My Life

Born William Jefferson Blythe IV on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas, President Clinton faced early adversity with the death of his father in a traffic accident. At four, his mother remarried, and he adopted the Clinton surname. His passion for public service ignited during a high school trip to the White House, where he met President John Kennedy. Clinton graduated from Georgetown University, won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, and earned a law degree from Yale in 1973 before entering Arkansas politics. After a failed congressional campaign in 1974, he married Hillary Rodham the following year, and their daughter Chelsea was born in 1980. Clinton, alongside running mate Al Gore, represented a new generation in American politics, marking a significant shift with both the White House and Congress under Democratic control for the first time in 12 years. However, this dominance was short-lived as Republicans gained control of Congress in 1994. In 1998, Clinton faced impeachment by the House due to personal indiscretions involving a White House intern but was acquitted by the Senate. Despite the scandal, he maintained high approval ratings throughout his presidency and issued a public apology for his actions.