For the Love of Politics: The Clintons in the White House by Sally Bedell Smith. Published by Arum Press $47.99
KEY POINTS:
Purely from the perspective of human interest, the very thing that makes Hillary Clinton so intriguing is precisely what makes her a difficult subject for yet another book: we already know her.
We've been following her triumphs, her mistakes, her policies and the intricacies of her marriage for most of the past 20 years. Setting aside our fascination with the idea of his'n' hers matching presidencies, our cheers or smirks at the thought of a female Mister President, Hillary is singular for yet another reason: never has a potential candidate struggled through years of such salacious investigation, personal humiliation and legal scrutiny - almost a decade before they have even expressed a desire to run.
Those pleasures usually begin on one's own campaign trail. After all, who really knew anything about the state of Barack Obama's marriage in 1998? And there's the rub. Hillary's scandals might be salacious, but they're old news. Cigars, interns, Whitewater and healthcare - many commentators have delved extensively into each of them in the years since Bill's presidency.
The latest offering in a crowded market is Sally Bedell Smith's gossipy compendium, distinct from most of its forerunners in its focus on the Clintons as a single unit.
When George Stephanopoulos first met the Clintons at the governor's mansion, he was struck by their informality together. Bill was padding around the bedroom in his briefs, while Hillary was offering cogent analyses of the primaries.
Stephanopoulos imagined "the two of them propped up late at night, passing their reading back and forth, arguing, laughing, educating each other, sharing a passion for ideas".
Susan Thomases [Hillary's close friend] believed "it took the staff a long time to accept how close they are", but eventually, when Bill and Hillary were campaigning separately, the staff would arrange for them to rendezvous in Little Rock.
What is intriguing about the Clinton marriage is its durability. What emerges from this account is that, rather than the sham of which many have accused them - staying together for political prudence, the idea that they have lived separate lives ever since that dress came out of that freezer - theirs is a marriage that actually appears to be rather robust.
Hillary's frequent and increasing bouts of anger with Bill, rather than putting distance between them, have encouraged him to compensate her elsewhere. A senior official discerned an "unspoken, not fully conscious or recognised, pattern of behaviour.
The loss of gratification or dignity of fulfilment of one aspect of their relationship - marital fidelity - made him give her gratification, dignity and fulfilment in another aspect".
In some respects, the Clintons have always been a team.
They might not be passionate about one another, but they stand shoulder to shoulder, focused on the same goal.
Smith explores the Clintons' time in the White House and, in particular, the degree to which Bill was in fact already acting as "Billary" in almost every decision, major or minor, from his inauguration.
She believes such analysis is necessary as, "regardless of whether Hillary's bid falls short, the Democratic candidate for the presidency in 2008 will have to answer for the Clinton legacy because it is the last record of Democratic executive leadership".
Smith's account of the events of those eight years does not reveal anything new, but as an analysis of their partnership, there's plenty here for those who still wish to confront the Ghost of Clinton Past and, quite possibly, the Ghost of Clinton Future.
- Observer
