High Hopes The Clinton Presidency and the Politics of Ambition

Now in paperback with a new introduction, the book follows the development of Clinton's character from his early family experiences to his highly successful adolescence and long political career. Renshon illustrates how each step along the way -- his childhood, the issues surrounding his draft-dodging, his marriage to Hillary Rodham whose own psychology has both helped and hurt him, and his tenure as governor -- is crucial to understanding his erratic and controversial presidency. He also explores the Clinton marriage as a political partnership and why this talented man has failed to live up to his promise.

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.

Introduction; Part I Presidents, Psychology, and the Public; Chapter 1 Public Psychology: The Legacy of History; Part II The Character of Bill Clinton; Chapter 2 Character and the Presidency; Chapter 3 Ambition; Chapter 4 Character Integrity; Chapter 5 Relatedness; Chapter 6 Character and presidential psychology; Part III Growing Up, Coming of Age; Chapter 7 His Mother’s Son; Chapter 8 Adoration and Abandonment: The Clinton Family; Chapter 9 Some Consequences of Hope: A Tale of Two Women; Chapter 10 Vietnam and the Draft; Chapter 11 A Life’s Choice: Hillary Rodham Clinton; Part IV The Political Consequences of Character; Chapter 12 Judgment and Leadership: The Core of Presidential Performance; Chapter 13 Clinton’s Presidency; Part V Conclusion; Chapter 14 Lost Opportunities: President Clinton’s First Term;

Stanley A. Renshon is Professor of Political Science at the City University of New York and developer and coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Program in the Psychology of Political Behavior at the CUNY Graduate School. He is a certified psychoanalyst and author of several volumes, including The Psychological Assessment of Presidential Candidates (Routledge, 1998).