WILLIAM J. CLINTON . 1993-2001

During the administration of William Jefferson Clinton, the nation enjoyed more peace and economic well being than ever before. He could point to the lowest unemployment and inflation in modern times, reduced welfare roles and dropping crime rates in many places, and the highest home ownership in the country's history.

Born William Jefferson Blythe IV on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas, three months after his father died in a traffic accident, he adopted his stepfather’s name in high school. Clinton graduated from Georgetown University and in 1968 won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University. He received a law degree from Yale in 1973, and entered politics in Arkansas. He was elected Arkansas Attorney General in 1976, and in 1978 won the governorship. Losing a bid for a second term, he regained the office four years later, and served until he won the 1992 presidential race. Clinton and his running mate, Senator Al Gore Jr., represented a new generation in American political leadership. For the first time in 12 years the same party held the White House and Congress. But that edge was brief. The Republicans won both houses of Congress in 1994.

President Clinton proposed the first balanced budget in decades and achieved a budget surplus. He called for a great national initiative to end racial discrimination and sought legislation to upgrade education, protect jobs of parents who must care for sick children, restrict handgun sales and strengthen environmental rules. In the world, he dispatched peace keeping forces to war-torn Bosnia and bombed Iraq when Saddam Hussein stopped United Nations inspections for evidence of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. He was the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second term.

In 1998, as a result of issues surrounding personal indiscretions with a young woman White House intern, Clinton was the second U.S. president to be impeached by the House of Representatives. He was tried in the Senate and found not guilty of the charges brought against him. He apologized to the nation for his actions and continued to have unprecedented popular approval ratings for his job as president.

In the final months of his presidency, Clinton shared the spotlight with his wife, Hillary Rodham, who declared her candidacy for the New York Senate. The Clintons split their time between the White House and a new residence in Chappaqua, New York. The first lady campaigned vigorously, often with the president at her side. When Mrs. Clinton was sworn in as a senator in the 107^th Congress, her husband and daughter Chelsea watched silently from the Gallery another unprecedented moment in a tumultuous presidency.

GEORGE W. BUSH . 2001 -

When George W. Bush became the 43rd president of the United States, it was the second time in American history that a president's son went on to the White House. John Quincy Adams, elected the sixth president in 1824, was the son of second president John Adams. John Adams had groomed his son for office, but George H.W. Bush, the 41st president, was surprised when the eldest of his six children became involved in politics. George W. Bush launched his quest for the presidency while serving as governor of Texas.

George W. Bush's presidential campaign helped redefine the modern Republican Party. Making educational excellence his highest priority and calling his governing philosophy "compassionate conservatism," Bush insisted that helping those in need be at the center of the national agenda. From the earliest moments of his presidency, he has sought the involvement of America's charities, faith-based organizations, and community groups.

George W. Bush was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1946. The family moved to Midland, Texas, when the senior Bush entered the oil exploration business. George W. attended Midland public schools and graduated from Andover Academy and Yale. In 1975, he received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard. Returning to Texas, he got into the oil business and made an unsuccessful bid for Congress. Bush was managing general partner of the Texas Rangers until he ran for governor in 1994.

As Texas governor, Bush did not allow partisan differences to impede progress. He was a friend and confidant of leaders of both parties. An overwhelming 1998 re-election victory attracted support for him in the Republican presidential primaries. During the early part of the 2000 election, Bush enjoyed a double-digit lead over his opponent, Vice President Albert Gore Jr. In the fall campaign, the battle evened. The election was a standoff. Gore led in the popular vote, but in the Electoral College the contest came down to the winner of Florida. There, Bush had a margin of a few hundred votes. Gore challenged him in the courts of Florida by asking for recounts in key Democratic precincts. Partial recounts and lawsuits finally worked their way up to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in Bush's favor: the election was judged fair and the recounts ended. Bush was declared the winner by a very narrow margin, 271 electoral votes to 266.

In his Inaugural Address, President Bush defined his hopes for the nation: "We affirm a new commitment to live out our nation's promise through civility, courage, compassion and character." He challenged each citizen, "What you do is as important as anything government does. I ask you to seek a common good beyond your comfort, to defend needed reforms against easy attacks, to serve your nation beginning with your neighbor."