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celebratoryTopic: Politics
PAGES 620-957—That's right, after reading day and night, I have finally finished the longest book I've ever read! Although this book was very intimidating before I got started, I must say that it was a good read overall. I don't think Bill Clinton has a particular amazing writing style, he just has an interesting story to tell.
The final section of this book included the campaign trail for his reelection in 1996, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and the voting catastrophe in 2000.
In chapter 43, we learn of the Oklahoma City bombing—an event I had nearly forgotten about. This would be one of the many events on American soil that would bring presidents to fight terrorism as one of their primary goals. Not long after, a pipe bomb exploded at the Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
"On August 5, at George Washington University, I gave an extended analysis of how terrorism would affect our future, saying that it had become 'an equal-opportunity destroyer, with no respect for borders.'"
In 1998, the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke...in an odd way. Clinton was scheduled for a deposition to cover the Paula Jones case—yet another woman who claimed Clinton had made advances toward her. During the deposition, questions came up about "sexual relations" with Lewinsky—a White House intern in 1995.
Before I go any further, I will say that Clinton has been one of my favorite presidents. However, I was really pumped to get to this part of the book. I was in eighth grade when this scandal broke; old enough to get the gist of things, but too innocent to really understand.
During the questioning, apparently it was the definition of "sexual relations" that was confusing. However, Clinton admits to his readers that he did have inappropriate encounters with her, which he lied about to everyone.
While the end of the book tells a lot about helping Al Gore campaign for presidency in 2000, it's also interesting to hear about Clinton helping Hillary enter the senate race.
I know not everyone is a fan of Clinton's, however I was impressed with this book. Sure, it tells many details about his life, but it also has a lot about policy, life in the White House, and foreign affairs. If you're willing to get past the length of this book, I highly recommend it.
