High Hopes: The Clinton Presidency and the Politics of Ambition [Paperback]

Stanley A. Renshon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0415921473 | ISBN-13: 978-0415921473 | Edition: New edition

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Renshon (political science, CUNY) presents a reasoned psychological interpretation of President Clinton's development, character, and leadership. Much to his credit, he recognizes political psychology as only one approach to predicting presidential performance. Clinton's character does not inspire confidence, he notes. Surprisingly, his ambition, integrity, interpersonal relations, and background make him similar to Richard Nixon rather than to Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt, the presidents to whom he likes to be compared. Renshon is not optimistic that Clinton's character can change if he is reelected and argues that the House Republicans remain the best check on the president's mercurial behavior. David Maraniss's First in His Class (LJ 3/1/95) and John Brummett's Highwire (LJ 9/15/94) are two excellent narratives that Renshon relies on heavily. This controversial study will appeal mostly to students of the presidency and political psychology. Recommended for large general libraries and subject collections.?Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, Pa.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Why is Bill Clinton "a president of extremes, combining immense personal and political skills with equally evident personal and political flaws?" Renshon, a City University of New York political science professor, applies comparative psychoanalytic theory to Clinton's character (emphasizing ambition, integrity, and relatedness), to specific behaviors (the draft, his choice of spouse), and to Clinton's approach to his office and critical decisions as president. Renshon sees Clinton's alcoholic stepfather as just one challenge within an unusually difficult childhood and goes beyond conflict-avoidance generalities in suggesting key consequences of that childhood experience in Clinton's adult personality and character. Renshon's study stresses the importance of the match (or mismatch) between public expectations and leaders' performance; even readers who find the author's psychological analysis of Clinton convincing may question Renshon's reading of the public mood in '92, '94, and '96. But the op-ed crowd will no doubt pick up some of this book's more noteworthy conclusions, so libraries serving political junkies will want to add it to their shelves. Mary Carroll --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; New edition edition (August 4, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415921473
• ISBN-13: 978-0415921473
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #875,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #75 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( C ) > Clinton, Bill

More About the Author

Stanley Renshon is professor of political science and coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Program in the Psychology of Social and Political behavior at the City University of New York Graduate Center. He is also a certified psychoanalyst.

He is the author of over 90 professional articles and 15 books including his psychological biography of the Clinton presidency--High Hopes: The Clinton Presidency and the Politics of Ambition, won the 1997 American Political Science Association's Richard E. Neustadt Award for the best book published on the presidency and the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis' Gradiva Award for the best published work in the category of biography. His psychological analysis of George W. Bush and his presidency entitled, In his Father's Shadow: The Transformations of George W. Bush was published by Palgrave/St. Martins press in the fall of 2004.

He has served as a consultant to the government on matters of national security including issues of immigration and national attachment and leadership assessment and decision-making.

He has been interviewed and quoted in a large number of newspapers for stories dealing with the presidency, public psychology, leadership, and immigration [including: The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angles Times, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, and others]. He has appeared a number of times on CNN, CBS, Fox News, NBC, and has also frequently been a guest on public affairs news radio programs nationally (NPR, CBS news, Newsweek- week in review) and internationally (Voice of America, Australian National Radio, Canadian National Radio and the BBC).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasant Surprise, February 27, 2000

By 

Todd Winer - See all my reviews

This review is from: High Hopes: The Clinton Presidency and the Politics of Ambition (Paperback)

I had never head of this book before I spotted it on the shelf of my local bookstore. But after reading it, I was surprised that it hadn't received more attention and praise. As far as the Clinton books go, this is the few non-partisan works you will find. Further, it is packed with information and original analysis. David Maraniss's biography is still the best on this subject but Mr. Renshon's book is close behind. He complements Maraniss by offering psychological insights and then applying these to Clinton's first term in office. The result is a clever book that will leave the reader more informed and enlightened about this enigmatic president.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Reason for Bill Clinton's Behaviour Made Clear, February 19, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: High Hopes: Bill Clinton and the Politics of Ambition (Hardcover)

I bought this book because I heard a talk by the author on C-Span summarizing the book, and I had been puzzled by Bill Clinton's behavior. This book gets to the root of his behavior and why he does what he does, and why he does it the way he does. Part of the book is devoted to the real history of Clinton's young life, and part to the analysis of recorded behaviours in his political life. The combination truly clarifies what is going on. Stanley Renshon is Professor of Political Science at CUNY with a specialty in Psychology of Political Behavior, and does a fine job in this book.