How does prosperity & partisanship mark the Clinton White House The Clinton Years How does prosperity & partisanship mark the Clinton White House

1992 Election Pres Bush has two challengers in 1992 election: Gov Bill Clinton (Democrat) and businessman H. Ross Perot (Reform) Clinton appeals to traditional democratic base and youth, Bush & Perot split traditional Republican vote Voters focus on economy, Clinton wins

A “New” Democrat Clinton wants to bring modern liberalism to the White House First Lady Hilary Clinton pushes Congress for universal health care but Republican lobbying kills the bill After two years in office little done, economy is still struggling Contract with America Republicans take over House of Reps in 1994 midterm elections, have their own plan to fix economy However, Republican Speaker of House Newt Gingrich plan is to block most Clinton policies

Booming Economy To stop gridlock, Clinton works with Congress to reform the welfare system limiting time on welfare & welfare to work With early 90s tax hike & cutting some programs, Clinton balances the budget & country had a surplus by end of 1997. Surplus starts paying off 80s debt, US economy is booming Booming economy also fueled by soaring internet stock prices However, by the end of 90s, many dot coms are bankrupt, the internet stock bubble bursts and economy slightly suffers

The Right Attacks Clinton 1994: Special prosecutor appointed to look into a possibly illegal Clinton real estate deal known as Whitewater 1997: Former Arkansas State employee sues President Clinton for sexual harassment, looking to prove Clinton is a womanizer Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr, changes his investigation to Clinton’s affairs A White House intern Monica Lewinsky is asked to testify in the Jones case Lewinsky denied an affair with Clinton but told friend Linda Tripp she did Tripp recorded conversation and tells Sp Pros. Starr that Lewinsky lied

Clinton’s Impeachment Starr and Paula Jones want Clinton & Lewinsky to testify Clinton publicly denies the affair, testifies under oath he did not have an affair Lewinsky testifies under oath she did have an affair with Clinton 1998: Republican Congress votes for impeachment against Clinton charging him w/ perjury 1999: Clinton is found non-guilty in the Senate

Terrorism inside America 1993: World Trade Ctr garage is bombed by Muslim extremists Domestic terror also a problem, Unabomber mail bomb campaign (78-95) comes to an end when Ted Kaczynski is caught 1995: Oklahoma City Federal building bombed American terrorists Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols responsible for OKC bombing, 169 people killed

Oklahoma City Bombing How does President Clinton respond to the bombing in OKC? What happens 48 hours later? What does Clinton tell the mourners? http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/bonus-video/presidents-crisis-clinton/

Clinton Foreign Policy 1994: Clinton signs historic agreement NAFTA, free trade w/ Mexico/Canada 1995 & 1998: Clinton approves air strikes against Yugoslavia, accused of Ethnic Cleansing campaign against Muslims 1998: Clinton helps negotiate peace treaty in Northern Ireland

Clinton chooses not to respond to Cole bombing Al-Qaeda 1998: Osama bin Laden declares “jihad” on America, his Al-Qaeda network bombs two US embassies in Africa Clinton orders airstrikes at Al-Qaeda camps, Republicans criticize him for trying to take attention away from impeachment 2000: USS Cole is bombed by Al Qaeda Clinton chooses not to respond to Cole bombing