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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. Oklahoma City Bombing
How does President Clinton respond to the bombing in OKC?
What happens 48 hours later?
What does Clinton tell the mourners?

9. 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

10. 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