For Love of Politics: Bill and Hillary Clinton: The White House Years

by Sally Bedell Smith

Book Overview

During their eight years in the White House, Bill and Hillary Clinton worked together more closely than the public ever knew. Their intertwined personal and professional lives had far-reaching... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1400063248
• ISBN13: 9781400063246
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Random House
• Length: 572 Pages
• Weight: 2.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.6" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

If You Thought You Wanted to Vote for Hillary . . .

. . . read this book first! My interest was piqued when I saw a book review by the author on TV. Her research was extensive and carefully documented. She spoke to both Hillary's supporters and retractors and quoted both personal interviews and published reports. The book was both a page turner and a head shaker. If you want to find the epitome of the "snake oil salesman" look no further than Hillary and Bill! Sleazy backroom deals and downright dishonesty are all part of their political game.

Insightful and Prescient Look at the Clinton Political Partnership

Sally Bedell Smith's For the Love of Politics makes for insightful and prescient reading for those seeking to understand Hillary Clinton's 2007-2008 presidential campaign and to anticipate the possibility of a Hillary Clinton-led White House. Bedell Smith ably chronicles the eight years of Bill Clinton's presidency, making a compelling case that Hillary Clinton played a strong and ongoing role in her husband's policymaking. While Hillary Clinton's involvement in West Wing events appears to have ranged from overt (during the first two years of Bill Clinton's presidency) to covert (particularly during the 1995-96 re-election bid), Hillary Clinton appears to have been a prominent influence in her husband's presidential decision-making process. Bedell Smith's account also suggests that Hillary Clinton, as First Lady, was frequently more tough-minded and partisan than her husband, who was more likely to take a conciliatory stance toward his opponents. At the same time, Bedell Smith's reporting indicates that the Clintons' relationship is centered on the political process and on policymaking and concludes that a Hillary Clinton presidency would be shaped by both Clintons, much as Bill Clinton's presidency was. Especially interesting in Bedell Smith's account are foreshadowings of some of the events of Senator Clinton's Senate career and 2007-2008 campaign: --Hillary Clinton's 2000 New York Senate campaign highlights Clinton's expertise on policy issues, a decision driven by polling results suggesting that the "personality negatives" perceived by voters can be overcome only by emphasizing her experience. The 2008 presidential campaign has been run on the same premise. --Bill Clinton's attempts as president to dislodge Saddam Hussein from power foreshadow Hillary Clinton's 2002 support for the invasion of Iraq, and her reluctance to embrace an antiwar stance. --A successful call for a gasoline tax during Bill Clinton's presidency foreshadows Hillary Clinton's embrace of this approach in the spring of 2008. --The Clintons' single-minded commitment to Hillary's 2000 race for the Senate to the detriment of Al Gore's presidential candidacy has a similar flavor to the Clintons' pursuit of the 2008 presidential nomination at the possible expense of Democratic Party unity and victory in November 2008. In sum, Bedell Smith describes a talented, flawed and hard-driving political couple whose personal and political ambitions are pursued at all costs. The sense of shared legacy looms large. Bedell Smith's narrative suggests shared disappointment at the lost opportunities of a Bill Clinton presidency undermined by a bitterly partisan political environment, GOP dominance in Congress, and the Lewinsky affair. The Clintons' mutual disappointment at the defeats suffered during Bill Clinton's White House years, the mutual desire for a second chance at the presidency, and the shared need to strengthen a fragile legacy appear to shape Hillary Clinton's te

Fascinating

The author has done a very good job of getting you into life within "Clinton Inc" during their heyday, at least as she has been able to explain it after an exhaustive amount of research. It was an extremely interesting read. And though several negative aspects were covered, the book wasn't a political hit piece that you'd expect from a partisan shock jock. Yes, the Clintons are smart, talented and have a real gift for politics, but... and it's a big but... their weaknesses (especially Bill's) are equally impacting. A lot of it stems from the fact that they are just people with human failings like the rest of us. As the book delves into various happenings I found myself reflecting on how I might have reacted or felt the same way that Bill did in certain political circumstances. But the most damaging mistakes and hang-ups all seem to relate to their very narcissistic personalities. People friendly with and close to the Clintons admitted in this book that "It was always about them". It (and many NY Times and Washington Post stories from the time) are full of examples of that. It strongly reminded me of the "Clinton fatigue" of the late 90's. I couldn't see the Clintons on the news in those years (and I didn't follow politics at the time) without thinking that every word and gesture was the result of carefully considered techniques for masking a much less appealing reality, or putting the false front of an orphanage or children's hospital on a house of ill repute. I was very tired of that. A lot of people were. The biggest place where the human failings come to mind is during the Lewinski situation. Sure, adultery is nothing new, and a lot of the guys in Congress that pointed their fingers were just as guilty of it. But, Bill's adamant refusal to admit to it for so long is astounding to read about. It's damage control to the point of self destruction. And it crippled their ability to get all of the things done that they'd intended. That was just the scandalous end of the story. The first part of the book explained a lot about Bill and Hillary's vanishing healthcare initiative. Their insistence on uncompromisingly forcing that entire plan (exactly as they had written it) down the nation's throat was its downfall. A couple of interesting points the author made that come to my mind are- if Bill had been able to control his appetite for extramarital affairs, or simply admitted to it when charged, Al Gore would very likely be President right now. Also, Bill's unhelpful comments to the press and others about Gore during the 2000 campaign (while he was promoting his wife's Senate race) may have been intended to keep him out of the way and set up a Presidential run for Hillary (the author quoted a news story on that). Whatever the real intent, the affect was that Al Gore was seriously hindered by his boss, in several ways, and apparently his boss had no misgivings about that.

You'll Understand Her Better

While there may not be much that's new here, the author has cut through the clutter and managed to show a juxtaposition of the couple. She shows how together they make the whole in a political partnership. You'll see how Hillary and Bill are each very different. But when placed together, they are a powerful unit that's almost unstoppable. We learn that he almost always turned to her for advice in all matters while in the White House and wouldn't, or couldn't, make a move without her. So, in reality, she has made those decisions and had that experience. The book is fascinating in that it looks inside the marriage as a powerful partnership that, despite its famous flaws, works beyond the wildest dreams of most people. They've made it work for their common goal. (This is not a political statement and as a reviewer, I'm not commenting on my own political beliefs. This review is only my evaluation of this particular book.) A fascinating read.

An interesting perspective of a very complex relationship

Many of the details of For Love of Politics are well known - Whitewater, Paula Jones, Vince Foster, health care - but the author's intention is, I think, an attempt to understand and explain the complex relationship between Bill and Hillary Clinton. The stories and anecdotes reveal a study in contrasts - Bill's smoothness to Hillary's steel, Bill's talking to Hillary's planning, Bill's meandering to Hillary's focus. I do not view this book as yet another in an endless litany of either hit piece or campaign propoganda. Despite the length, anyone familiar with the Clintons can read this book very quickly. The stories are familiar, but the perspective is unique. This book will not get Hillary elected, but it won't keep her out of the White House either. Love her or hate her, Hillary Clinton may very well be the next president of the United States, and it would do well for everyone to understand her better. This book is an attempt to do that, and for that it has my recommendation.