Clinton, William Jefferson (Bill; the Man from Hope; orig. William Jefferson Blythe IV, until 1962)

US lawyer and Democratic politician; professor at University of Arkansas Law School 1973-1976; attorney general of Arkansas 1977-1979; governor of Arkansas 1979-1981, 1983-1992.

Introduced educational reforms in Arkansas public schools and initiated state-wide teacher competency testing; chairman of National Governors' Association 1986-1987; delivered presidential nominating speech for Michael Dukakis 1988; 42nd president of US 1993--; signed North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 1993 (into effect 1994); initiated attempt to reform US health care system 1993-1994; negotiated restoration of Jean Bertrand Aristide to power in Haiti 1994; supported Middle East peace negotiations and oversaw signing of Israeli-Jordanian peace accord on White House lawn 1994; initiated Dayton negotiations for peace in Bosnia and launched NATO operation Joint Endeavor to ensure realization of Dayton peace accord 1995; co-wrote "Between Hope and History: Meeting America's Challenges for the 21st Century" 1996; 1st US president to employ line item veto 1997; appointed Panel on Race Relations 1997, with John Hope Franklin as chairman.

Embroiled in allegations of having had extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky and encouraging Lewinsky to lie to federal investigators 1998; signed executive order barring discrimination against homosexuals in civilian federal employment 1998; subpoenaed by Kenneth Starr in connection with Lewinsky case, becoming 1st sitting president to testify before criminal grand jury 1998; ordered attacks on suspected terrorist sites in Afghanistan and Sudan in response to bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania 1998; subject of impeachment inquiry by House Judiciary Committee 1998, in connection with earlier actions and testimony during Starr's investigation; in response to Saddam Hussein's continued refusal to permit UN inspections, ordered air strikes on Iraq 1998, one day before planned impeachment vote by House of Representatives; impeached by House 1998 on two articles related to perjury and obstruction of justice, but escaped impeachment on two other articles related to perjury and abuse of power _1946--

Acquited on both counts in February 1999, thus ending what must be the most vindictive and expensive witch hunt in World History.

Now, a Nation of proud tradition can once more hold it's head up with pride, having come perilously close to suffering irreversible harm at the very time of it's strongest economic platform in US History. NOT by the people, but by the very Politicians whom they elected to power; who REFUSED to hear what YOU, the American People wanted.

America, and the World, can breathe a sigh of relief as sanity prevails once more, as a Nation of 280 Million amazing people, managed to wrestle itself from the stranglehold of a relatively few Power hungry Politicians, seemingly hell  bent on self destruction, under the guise of self righteousness .. maybe they should have listened to what our Saviour had to say about this subject?

God bless America, the Beautiful .. you succeeded against seemingly insurmountable odds.
The words In God we trust seem to take on a new meaning for me.

You chose HIM and call him Bill .. (an amazing man) ..

Just call me GR .. (an amazed outsider) ..

Let us pass this on around the world, any which way we can,
in email, in ICQ ..I for one, found the lesson deeply moving.
Let us try and break this little counter
which starts at zero today.
Sun 21/02/1999

GR
South Africa