (2000-01)
Supreme Court Justices:
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1993-2020)
Stephen Breyer (1994-2022)
Notable Events:
- 1993
- On January 25, Clinton announced the the First Lady, Hilary Clinton, will chair the Task Force on National Health Care Reform.
- On February 26, a terrorist bombing at the World Trade Center in New York killed six.
- On April 19, the siege at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas ended with over 75 deaths.
- On October 3, U.S. Special forces fighting in Mogadishu, Somalia attacked leaving eighteen service members dead. The U.S. stayed in Somalia until March 1994.
- On November 30, Clinton signed the Brady Act that required federal background checks on firearm purchases.
- On December 8, Clinton signed NAFTA, a trade agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- On December 21, Clinton issued the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that allowed for military service regardless of sexual orientation, as long as the orientation is not disclosed.
- 1995
- On April 19, the federal building in Oklahoma City bombed by domestic terrorists killing 168.
- 1998
- On August 7, two U.S. embassies in East Africa bombed killing over 200.
- On September 11, the Starr Report investigating allegations against Clinton released.
- On December 19, the House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment against Clinton, one for perjury and the other for obstruction of justice.
- 1999
- On February 12, the Senate acquitted Clinton of both articles of impeachment made against him by the House of Representatives.
- Clinton authorized American troops, but not ground troops, to take part in NATO air strikes against the Serbian government.
Internet Biographies:
- William J. Clinton -- from The Presidents of the United States of America
- Compiled by the White House.
- Bill Clinton -- from The American President
- From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.
- Bill Clinton -- from Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Facts about Clintonand his presidency.
Videos:
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Bill Clinton - The United States' 42nd President | Mini Bio | BiographyBill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States | BiographyAmerica's Presidents - Bill ClintonBill Clinton | 60-Second Presidents | PBSBill Clinton admits to having inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky1 / 3
Other Internet Resources:
- Clinton Foundation
- Information about Clinton's legacy, foundation and library.
- The Clinton Years
- In-depth special from CNN.com discussing Clinton's future and a timeline of his eight year presidency.
- Health and Medical History of William Clinton
- Medical background of each president with references. Compiled by John Sotos, MD.
- President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National
- Located in Hope, Arkansas this is where Clinton grew up until the age of four.
- William J. Clinton Library and Museum
- Information about the Clinton Presidency. Includes replicas of the Clinton Cabinet Room and Oval Office. They also have the best presidential gift shop.
Points of Interest:
415 W Division St, Hope, AR 71801
1200 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201
415 W Division St, Hope, AR 71801
1200 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201
Additional Facts:
- The first version of the official U.S. government White House website went online on Oct. 21, 1994.
- On November 16, 2000, President Clinton was the first president to visit Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War.
- Clinton was only 32 years old when he was elected governor of Arkansas.
- Clinton's wife, Hillary, is the only First Lady to be a U.S. Senator, cabinet officer, and presidential candidate.
- Clinton is the only president who was a Rhodes Scholar.
- Clinton was the first president to win a Grammy Award.
- Clinton was the first president sued while in office. Paula Jones sued him for sexual harassment from his time before he became president.
Quotes:“There is nothing wrong in America that can’t be fixed with what is right in America.”
“We need a spirit of community, a sense that we are all in this together. If we have no sense of community, the American dream will wither.”
“We cannot build our own future without helping others to build theirs.”
“Character is a journey, not a destination.”
“Being president is like running a cemetery: you’ve got a lot of people under you and nobody’s listening.”
“There is nothing wrong in America that can’t be fixed with what is right in America.”
“We need a spirit of community, a sense that we are all in this together. If we have no sense of community, the American dream will wither.”
“We cannot build our own future without helping others to build theirs.”
“Character is a journey, not a destination.”
“Being president is like running a cemetery: you’ve got a lot of people under you and nobody’s listening.”