Bill Clinton

42nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-200142nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-200142nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-200142nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-200142nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-200142nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-200142nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-200142nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-2001

42nd President Bill Clinton, 1993-2001

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:

YearCandidatePopular VotesElectoral Votes
1992Bill Clinton44,909,889370
(map)George H. W. Bush39,104,545168
H. Ross Perot19,742,267

YearCandidatePopular VotesElectoral Votes
1996Bill Clinton45,628,667 379
(map)Bob Dole37,869,435159
H. Ross Perot7,874,283

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
  • 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:
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:
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.”

Previous President: George H. W. Bush
Next President: George W. Bush