Bill Clinton on Abortion

• 1980s: pro-choice since Bible defines life starting at birth. (Jul 2007)
• 1993: Undid draconian family planning policies. (Jun 2007)
• Roe v. Wade was the right decision. (Jun 2004)
• 1993: allowed abortions on overseas U.S. military bases. (Sep 2003)
• Let women decide with their doctor and their God. (Jan 1996)

Bill Clinton on Budget & Economy

• 1995: Bill supported balancing budget in 10 years. (Oct 2007)
• First modern Pres.to use fiscal discipline to balance budget. (Jun 2007)
• Borrowing money to pay for the deficit fails our trade laws. (Jul 2004)
• Longest Economic Expansion in US History. (Dec 2000)
• Pay off National Debt to reduce interest payments for all. (Dec 2000)
• Cut the deficit to lower interest rates. (Jan 1996)
• Focus on education, investment, and change. (Jul 1980)

Bill Clinton on Civil Rights

• 1978: Supported ERA peripherally in first Governor race. (Jun 2007)
• 1995: On affirmative action: “mend not end”. (Sep 2003)
• 1993: Issued gays-in-military policy ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’. (Sep 2003)
• Work to End Racial Profiling. (Aug 2000)
• End Discrimination Against People With AIDS. (May 2000)
• First President to appoint open gays. (May 2000)
• Include sexual orientation in Hate Crimes. (Jan 1999)
• Help minority- and women-owned businesses compete. (Jun 1998)
• Affirmative action: mend it, don’t end it. (Jan 1996)
• Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Corporations

• Investment capital over nonproductive corporate debt. (Jun 2004)

Bill Clinton on Crime

• 1980s:Sought pastoral counsel on capital punishment decision. (Jul 2007)
• The Republicans are taking police off the streets. (Jul 2004)
• Pardoned half brother Roger; 1st family member ever pardoned. (Sep 2003)
• Crime has dropped, but US is still not safe enough. (Jan 2000)
• Three Strikes and You’re Out for violent criminals. (Jan 1996)
• Death penalty for 60 violent crimes. (Jan 1996)
• More police, punishment, & prevention. (Jan 1996)

Bill Clinton on Drugs

• Work with Mexico to address drug smuggling problems. (Jun 2004)
• $195M National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. (Aug 2000)
• Drug strategy to reduce both supply and demand. (Jan 1996)

Bill Clinton on Education

• $15B in education aid to ‘support what works’. (Jun 2004)
• Reasonable range of religious expression in schools. (Jun 2004)
• More tax credits for college tuition. (Aug 1999)
• Both teachers and students must demonstrate competence. (Jan 1996)
• Need not leave religion at the schoolhouse door. (Jan 1996)
• Private student prayer OK; but no official school prayer. (Jan 1996)

  School Choice

• Expand public school choice and public charter schools. (Jul 2000)
• Reward best public schools; redesign failing ones. (Jan 1996)
• Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Energy & Oil

• Adopt GHG cap-and-trade system including India & China. (Sep 2007)
• 1997: Signed Kyoto Protocol on global warming. (Sep 2003)
• Climate change: more biomass, more efficiency. (Apr 2000)
• Need binding treaties on global warming. (Jan 1996)
• Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Environment

• 1981: Dumbest mistake: paid for roads by car tag fees. (Jun 2007)
• Imposed 608 pages of ergonomic rules in final days in office. (Sep 2003)
• Lowered arsenic levels in drinking water. (Sep 2003)
• False choice between economy and environment. (Jan 2000)
• Much left to do on clean air, water, & environment. (Jan 1996)

Bill Clinton on Families & Children

• A strong America requires strong community. (Jun 2004)
• New Initiatives to Collect more Child Support. (Sep 2000)
• Incentives for home ownership. (Aug 2000)
• Get tough on youth violence and gangs. (Jan 1996)
• Give parents tools to balance work and family. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Foreign Policy

• 1980: housed Cuban Marielitos; riots ensued against KKK. (Jul 2007)
• 1994: “did not fully appreciate” Rwandan genocide. (Jun 2007)
• Bush missed opportunity to unite US and the world. (Jul 2004)
• Advocate for Tibet-China discussion on human rights. (Jun 2004)
• Bush’s unilateralism strains international partnerships. (Jun 2004)
• Months of preparation went into Arafat-Rabin handshake. (Nov 2003)
• Strategy: strength, peace, and open trade. (Jan 1996)
• Engagement over escapism and isolation. (Jan 1996)
• Support forces of reform in Russia. (Jan 1996)
• Devise NATIONAL policy, not foreign vs. domestic. (Jul 1980)
• Engage China but take a firm line. (Jan 1996)
• Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Free Trade

• Assumed that economic globalization was inevitable. (Feb 2003)
• US must not disentangle itself from the world. (Jan 2001)
• On balance, trade creates jobs. (Jan 1996)
• Support NAFTA & GATT: build bridges, not walls. (Jan 1996)
• Spur reforms via PNTR and China in WTO. (Jul 2000)
• Fair trade will liberalize China. (Jan 1996)
• Build a rule-based global trading system. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Government Reform

• 1993: Proposed (and failed at) campaign finance reform. (Nov 2007)
• Presidential pardon is absolute right; all Presidents use it. (Feb 2001)
• Big Government is over; but government has a role. (Jan 1996)
• Voluntary public financing for all general elections. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Gun Control

• Background checks have prevented 179,000 illegal gun sales. (Aug 2000)
• Support Brady Bill, oppose assault weapons. (Jan 1996)
• Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Health Care

• 1993: Advisers urged scaling back Hillary’s healthcare role. (Jun 2007)
• Universal coverage would reduce bureaucratic costs. (Jun 2004)
• Loosen eligibility for disability benefits. (Jun 2004)
• 1992 campaign: “It’s the economy, stupid” but healthcare too. (Nov 2003)
• Focus National Efforts on an AIDS Vaccine. (May 2000)
• Do more for health insurance. (Jan 1996)
• Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Homeland Security

• Response to 1993 World Trade Center bombing muted. (Oct 2007)
• Torture must only be hypothetical exception, not US policy. (Sep 2007)
• Most millionaires don’t mind less tax cut to protect the US. (Jul 2004)
• Proposed more funding for terrorism defense. (Jun 2004)
• 1999: Pardoned FALN Puerto Rican terrorist group. (Sep 2003)
• Decrease force size but increase quality. (Jan 1996)
• Finally, not a single Russian nuke is aimed at US. (Jan 1996)
• Build a sensible missile defense, not “Star Wars”. (Jan 1996)

Bill Clinton on Immigration

• Assure Mexico: no mass deportations. (Jun 2004)
• Reduce immigration backlog while maintaining quality. (Jul 2000)
• Opposed Official English; strengthen bilingual education. (Jul 2000)
• Strict enforcement against illegal immigration. (Jan 1996)
• We are richer for the energy & ideas of immigrants. (Jan 1996)

Bill Clinton on Jobs

• $15B for jobs in poor communities. (Jun 2004)
• Increase minimum wage; allow more family leave. (Dec 2000)
• 22M new jobs; lowest unemployment since 1960s. (Jul 2000)
• $3.2B for farm conservation programs. (Apr 2000)

Bill Clinton on Principles & Values

• Rebuild the American dream and restore American leadership. (Aug 2008)
• Self-styled ‘New Democrat’ to separate himself from liberals. (Oct 2007)
• Part of his “New Democrat” included religious Democrat. (Jul 2007)
• 1996: faith community most scandalized by Easter liaison. (Jul 2007)
• Familiar with Bible & has genuine faith, say his pastors. (Jul 2007)
• Despite critics, fervent believer in policy solutions. (Jun 2007)
• Founded “New Democrat” message in 1980 Convention speech. (Jun 2007)
• 1987: Declined chance to run; some say due to affairs. (Jun 2007)
• When he set the agenda, he won; but scandals interfered. (Jun 2007)
• 1996: Legislative alliance with GOP Senate Leader Trent Lott. (Aug 2006)
• Republicans have to portray Democrats as unacceptable to win. (Jul 2004)
• Strength and wisdom are not opposing values. (Jul 2004)
• Right wing ideology trumps compassionate conservatism. (Jun 2004)
• Learn from Creation what one must be. (Jun 2004)
• Bush believes in his way, but history favors Clinton’s. (Jun 2004)
• Nominated Dukakis at 1988 Convention; turned into fiasco. (Nov 2003)
• OpEd: Bill’s infidelity was enabled by state troopers. (Sep 2003)
• Loses Supreme Court on sexual harassment lawsuit. (Sep 2003)
• Toni Morrison calls Clinton “first black president”. (Sep 2003)
• First president to admit he participated in psychotherapy. (Feb 2003)
• Opens post-Presidential office in Harlem. (Feb 2001)
• Turns over reins of leadership with America at its strongest. (Jan 2001)
• Future: fiscally responsible; lead world; weave diversity. (Jan 2001)
• Worked several jobs to pay for law school. (Aug 1999)
• What’s right with America can fix what’s wrong with America. (Apr 1999)
• 1992: opponents failed to find disloyalty in Bill in Moscow. (Apr 1999)
• New Democrat from the New South. (Apr 1999)
• Promise of ethical reform invited harsh unceasing scrutiny. (Jun 2007)

  Early Life

• 1955: attended church on his own accord at age 9. (Jul 2007)
• 1974:Turned down dairy money because it had strings attached. (Jun 2007)
• 1982 theme: “My daddy never had to whip me twice”. (Jun 2007)
• From mother Virginia came stamina & gregariousness. (Jun 2007)
• Born in 1946 in Hope Arkansas to a widowed mother. (Jun 2004)
• Father’s death in traffic accident drove Bill to achieve. (Jun 2004)
• Discovered a half-brother in 1993. (Jun 2004)
• Father's early death left me with sense of my own mortality. (Jun 2004)
• Father brought date to hospital where he met mother, a nurse. (Jun 2004)
• Knew his father only through stories from family. (Jun 2004)
• Father had two children from three previous secret marriages. (Jun 2004)
• OpEd: Virginia an unlikely, but American, presidential mom. (Feb 2003)
• Alcoholic dad may have defined Clinton’s personality. (Aug 1999)
• Half siblings Henry & Sharron, by two different mothers. (Apr 1999)
• His father committed bigamy by marrying his mother. (Apr 1999)

  Hillary Clinton

• Bill’s “let me think about it” meant “I’ll ask Hillary”. (Oct 2007)
• Role as “First Laddy”: advise Hillary & promote her agenda. (Sep 2007)
• Don’t eliminate Hillary over “dynasty”; vote on her merits. (Sep 2007)
• 1986: Attacked for Hillary working at Rose while First Lady. (Jun 2007)
• Met Hillary in 1970: impressed with strength, not appearance. (Jun 2007)
• Start of “20-Year Project”:Hillary managed Bill’s House race. (Jun 2007)
• Gave up job with McGovern 1972 campaign to follow Hillary. (Nov 2003)
• Loves Hillary but has caused pain in their marriage. (Nov 2003)
• Hillary’s coldness contributed to Bill’s infidelity. (Aug 1999)

  Impeachment Scandal

• Still angry at Ken Starr for tawdry details. (Jul 2007)
• “What the meaning of is, is” became symbol of hairsplitting. (Jun 2007)
• Expanding Whitewater to Lewinsky was a perjury trap. (Jun 2007)
• Monica affair was “inappropriate” but not sex in legal terms. (Jun 2007)
• $52M Whitewater investigation began on real estate; not sex. (Jun 2007)
• Monica & impeachment propelled him to highest approval. (Jun 2007)
• Asks forgiveness from Monica and her family. (Jun 2004)
• Cites John 8:7 as defense against impeachment. (Jun 2004)
• Accepted 5-year law license suspension in Paula Jones case. (Sep 2003)
• OpEd: too unconcerned with money to care about Whitewater. (Feb 2003)
• Clinton disbarred from Supreme Court. (Oct 2001)
• Acknowledges wrongdoing; pays fine; seeks closure. (Jan 2001)
• Betsy Wright: Bill had female ‘fan base’ nationwide. (Aug 1999)
• The Star paid Gennifer Flowers for affair story. (Aug 1999)
• Evidence disappeared in Whitewater scandal. (Aug 1999)
• Grounds for impeachment: lying & obstructing justice. (Sep 1998)

  Political Philosophy

• Developed the New Democrat Philosophy for 1992 campaign. (Jun 2004)
• Recruited in 1989 as chair of Democratic Leadership Council. (Feb 2003)
• America stands today between hope and history. (Jan 1996)
• New Covenant: responsibility, citizenship, opportunity. (Jan 1995)
• Supports Hyde Park Declaration of "Third Way" centrism. (Aug 2000)
• Member of Democratic Leadership Council. (Nov 2000)
• New Democrat: "Third Way" instead of left-right debate. (Nov 2000)

Bill Clinton on Social Security

• Proposed a small portion of Trust Fund be in mutual funds. (Jun 2004)
• Safeguard retirement plans and minimize risk. (Jan 1996)
• Create Retirement Savings Accounts. (Aug 2000)

Bill Clinton on Tax Reform

• My tax cut is the sacrifice of all of us. (Jul 2004)
• Never thought I’d be so well cared for by the Republicans. (Jul 2004)
• Republican tax cut was too big & too bloated. (Jun 2004)
• Target tax cuts on IRAs, education, & families. (Jan 1996)
• Across-the-board tax cuts are irresponsible. (Jan 1996)

Bill Clinton on War & Peace

• Claims he opposed Iraq war from the beginning. (Nov 2007)
• 1969: Navigated draft maze; never quite clear on deferment. (Jun 2007)
• Unexpextedly, Kosovo bombing worked. (Jun 2004)
• Visited Vietnam to “honor sacrifice on both sides”. (Sep 2003)
• Claimed it a “fluke” he wasn’t drafted in 1968. (Sep 2003)
• Legal ban on assassinations doesn’t apply to bin Laden. (Nov 2001)
• Support Wye River Accords & other peace talks. (Dec 2000)
• Combat terrorism; contain Iraq; develop oil. (Dec 2000)
• Kosovo: led NATO alliance to end ethnic cleansing. (Dec 2000)

Bill Clinton on Welfare & Poverty

• American workers are working harder for less. (Aug 2008)
• Clinton Global Initiative: partnering donors with problems. (Sep 2007)
• Biblically-inspired social justice, especially serving poor. (Jul 2007)
• Reform attacked by Christian left; but genuine middle ground. (Jul 2007)
• Help Low-income Fathers Support their Children. (Sep 2000)
• End welfare as we know it. (Sep 2000)
• Address Homelessness via federal, state, & county govt. (Jun 1999)
• Welfare-to-work, instead of welfare as a way of life. (Jan 1996)
• Welfare reform includes states, communities, & businesses. (Jan 1996)
• Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs. (Aug 2000)