CH 41:AMERICA CONFRONTS THE POST – COLD WAR ERA

BILL CLINTON’S PRESIDENCY ( ) Election of 1992 Republican candidate: Pres. George Bush Democratic candidate: Bill Clinton independent candidate: H. Ross Perot Clinton won with 370 electoral votes to Bush’s 168 and Perot’s none

CLINTON’S FOREIGN POLICY Clinton supported the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) created in 1993, free trade zone including Mexico, U.S., and Canada Effects: changed his own stand in the 1992 election eliminated the opposition of democratic protectionists, especially labor leaders afraid of losing jobs to Mexicans working for less money In 1994, Clinton promoted World Trade Organization (WTO) : a global free-trade system

CLINTON’S FOREIGN POLICY Conflicts in Bosnia: ethnic conflict raged through Bosnia Washington govt hesitated before committing American troops to a NATO peacekeeping contingent in late 1995 abandoned when it became clear that were the only force capable of preventing new hostilities

CLINTON’S FOREIGN POLICY CON’ T Air strikes in Serbia President of Serbia, Milosevic, wants “ethnic cleansing” in Kosovo in response, NATO forces led by U.S. launched an air war against Serbia failed to stop ethnic terror and forced Milosevic to accept a NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo

CLINTON’S IMPEACHMENT Clinton’s role in the Whitewater Land Corporation prompted federal prosecutor, Kenneth Starr to investigate Jan. 1998, Clinton blamed for having a sexual affair with a young White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, and then lied about it when testified under oath in a civil law suit. Law suit brought by Paula Jones who charged that when the president was governor, he had sexually harassed her when she was a state employee Supreme court permitted case move forward in May 1997

CLINTON’S IMPEACHMENT Clinton publicly denied any relationships with “that woman” after keeping innocence for 8 months, Clinton forced to admit an “inappropriate relationship” Sept. 1998, Starr presented a report to House of Rep.. Charging Clinton with 11 possible grounds for impeachment, all relating to Lewinsky matter House Republicans. In December 1998, passed 2 articles of impeachment against the president: perjury before a grand jury obstruction of justice The Senate found Clinton “not guilty” Not removed from office 2 nd President to be impeached

ELECTION OF 2000 Democrats nominate Al Gore (VP) and Joseph Lieberman (Senator of Connecticut) Republicans nominate George W. Bush (son of former president George H.W. Bush) and Richard Cheney ( served in the administrations of Reagan and Bush) Green Party nominate Ralph Nader

ELECTION OF 2000 Candidates fought over the moderate and independent vote Gore’s focus was “working families” Bush’s focus was “compassionate conservatives” Gore received over 500,000 more popular votes then Bush Victory hinged on Florida’s 25 electoral votes

ELECTION 2000 Democrats asked for a manual recount of the election punch cards after a partial recount gave Bush the lead by 537 votes The Florida Supreme Court ordered a recount of all the votes The US Supreme Court overruled them in a split 5-4 decision

BUSH V. GORE The Court ruled that the varying standards used in Florida’s recount violated the 14 th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause Gore ended the election by accepting the ruling Final elector results; Bush 271 to Gore 266 Closest election since 1876