Bill Clinton facts for kids

Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
42nd President of the United States
	In office; January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001
Vice President	Al Gore
Preceded by	George H. W. Bush
Succeeded by	George W. Bush
40th and 42nd Governor of Arkansas
	In office; January 11, 1983 – December 12, 1992
Lieutenant	Winston Bryant; Jim Tucker
Preceded by	Frank White
Succeeded by	Jim Tucker
	In office; January 9, 1979 – January 19, 1981
Lieutenant	Joe Purcell
Preceded by	Joe Purcell (Acting)
Succeeded by	Frank White
50th Attorney General of Arkansas
	In office; January 3, 1977 – January 9, 1979
Governor	David Pryor; Joe Purcell (Acting)
Preceded by	Jim Tucker
Succeeded by	Steve Clark
Personal details
Born	William Jefferson Blythe III ; August 19, 1946 (age 72); Hope, Arkansas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Hillary Rodham (1975-present)
Children	1; Chelsea
Alma mater	Georgetown University (B.S.); University College, Oxford; Yale University (J.D.)
Signature
Website	Clinton Presidential Library

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III; August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served from 1993 to 2001 as the 42nd President of the United States. He was 46 years old when he was elected and the third youngest president.

He took office at the end of the Cold War. Clinton was the first president from the baby boom generation. Before he was president, Clinton was governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and 1983 to 1992 and attorney general of Arkansas from 1977 to 1979. His wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton is the former United States Secretary of State and Senator of New York.

Early years

Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe in Hope, Arkansas. His biological father, William Jefferson Blythe died in a car accident, three months before Clinton was born. His mother, Virginia Clinton Kelley was a Nurse anesthetist. He took the last name Clinton because it was his stepfather, Roger Clinton, Sr.'s name. Clinton grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In high school, Clinton played the saxophone. Clinton went to college at Georgetown University. During his college years, Clinton worked under several politicians. He later went to Oxford University and Yale Law School. Clinton did not fight in the Vietnam War because he was in the ROTC for a short time.

Before being President

Clinton married Hillary Rodham in 1975. In 1980, their daughter, Chelsea Clinton, was born.

After law school. Clinton was elected Attorney General of Arkansas in 1976 and governor of Arkansas in 1978. At 32, he was the youngest governor in the country at that time. Clinton served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1983 to 1993. Clinton was known for being a "New Democrat" while governor. During his time as governor, Clinton changed the state's school system. There was also a scandal called Whitewater during Clinton's term.

Presidency

In the 1992 presidential election, he beat Republican George H. W. Bush. During the early part of Clinton's first term, he put in place a tax code which would increase taxes on the rich and decrease taxes on the poor.

The First inauguration of Bill Clinton, January 1993

In 1994, during Clinton's first term in office, the Congress switched to a Republican majority. However, Clinton still beat Republican Bob Dole in the 1996 election.

The Republicans defeated Clinton's proposal for the U.S. government to adopt universal health care. The Republicans proposed many new ideas to Congress to limit the size of government such as requiring the budget to be balanced and to stop people from abusing the welfare system. The country faced very few challenges during his term. The Cold War was over and there was very little need for the U.S. military to get involved in the world's affairs, so defense spending was significantly lowered. The economy was doing very well during his term, though there is a debate whether the economy was well because of Clinton's policies or because of the Republicans' policies.

The decade ended with the being the first time the United States did not have to borrow money to pay for its budget. Clinton left office with high approval ratings and was succeeded by George W. Bush.

After The Presidency

After his presidency, he wrote some books and traveled around the world helping out the United States. He is married to former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and now lives in New York. He has written My Life, a book about his life, and several other books. Clinton has received two Grammy Awards, both for books he read on tape. He is now the U.N.'s envoy to Haiti. He also became a vegetarian.

In 2013, Clinton started following Buddhist meditation to help him relax.

On November 20, 2013, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United States, by President Barack Obama.

Images for kids

Clinton's childhood home in Hope, Arkansas
Clinton ran for President of the Student Council while attending the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.
Newly elected Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton meets with President Jimmy Carter in 1978, fifteen years before assuming the nation's highest office.
Governor and Mrs. Clinton attend the Dinner Honoring the Nation's Governors in the White House with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, 1987.
The Clintons in a White House Christmas portrait, 1993.
Clinton and Vice President Al Gore on the South Lawn, August 10, 1993.
Clinton, Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat during the Oslo Accords on September 13, 1993
Clinton, Jordan's King Hussein and Yitzhak Rabin sign the Israel–Jordan peace treaty on July 25, 1994.
Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin in October 1995
President Bill Clinton (center), first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton (right) and their daughter Chelsea (left) wave to watchers at a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day, January 20, 1997.
Al Gore and Newt Gingrich applaud as US president Clinton waves during the State of the Union address in 1997.
Clinton's impeachment trial in 1999
Clinton shaking hands with Donald Trump at Trump Tower, June 2000
Clinton and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in Florence, Italy on November 20, 1999.
Clinton speaks with Col. Paul Fletcher, USAF, before boarding Air Force One, November 4, 1999.
General John P. Jumper, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, escorts Clinton upon his arrival to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, May 5, 1999. The president visited several European air bases to thank the troops for their support of NATO Operations Allied Force and Shining Hope.
Clinton greets Air Force personnel at Spangdahlem Air Base, May 5, 1999.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg accepting her nomination to the Supreme Court from President Clinton.
Clinton's approval ratings throughout his presidential career
Clinton addressing the British parliament on November 29, 1995.
Clinton at a "Get out the vote" rally in Los Angeles on November 2, 2000
Clinton speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Clinton greets a Hurricane Katrina evacuee, September 5, 2005. In the background, second from the right, is then-Senator Barack Obama.
Clinton with former President George H. W. Bush in January 2005
The Clinton Presidential Center, dedicated in 2004
Clinton speaking at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
Clinton with President Barack Obama and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett in July 2010
Clinton campaigning on behalf of his wife, 2016
Bill Clinton speaks at Central High School in Phoenix, Arizona, 2016.
Secretary of Defense Cohen presents President Clinton the DoD Medal for Distinguished Public Service.
Bill Clinton statue in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo