Bill Clinton, a Democrat, served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Born on August 19, 1946, as William Jefferson Blythe III, his father, William Jefferson Blythe II, tragically died in a car accident before Clinton was born. His mother, Virginia Cassidy Blythe, left him in the care of his grandparents while she attended nursing school. Clinton later graduated from Georgetown University, earned a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, and obtained a law degree from Yale University in 1973.
In 1975, Bill Clinton married Hillary Rodham. His political career began in Arkansas, where he was elected attorney general in 1976 after an unsuccessful congressional run two years earlier. In 1978, he became governor of Arkansas but lost his bid for a second term. The Clintons welcomed their daughter, Chelsea, in 1980. Four years later, Clinton reclaimed the governorship and eventually launched his presidential campaign against Republican George H.W. Bush. In 1992, Clinton and his running mate, Albert Gore Jr., won the election, defeating Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot. Clinton secured a second term in 1996, overcoming Republican Bob Dole and, once again, Perot.
Clinton's presidency was marked by achievements such as high homeownership rates, the creation of 22 million jobs, and low unemployment. However, his tenure was also marred by scandal. Monica Lewinsky, a former White House intern, had an affair with Clinton, leading to his impeachment by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998, for perjury before a grand jury and obstruction of justice.
After his presidency, Clinton remained active in politics, consistently supporting Democratic candidates, including his wife Hillary Clinton's 2008 bid for the presidency — where she lost in the primaries to Barack Obama — and again in her 2016 presidential campaign, which she lost to Republican challenger Donald Trump. Clinton has authored several books, including "My Life," "Back to Work," and "Citizen: My Life After the White House," reflecting on his experiences and contributions. He is also a grandfather to Charlotte, Aidan, and Jasper.
