After a gruelling Democratic presidential nomination process in which Clinton dubbed himself the ‘comeback kid', Clinton faced incumbent president George H.W. Bush. Clinton (along with running mate Albert Gore of Tennessee) argued that 12 years of Republican leadership in the White House had caused political and economic stagnation. As the American economy dipped into recession, this argument had resonance. Clinton and Gore took 43 percent of the popular vote compared to Bush's 37 percent and third-party candidate Ross Perot's 19 percent. The final electoral tally was 370-168. Upon assuming the office of the presidency, Clinton suffered a number of early setbacks. His ‘don't ask, don't tell' policy concerning homosexuals in the military was derided by both conservatives and liberals.…
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Citation: Richert, Lucas Paul. "Presidency of William 'Bill' Clinton". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 October 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1186, accessed 26 November 2024.]