Clinton's Elections
"Bill Clinton's elections in 1992 and 1996 were a watershed moment in Democratic history. Not only was he the first Democrat to win two terms since Franklin D. Roosevelt, and one of only four Democrats in history to do so, but he also broke a Republican winning streak that involved five of the six previous elections. Prior to Clinton's win, the Republicans held the White House while Democrats held the House of Representatives. Subsequently, however, Democrats won the popular presidential vote in all but one election (2004), while Republicans largely held the House. In 1994 the Republicans took control of Congress for the first time since 1952. Clinton's nomination and presidency helped to revive the Democratic Party and reshaped the political landscape, but as Michael Nelson argues, it also ushered in a new era of partisan antagonism and divided, dysfunctional government. The center increasingly vanished, replaced by stalemate and polarization. In the midst of these partisan tensions, Nelson's study explores the rise of a new independent voice in the form of Ross Perot. Clinton's Elections traces the story of Bill Clinton's dominant role in the American political landscape from his emergence as a potential nominee in 1988 to his reelection in 1996 and his role in the election campaigns of 2000, 2008, and 2016. What emerges is a picture of a savvy politician who was able to operate effectively in the midst of divided government and made strategic moves to consolidate power and secure future victories. But his successful efforts did not last. His presidency became embroiled in scandal and impeachment, and partisan hostilities only grew more strident, resulting in our current era of de facto divided government"--
