High Hopes : Bill Clinton and the Politics of Ambition

The Clinton presidency is pivotal, occurring at a particularly sensitive time in American and world history. The Cold War has ended; yet Americans face daunting social and economic problems and are increasingly divided about how to address them. In this perceptive psychological portrait of Clinton and his presidency, expert Stanley Renshon investigates whether Clinton has demonstrated the requisite qualities of judgment, vision, character, and skill to meet the challenges he faces, domestically and internationally, and whether he merits another term. Renshon incisively analyzes Clinton's sweeping ambitions, his enormous confidence in himself and his goals, and his success in convincing people that he genuinely cares about them. He reveals a Bill Clinton whose capacity for political success is often undermined by the very traits for which many praise him. His unusually high self-confidence, for instance, leads him to believe that he can accomplish what others have not, that he can, for instance, reconcile polar opposites such as liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans. Remarkably persistent throughout Clinton's career are certain character traits which have defined him to the public--his tendency to make promises he can't keep, his ability to win people over in person, his sudden blind rages. Renshon traces the development of Clinton's character from his early family experiences to his highly successful adolescence and long political career. He illustrates how each step along the way--Clinton's inconsistent experiences as an adored but disregarded child, his attempt to avoid the draft and the consequences of doing so, his marriage to Hillary Rodham whose own psychology has both helped and hurt him, and his tenure as governor during which his character first became a political issue--is crucial to understanding his erratic and controversial presidency. Renshon explores the nature of the Clinton marriage as a political partnership and looks at Hillary Clinton as an associate president. High Hopes gives us a new understanding of why a man with so many talents has become a president whose performance has not measured up to his promise. "In this perceptive psychological portrait of Clinton and his presidency, Stanley A. Renshon investigates whether Clinton has demonstrated the requisite qualities of judgment, vision, character, and skill to meet the daunting challenges he faces domestically and internationally. Renshon incisively analyzes Clinton's sweeping ambitions, his enormous confidence in himself and his goals, and his success in convincing people that he genuinely cares about them. He reveals a Bill Clinton whose capacity for political success is often undermined by the very traits for which many praise him. His unusually high self-confidence, for instance, leads him to believe that he, as a "New Democrat," can accomplish what others have not, that he can, for instance, reconcile polar opposites such as liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans." "Remarkably persistent throughout Clinton's career are certain traits that have defined him to the public - his tendency to make promises he cannot keep, his uneven political performance, his ability to win people over in person, his sudden bursts of anger. Renshon traces the development of Clinton's character from his early family experiences to his highly successful adolescence and long political career. He illustrates how each step along the way Clinton's inconsistent experiences as an adored but disregarded child; his attempt to avoid the draft and the consequences of doing so; his marriage to Hillary Rodham whose own psychology has both helped and hurt him; and his tenure as governor during which his character first became a political issue - is crucial to understanding his erratic and controversial presidency. Exploring the nature of the Clinton marriage as a political partnership and of Hillary Clinton as an "associate president," this is the first serious psychological examination of Clinton, the man and the president." --Book Jacket Dette er en bok som retter et kritisk blikk på den amerikanske presidentens posisjon i det amerikanske samfunnet. Den er et psykologisk portrett av Clinton og hanspresidentskap. Forfatteren undersøker hvorvidt Clinton har vist de nødvendige kvaliteter som bedømmelse, fremsynthet, karaktertrekk og ferdighet til å takle utfordringer av hjemlig så vel som internasjonal art. Boka er delt inn i fem deler: Presidenter, psykologi og folket; Bill Clintons personlighet; Oppvekst og miljø; Politiske konsekvenser som følge av personlige egenskaper; Konklusjon. Forord, innledning, innholdsfortegnelse, emneregister og navneregister Public Psychology : The Legacy Of History -- Character And The Presidency -- Ambition -- Integrity -- Relatedness -- Character And Presidential Psychology -- His Mother's Son -- Adoration And Abandonment : The Clinton Family -- Some Consequences Of Hope : A Tale Of Two Women -- Vietnam And The Draft -- Life's Choice : Hillary Rodham Clinton -- Judgement And Leadership : The Case Of Presidential Performance -- Bill Clinton's Presidency -- Lost Opportunities : President Clinton's First Term. Stanley A. Renshon. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Public psychology : the legacy of history Character and the presidency Ambition Character integrity Relatedness Character and presidential psychology His mother's son Adoration and abandonment : the Clinton family Some consequences of hope : a tale of two women Vietnam and the draft A life's choice : Hillary Rodham Clinton Judgment and leadership : the core of presidential performance Bill Clinton's presidency Lost opportunities : President Clinton's first term. Now in paperback, this perceptive psychological portrait of Clinton and his presidency investigates whether Clinton has demonstrated the necessary qualities of judgment, vision, character and skill, as well as his ambition and extreme self-confidence. Renshon traces the development of Clinton's character from his early family experiences to his adolescence and long political career, including the controversy surrounding Clinton's draft-dodging and marriage. An award-winning study of the psychological background to Bill Clinton's erratic presidency. Lending a new twist to the study of the political personality, Renton unfolds the extraordinary narrative of Clinton's rise to power. A study of the psychological background to Bill Clinton's erratic presidency, this text presents a study of the political personality and it unfolds the narrative of Clinton's rise to power.