Clinton

 Generalization: No matter what one thinks of Bill Clinton as a statesman, it is clear that he is was a great politician--and an illustration of the general rule that nations get the leaders they deserve.

 
Potential ID’s: BILL CLINTON, RON BROWN, WHITEWATER, HILARY RODHAM CLINTON, CATTLEGATE, KOSOVO, CONTRACT WITH AMERICA, KEN STARR, CHINAGATE, PARDONGATE

 I.                    Introduction

II.                 Clinton disadvantage going into the 1992 election

A. No name recognition

B.     Limited experience

C.     Draft dodging

D.     Drug connections

E.      Shady business deals

F.      Hillary

G.     Bimbo eruptions

III.               Things going for Clinton

A.     Weak democratic field

B.     Manipulation by Ron Brown

C.     Bush’s broken taxes promise

D.     Ross Perot’s candidacy

IV.              Clinton’s clever handling of potential problems

A.     Lack of experience--no Washington insider

B.     Strategy in deflecting “character” questions

C.     Turning Hillary into an asset

V.                 The victorious 1992 strategy

VI.              Clinton’s first term

A.     Foreign policy disasters

B.     Problems with Clinton appointees

C.     Early scandals (Travelgate/Filegate)

D.     Domestic policy failures

VII.            Clinton does what Reagan couldn’t!

VIII.         The Comeback Kid: 1996 Re-election

IX.               The Legacy: scandals and more scandals

A.     The Starr investigation (1994-1997)

B.     Monica Lewinsky and impeachment

C.     Clinton escapes again!

X.                 Yet another scandal: Pardongate

XI.               The exciting conclusion to this course!