Reaction To Partners In Power Essay Research

Reaction To Partners In Power Essay, Research Paper

Bill and Hillary Clinton.s path to the White House can be looked at as one of the more interesting, as well as sinister, in Presidential history. Roger Morris takes the reader through the maturation and evolution of arguably the most powerful partnership this country has ever seen. Partners in Power gives us a look at this couple that many people could never envision. This bibliography takes us from the early years of Mr. and Mrs. Clinton.s parents up to Bill.s inauguration in 1992.

Bill Clinton.s life took a crucial turn before he was even born. On May 17, 1946,

Bill Blythe died in a car accident. Bill Blythe was Bill Clinton.s father. While Clinton.s mother, Virginia, was pregnant with him, Blythe was traveling along a Missouri highway on his way home to Arkansas when his back tire in his maroon Buick sedan blew out. Blythe was found downstream drowned in just inches of water. A death that could have been prevented if he was only found earlier. This traveling salesman would have a very promiscuous existence in his short life that would show us many traits that our future President would display throughout his lifetime. Bill.s father died at a young age and Blythe had to take care of the family that would be ravaged with poverty. The ambitions of the young Bill Blythe would not let him be poor and destitute. He would soon enter the life of a salesman. Bill had the qualities for the profession being a very pleasant and amiable man.

Bill Clinton.s mom, Virginia Cassidy, was raised in Hope, Arkansas by her parents Eldridge and Edith Grisham Cassidy. Edith was a very harsh woman who took out her anger on Eldrige and Virginia, but Virginia was still capable of putting on a smile and remaining happy throughout her teenage years. Virginia was a strong woman and would have to deal with the frustration of losing her husband and having to raise an infant. She would study tediously in New Orleans to become a nurse-anesthetist. While she was studying in New Orleans she would leave Bill Blythe III (a.k.a. Bill Clinton) with her mother. Young Bill would grow up with his grandmother until the infamous Roger Clinton would come along.

In 1947, Virginia would begin to reside with a man named Roger Clinton, a man who would leave a significant impact on the rest of Bill.s life. The relationship would start off stormy but the two grew closer with time. Roger Clinton would marry Virginia in 1950. Virginia then took Bill away from his grandmother, but would still leave him with her on the weekends while she and Roger would go on wild weekends to Hot Springs. Roger Clinton was a hotheaded drunk who would take his aggression out on Virginia and young Bill. Due to Roger.s array of problems, he would mismanage the Buick dealership his brother set him up in. This made Roger move to Hot Springs, Arkansas so he could work for his brother Raymond.

Morris described Hot Springs as .little metropolis.. Hot Springs had shady business dealings with in the confines of this controversial resort town. Roger and Virginia would relish the high-life of the town. Roger.s high-life included an alcoholism that made him a cruel and violent man, which was brutally passed on to his wife and stepson. Even as the abuse continued, Virginia still mothered a child to her abusive husband in July 1956. As Roger could not get his life together, the abuses would continue throughout the marriage, which would lead Virginia to file for a divorce in 1962. They would be remarried eighty-three days later without Bill Clinton.s blessing. A teenage Bill Clinton would have a very popular and successful high school career, at Hot Springs High, succeeding in his social affairs, academic trials, as well as an introduction to politics; even though his home life was one not to be desired.

In the fall of 1964, William Jefferson Clinton was on his way Georgetown College (located in Washington, D.C.) to attend the colleges School of Foreign Service. During his time at Georgetown, it seemed Clinton was honing his skills as a politician. One teacher that left a lasting impression on our future President with his interesting classes and intriguing views was Dr. Carroll Quigley. Clinton was quoted describing Quigley as .fascinating, electrifying, and brilliant.. Clinton would conclude his freshman year with a 3.7 grade point average including his many extracurricular activities. During his sophomore and junior year, Clinton would work for Arkansas senator Fulbright as part of the senator.s staff. He would work many long hours on the staff while continuing to keep up with school, but he would pass up the opportunity running for an office on campus to work more diligently for the senator. He would return to the Georgetown political scene in 1967 only to lose the East Campus presidential election. Bill was quite irritated by his first political loss.

Back in Hot Springs, Roger Clinton became an ill man. Bill would be back in forth from Georgetown to Hot Springs to visit the suffering Roger throughout his final months. Roger died in the autumn of .67 and two months later Bill.s grandmother Edith passed away.

Bill Clinton.s Georgetown experience was over and he was off to Oxford to achieve his master.s degree. There was a major obstacle in the young Rhode.s Scholars way: the draft for the Vietnam War. Clinton would do everything in his