High Hopes: The Clinton Presidency and the Politics of Ambition

by Stanley A. Renshon

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415921473
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/04/1998
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	428
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Stanley A. Renshon is Professor of Political Science at the City University of New York and developer and coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Program in the Psychology of Political Behavior at the CUNY Graduate School. He is a certified psychoanalyst and author of several volumes, including The Psychological Assessment of Presidential Candidates (Routledge, 1998).

Table of Contents

Introduction; Part I Presidents, Psychology, and the Public; Chapter 1 Public Psychology: The Legacy of History; Part II The Character of Bill Clinton; Chapter 2 Character and the Presidency; Chapter 3 Ambition; Chapter 4 Character Integrity; Chapter 5 Relatedness; Chapter 6 Character and presidential psychology; Part III Growing Up, Coming of Age; Chapter 7 His Mother’s Son; Chapter 8 Adoration and Abandonment: The Clinton Family; Chapter 9 Some Consequences of Hope: A Tale of Two Women; Chapter 10 Vietnam and the Draft; Chapter 11 A Life’s Choice: Hillary Rodham Clinton; Part IV The Political Consequences of Character; Chapter 12 Judgment and Leadership: The Core of Presidential Performance; Chapter 13 Clinton’s Presidency; Part V Conclusion; Chapter 14 Lost Opportunities: President Clinton’s First Term;

Editorial Reviews

"Mr. Renshoon, a psycholanalysta s well as a political scientist, has written a biography which earnestly and — intelligently — seeks to explain why Bill Clinton is the way he is." — Washington Times
"Renshon presents a picture of the incumbent president that seems to capture the essence of the man... High Hopes has the potential to become one of those rare books that defines an era or a person. With this work, Renshon joins the late Christopher Lasch and Kenneth J. Gergin as a preeminent interpreter of culture and, in regard to Clinton, of a president who future historians may justly conclude exemplifies many of our culture's core values." — Insight
"This is an excellent book in which politics and psychology are artfully joined. The author's primary purpose is to solve a puzzle about why Bill Clinton's talent has misfired so often... this is a superb example of how psychology may illuminate politics." — Political Science Quarterly
"Bill Clinton is a man whose inconsistencies have profoundly puzzled reporters, pundits, and this reviewer. The author sets out to make sense of these contradictions. He looks at President Clinton's character from the perspective of ambition, integrity, and his relationship with others. It is in Renshon's examination of these characteristics that make High Hopes so intriguing and educational." — The American Reporter Book Review
"...libraries serving political junkies will want to add it to their shelves." — Booklist

From the Publisher

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' First in His Class and John Brummett's Highwire are two excellent narratives that Renshon relies on heavily. -- Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Township Library, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

Library Journal

Renshon (political science, City U. of New York) analyzes Bill Clinton's childhood, character, and presidency based on psychological theories of personality, theories of presidential leadership and performance, and theories of public psychology. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Richly deserves the controversial attention....in-depth answers to the 'why' question about the Clinton Presidency.

Presidential Studies Quarterly

Unquestionably the most comprehensive, most coherent work currently available on the character of President Clinton.

Political Psychology