First In His Class (98 page)

398
“You have to recognize your sins”: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994.

399
The ads began running:
Arkansas Gazette,
Feb. 9, 1981: “Clinton Makes It Official, Uses Taped Television Ad,” p. 1.

399
“Hillary's gonna have to”: Int. Ray Smith, April 25, 1994.

399
“What were people wearing?”: Int. Carolyn Yeldell Staley, June 8, 1993.

399
Clinton recalled a conversation: “Hillary the Pol,”
The New Yorker,
May 30, 1994, Connie Bruck.

400
All that changed:
Arkansas Gazette
, Feb. 28, 1981: “Rodham Takes Leave to Join Campaign as ‘Mrs. Bill Clinton.ߣ” 400 “‘No,' came the ice cold answer”:
Times-News
editorial reprinted in
Arkansas Gazette,
March 7, 1982.

400
People hated it: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994.

401
“Bill Clinton on the Low Road”:
Arkansas Gazette,
April 28, 1982.

401
“said he would tear our heads off”:
Arkansas Gazette,
May 16, 1982.

401
“The polls showed a tremendous”: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994.

402
“Tucker had a record”: Int. Betsey Wright, June 27, 1993.

402
“Hell, he knew what was at stake”: Int. Woody Bassett, June 21, 1993.

402
Young black professionals: Ints. Carol Willis, June 30, 1993, and Rodney Slater, Aug. 7, 1992.

403
“We felt like we were behind”: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994.

403
“They're about ready”: Int. Carol Willis, June 30, 1993.

404
They set up a stage: Ints. Betsey Wright, June 27, 1993, and Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994.

405
Already that day: Arkansas Gazette, Jan. 12, 1983: “Inaugurated Before Huge Crowd,” p. 1; “Religious Service Starts Inaugural,” p. 18. Also, int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25. 1994.

405
“He realized that he needed”: Int. Paul Root, July 13, 1993.

406
They were freewheeling: Int. Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994.

406
The bad news had started: Int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

406
In the end, he worried: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

407
“an almost Catholic splitting”:
Ibid.

408
Clinton had called Starr: Int. John Robert Starr, Jan. 12, 1992.

408
“His entire strategy in governing”: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

408
Although Morris conducted the polls: lnts. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994, and Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

409
“one of the most embarrassing defeats”:
Arkansas Gazette,
Feb. 20, 1983: “Clinton Wants Others to Lead,” Ernest Dumas.

409
The state highway director was now shocked:
Arkansas Gazette,
March 3, 1983: “Called Double-crosser by Henry Gray.”

409
“Wasn't Weak, Vacillating”:
Arkansas Gazette,
March 25, 1983.

409
Clinton was eager to become known: lnts. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994, and Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

410
“He knew he couldn't succeed”:
Ibid

410
Trotter bitterly cited:
Arkansas Gazette,
Aug. 16, 1983.

410
In some schools: Int. Paul Root, July 13, 1993, and Root documents as governor's education aide.

411
There was a national context:
Arkansas Gazette,
April 23, 1983: “National Report Blueprint for Arkansas.”

411
“This guarantees that I will have”:
Arkansas Gazette,
April 23, 1983.

411
The inadequacies the committee members found: From report of Education Standards Committee, 1983. Also documents of Paul Root, education aide.

411
“I think we've elected the wrong Clinton!”:
Arkansas Gazette,
July 29, 1983.

411
Clinton and Morris experimented: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

412
It was a concept: lnts. Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994, and Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994. (Gloria Cabe's daughter had a teacher who marked wrong student test answers that gave a precise number to the question of how old the United States was rather than parroting the imprecise answer in their textbook, “about 200 years.”)

412
Frank White, the former governor:
Arkansas Gazette,
Sept. 8, 1983. Also int. Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

412
When Morris polled on the teacher tests: lnts. Dick Morris, Aug. 1 and 4, 1994.

412
On the day before: Int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

413
Clinton formed a finance committee:
Arkansas Gazette,
Sept. 29, 1993.

413
“In the life of our state”: Transcript, Governor Bill Clinton Address to Joint Session, Oct. 4, 1983.

414
Carol Willis and other black: Int. Carol Willis, June 30, 1993.

414
He cornered Vada Sheid: Int. Vada Sheid, July 28, 1993.

415
At a meeting in the governor's office: Int. J. Bill Becker, Jan. 7, 1992. Also
Arkansas Gazette,
Nov. 9, 1983, John Brummett.

415
“Clinton's lying to you!”: Int. J. Bill Becker, Jan. 7, 1992.

415
The substantive results: From Paul Root documents on Arkansas education. Also numerous
Arkansas Gazette
articles 1986-87.

416
Jogging was the craze: Int. Jim Blair, June 10, 1993.

416
Clinton had focused: Int. Bill Clinton, Jan. 20, 1992.

417
Clinton asked one of his colleagues:
Arkansas Gazette,
Aug. 12, 1984, based
on New York
magazine article by Richard Reeves.

417
“Harry Truman would tell us”: Transcript, Speech honoring Harry Truman by Governor Bill Clinton, Democratic National Convention, July 16, 1984.

419
This time it began: lnts. Robert Gibbs, Aug. 11, 1994, and Larry Gleghorn, Aug. 11, 1994.

419
both Gibbs and Gleghorn knew the Clintons:
Ibid

419
though he detested the memory: Int. Virginia Kelley, Jan. 13, 1992. Also
WP,
Jan. 24, 1993. “Oh, Brother,” Laura Blumenfeld.

420
One day soon after: lnts. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25. 1994; Hillary Clinton, Jan. 16, 1992; and Bill Clinton, Jan. 20, 1992.

420
he wrote a note: Int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

420
“got so wrapped up in”: Im. Bill Clinton, Jan. 20, 1992.

420
Clinton occasionally had asked: Int. Larry Gleghorn, Aug. 11. 1994.

420
“not the first time”: Int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

420
With Officer Gibbs hiding: Int. Robert Gibbs, Aug. 11, 1994.

420
Four more deals:
Ibid.

421
Clinton talked to both Roger and his mother: Int. Virginia Kelley, Jan. 13, 1992. Also transcript, Roger Clinton conversations with informant Rodney Myers, obtained in FOIA request. Case File 50-053-84. U.S. District Court, Little Rock.

421
“Do you think they are ever”: Int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

421
It was an emotional scene:
Leading,
pp. 250-51.

421
a period of intense introspection began: Ints. Virginia Kelley, Jan. 13, 1992, and Bill Clinton, Jan. 20, 1992. Also
Leading,
p. 252.

422
“He did a lot of introspection”: Int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

422
“I think we're all addicted to something”: Ints. Carolyn Yeldell Staley, June 8 and July 12, 1993.

422
Roger agreed to testify: Int. Larry Gleghorn, Aug. 11, 1994.

422
The connections:
Arkansas Gazette,
Oct. 25, 1986. Also
Newsweek,
Jan. 24, 1994: “The Fall of a Bond Daddy.”

423
“Here the brother of the governor”: Int. Asa Hutchinson, Aug. 2, 1994.

423
“We're closer than any brothers”: Transcript, Roger Clinton conversations with informant Rodney Myers, obtained in FOIA request. Case File 50-033-84.

423
Minutes before:
Ibid.

424
Virginia had taken down: Int Virginia Kelley, Jan. 13, 1992.

425
Edith Cassidy constantly accused:
Leading,
p. 23.

425
she developed a reputation: Int. Myra Irvin, Feb. 9, 1993.

425
During the 1978 gubernatorial campaign: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993.

425
Clinton's table attracted a crowd: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

425
Trooper L. D. Brown:
WP
, April 11, 1994, p. 6, Michael Isikoff, following an article in
American Spectator
by Daniel Wattenberg.

426
Hillary said she could never: Int. Carolyn Yeldell Staley, June 8 and July 12, 1993.

426
“I wonder how history”:
Ibid.

427
a bossy big sister: Ints. Betsey Wright, Feb. 15 and June 28, 1993; Aug. 25, 1994.

427
“I won't have it!”: Int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

427
Wright swatted it: Int. Betsey Wright, Feb. 15, 1993.

428
Hillary felt the need: Ints. Betsey Wright, Feb. 15, 1993, and Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

428
She told Drew: Int. Roy Drew, April 22, 1994.

428
wanted to build a swimming pool: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

429
she would devote hours to courting: Int. Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994. Also
The New Yorker,
May 30, 1994: “Hillary the Pol,” Connie Bruck.

429
“She's got to be out”: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

429
During the 1986 gubernatorial race:
Arkansas Gazette,
Sept. 18, 1986: “White Says Clinton Lied About Rose Law.”

429
The Clinton team's political response: Ints. Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994, and Betsey Wright, June 28, 1993.

429
Dan Lasater, the bond broker:
Newsweek,
Jan. 24, 1994.

430
she helped represent Jim McDougal:
NYT,
March 8, 1992.

430
According to McDougal and his wife: Ints. Susan McDougal, March 10, 1992, and Jim McDougal, April 22, 1994.

430
McDougal was feeling regret:
Ibid.

431
Wright viewed the event: Int. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

431
They were discussing the works: Int. Don Jones, April 14, 1993.

432
“As a member of the British”: Hillary Clinton gave speeches throughout Arkansas churches on why she was a Methodist. She included segments of the speech in her commencement address at Hendrix College, May 30, 1992.

432
Hillary's church in downtown Little Rock: Ints. Reverend Ed Matthews, July 13, 1993, and Clinton Burleson, July 13, 1993.

433
“One of her favorite thoughts”: Int. Reverend Ed Matthews, July 13, 1993.

433
“not going to tote her Bible”:
Ibid.

433
“would get up there and act”: Int. Mary Frances Vaught, May 1992.

433
Clinton did not go to church: The account of Clinton at lmmanuel Baptist Church and his relationship with W. O. Vaught is drawn from interviews with Bill Clinton, May 14, 1992; Carl Vaught and Mary Frances Vaught, May 1992; Betsey Wright, May 1992; and Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993. Also
WP
, June 29, 1992: “Roots of Clinton's Faith Deep, Varied,” David Maraniss, p. 1.

436
“The latest polls”:
American Oxonian
(Winter 1986).

436
poor southern forebears: New England Historical Genealogical Society newsletter, Dec. 12, 1992.

437
one week after he turned forty:
Arkansas Gazette,
Aug. 27, 1986, p. 1.

437
“always standing, never sitting”: Int. Harry Hughes, June 10, 1994.

438
“Nobody ever told me”: Int. Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994.

438
After the election: Ints. Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994, and Moril Harriman, July 15, 1993.

438
Early on the evening:
WP
, March 21, 1987.

438
Clinton had talked to friends: Int. Kit Ashby, Jan. 20, 1993.

439
Gloria Cabe ventured up: Int. Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994.

439
“Your willingness to help us”: Letter to Charlie Daniels, May 20, 1987.

440
“a statute of limitations”: Int. Bob Armstrong, Jan. 6, 1993.

440
Clinton “wanted to believe”: Ints. Betsey Wright, Feb. 15 and June 28, 1993, Aug. 25, 1994.

440
“a tremendous terror”: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 4, 1994.

440
He traveled to Washington: Int. Steve Cohen, Feb. 3, 1994.

440
Their first choice was: Int. Betsey Wright, June 28, 1993.

440
A few days before the announcement: Ints. Betsey Wright, Feb. 15 and June 28, 1993, and Aug. 25, 1994.

441
Wagner was a generational cohort: Ints. Carl Wagner, June 28, 1993, Feb. 4, 1994.

441
“So what's the bottom line?”:
Ibid.

441
“this guy doesn't know”: Int. Steve Cohen, Feb. 3,1994.

442
Kantor took the lead: Int. Mickey Kantor, Sept. 14, 1994.

442
on a Sunday morning: Int. Paul Root, July 14, 1993.

443
“It was the turning point”: Int. Mickey Kantor, Sept. 14, 1994.

443
Clinton faced the gathering: Ints. Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994; Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994; Mickey Kantor, Sept. 14, 1994; Carl Wagner, Feb. 4, 1994; John Holum, June 1992; and Billie Carr, Dec. 15, 1992.