The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House

I'm reluctant to read books on recent history as I believe it is harder to achieve that difficult, yet noble goal called objectivity. I'm glad I overcame this reluctance and decided to read this well-informed account of the Clinton Presidency by former Washington Post reporter John Harris. Harris is to be commended for providing a well-rounded view of the man and his time as president. Harris presents a very contradictory man who was both strong on some fronts and weak on others, like any person. His presidency experienced successes and failures which along with the man himself and those around him, are all well-covered in this fluid narrative. As Harris stated, Bill Clinton came to office in 1993 with high ideals and lofty goals, but that idealism led to problems for a president not yet fully mature in the workings of Washington politics. Harris points out that Clinton was of two minds politically: one side supporting the noblest and most idealistic of goals and trying to implement those ideas; the other was more realistic and understood that you can't get everything you want. This second side won out and helped Clinton mature into his presidency and most importantly, helped him to achieve some very notable accomplishments. Clinton's first years were marked by overly ambitious goals which resulted in numerous setbacks, culminating in the Republicans taking control of Congress after the 1994 election. But Clinton's ability to overcome obstacles and emerge even stronger became quite clear during and after the showdown with Republicans over the government's shutdown, the impeachment scandal, and his ability to still get things done on both the domestic and foreign fronts even during his last years in office when most presidents wonder into obscurity. Harris still points out the mistakes and missed opportunities of his presidency. Harris also provides us with valuable insights into how the president worked. For example, how he had to weigh every angle to a question of importance, considering every possibility or consequence of a decision. This can be both a strength and weakness. He worked long hours, but not on a strict, disciplined schedule. As Harris also astutely observed, he possessed an activist mind and conception for the role of president, yet constantly displayed a more passivist approach to actual governance in terms of leading the way on an issue and in trying to shape events. As Harris mentioned, he was a natural peacemaker and liked consensus and conciliation over conflict. Another plus to this book is the detailed look at some of Clinton's inner and outer circle of advisors and cabinet members, people like Al Gore, Lloyd Bentsen, Dick Morris, Robert Rubin, Robert Reich, Leon Panetta, Erskine Bowles, Harold Ickes and so many others who came and went during his two terms. But of course the most obvious person to focus on is his wife. Hillary shared his obsession for politics and its possibilities for achieving and advancing

This book by John Harris should be must reading for anyone interested in an objective assessment of the presidency of Bill Clinton. Harris comprehensively reviews the highs and lows of the Clinton era; he is basically sympathetic to Clinton but also includes the many downsides to Clinton's character and lack of self-discipline, including but not limited to the sexual escapades. Finally, Harris wistfully notes what might have been in a president as intelligent, thoughtful, talented and resiliant as Clinton -- had it not been for his flaws which were almost fatal. The counterfoil assessment of the Republican leaders of the era, especially Gingrich, also fatally flawed, is of interest.

Ever since Bill Clinton appeared on the national stage people, whether they liked him or not found him fascinating. It is my perception that many Democrats bemoaning the loss of the past two presidential elections look back on the Clinton presidency wistfully while the former president's detractors, while still keeping a third eye out for the possibility of another Clinton in the White House, can't stop themselves from keeping up with Bill as if they were rubber necking a bad car accident. Love him or hate him (I don't know many that felt luke warm about him) people were and continue to be mesmerized by him. It is my prediction that generations will continue this peculiar love affair. Books have come out about him that are distinctly for and against - obviously mindful of the power he still wields and the possibility that the man may someday be "first gentleman". This book however is slightly different in that respect. Although I do not think the book is completely objective the author strives to be objective and it shows. Given the obvious power of the personality of Bill Clinton as well as the various controversies that swirled about him we are a little too close in time for anyone to be completely objective. Never the less seems to be the closest thing we have yet to a picture of what the Clinton White House was really like. I will reiterate that I do believe the author does his best to be objective. I think the best way to describe the author's ultimate view of Clinton is that he strongly ambivalent about the man. The way the political situation is currently in this country this book leaves enough open as far as the perception of the character of William Jefferson Clinton that it will be very much like a type of ink blot test of the reader. For although Clinton is not always shown in the best light here and some of the revelations in this book will be decried by Clinton supporters I believe both supporters and detractors will feel as they will have come away from this book with more ammunition. Harris shows a man more aware of the threat of terrorism than the public knew as well as someone who was a true believer in the policies he tried to enact. But the author also portrays a president continually under siege and due to this finds himself unable to act as effectively as he could or would like. Depending on what party you belong to some would call his actions prudent and understandable and that he was undermined by his enemies whereas others will see him as a man that did not have the backbone to act on what he saw was the right course of action. In short Harris finds Clinton not so much of a schemer as someone hampered by his insecurities and whose seeming indesciveness, and what some have characterized as slipperiness, was based on insecurity. And although the author shows the Clinton White House to be purposely evasive he presents the tactic as perhaps being well warranted. Clinton is shown as we

The reader could fill a bookcase with all the literature written about Bill and Hillary Clinton. Starting with their respective autobiographies -- "My Life" (2004) and "Living History" (2003) -- and adding "The Clinton Wars" by Sidney Blumenthal (2003), "The Hunting Of The President" by Conason & Lyons (2000) and "Clinton: The President They Deserve" (1996) among others, the reader is faced with books that tend to be either praising or condemning the Clintons. John Harris has written one of the few even-handed approaches toward Bill Clinton. Covering the politics of the 1990's for the Washington Post, he portrays Bill Clinton as a brilliant, undisciplined President who could could have been so much more. He describes his successes (Kosovo and welfare reform) and his failures (health care reform and the impeachment process). His greatest success may have have been outlasting his numerous enemies (hence the title of this book). Mr. Harris has uncovered little original research about Clinton's Presidency but he synthesises all that has been published into a readable, coherent and balanced look at the man and his personal/political choices while in office. Mr. Clinton comes off as a tragic figure whose ambitious policy agenda came unravelled through his own hubris and the determined oppositon of Congressional Republicans. If there is one book that the reader wants to consult about the domestic and foreign policies of the prior decade, this is that book.

Bill Clinton is a lightning rod figure. In the America of 2005 in which ideology is too often put above rationality, reading an objective study of an emotional icon is refreshing. Clinton's warts are exposed clearly and at some length. But I think any open-minded reader will leave this book with greater respect for the man -- human though he is -- as an increasingly thoughtful and deeply caring human being. I will come back to this review page in a few days and I know I will see vile hatred spewed out by those who have not read the book. A brief note to them: if your dismissal of the book is based on your dislike of its subject and you have not read the book, then reflect for a moment on how weak your position is and spend the money and effort to find out the whole story.