History

William Jefferson Bill Clinton was born on August 19, 1946 in Hope, Arkansas. He was a 5th generation Arkansan. His mother Virginia Kelly named him after his father, who died in a fatal car accident 3 months before Bill was born. After his birth, his mother left him with the grandparents (Eldridge and Edith Cassidy) in order to train as a nurse in New Orleans. In 1950, Bills mother returned from New Orlean after completing her nursing course and shortly thereafter married Roger Clinton, who owned an automobile dealership in Hot Springs, Arkansas (Clinton, My Life).
 
When Bill was 8 years, the family relocated to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where they lived in a small house devoid of indoor plumbing. Bills stepfather was an alcoholic, and the family was often disrupted by domestic violence. At the age of fifteen, Bill warned his stepfather never to hit his half brother, Roger Jr., or mother again. This was a very dramatic warning that Clinton recalled several years later in an interview with Times Magazine. Notwithstanding his rock-strewn relationship with his stepfather, Bill voluntarily changed his last name to Clinton (Clinton, My Life).

Clinton met President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), when he was only seventeen years. As a result, he made up his mind to pursue a career in politics. He later joined Georgetown University in 1964. As a student, he was committed to the civil rights struggle as well as the movement against the Vietnam War (1955-75 war, where the United States assisted South Vietnam to fight against a takeover by North Vietnam). In 1968, William Jefferson Clinton graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelors degree in international affairs. Following his graduation, he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship that permitted him two years of study at Oxford University. He later entered Yale University Law School and after graduation, Clinton began practicing as a private Lawyer in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He as well began lecturing at the Law School in the University of Arkansas (Clinton, My Life).

Governor of Arkansas
In 1974, Clinton decided to commence his political career that he had desired since he was seventeen years. He contested for Congress, but was defeated by the then incumbent Governor, John Paul Hammerschmidt by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin (Dumas, The Clintons of Arkansas). On October 11, 1975, he married Hillary Rodham, the current United States Secretary of States for foreign affairs, who he met at Yale University and were blessed with a daughter called Chelsea. With no opposition in the general election, in 1976, Clinton was elected as Arkansas Attorney General, an office he held till 1979. In 1978, Clinton was elected the Arkansas Governor, having defeated Lynn Lowe a Republican candidate (Dumas, The Clintons of Arkansas). This made him the youngest governor in the United States at a tender age of 32.

In his first term, Clinton proposed a number of changes in education and commercial regulation, especially to control pollution, but his major initiative, a highway plan was both politically and fiscally expensive (Clinton, Bill, Between Hope and History). He swayed the legislatures to increase taxes on automobiles fuels and to elevate other fees on motor vehicles. Increases in the yearly registration fees of tracks and automobiles were particularly unpopular to Arkansans. Clinton would always articulate that the motor vehicle license fees cost him reelection in 1980, though other programs, initiatives, or plans he undertook angered large interest (Dumas, The Clintons of Arkansas). The trucking industry was chagrined by his endless effort of raising taxes on big rigs along with his opposition to hoisting the weight limits for highways in Arkansas. Poultry interests were chagrined by the issue of highway weight, the wood industry were irked by his criticism of clear cutting forest, and bankers were as well displeased by his proposition that unused state funds be disseminated among banks based on their lending policies. Utility interest that was particularly powerful became angry due to Clintons efforts to congeal the directive of rate increases (Dumas, The Clintons of Arkansas). He as well battled the states principal electric utility, the Arkansas Power and Light, over the parent firms successful exertion to make Arkansas ratepayers bear a significant share of the costs of a gigantic nuclear power plant at Port Gibson, Mississippi. Those against his unpopular reforms tended to support his Republican challenger in 1980.

Governor Bill Clinton was further hurt politically by the presence of Cuban refugees at Fort Chaffee, detained there by his close ally and a friend, President Jimmy Carter. Cuba had provisionally lifted its exit limits and permitted 120, 000 Cubans to enter the United States via boat. Jimmy Carter sent 18,000 of those refugees to Fort Chaffee. Approximately three hundred of the Cubans broke out of the compound and stormed nearby roads. About 62 people were injured, though none seriously, and 3 building at Fort Chaffee were shattered (Dumas 1). A video of those marauding Cuban refugees turned up in an effectual campaign ad for Clinton adversaries in the 1980 race for Arkansas governorship. Carter broke a promise to the state and Clinton when he ultimately sent all the refugees from Northern Military posts to Fort Chaffee because the northern posts were never adequately equipped for winter seasons. Frank D. White, a state industrial developer and former banker, switched from Democratic Party to Republican Party to contest for governor in 1980. As part of his political propaganda, he accused Clinton for threatening the safety of Arkansans, which Cubans represented plus elevated automobile license fees (United States History 1). He later defeated Clinton with almost 52 percent of the total votes making Clinton the youngest ex-governor in Arkansas at that time.

Almost instantly after his defeat in 1980 general election, Clinton started working on a comeback. He hired Betsey Wright, a tough realist, an old political ally, and no nonsense political operator from Texas. Mr. Wright acted as indispensable keeper, strategist, and counselor for Clinton. Furthermore, Clintons political comebacks started with a televised apology to reiterate his past mistakes, followed by an early start on a persistent campaign (United States History 1). Arkansans had hardly seen a campaigner of his competence. Both primary and general election attested to be astringent, bitter, and severe battles, but he was the very first Arkansas governor to recover from a defeat to clinch an office again. Whilst detractors indicted Bill Clinton of unnecessary caution after his reelection, he had absolutely learned to choose his battles more cautiously. Education was where he drew his line in the political sand, an area that Arkansas as a state ranked next to last in the whole country.

Achievements
In 1983, Clinton was able to pass a legislation creating an Education Standards Committee, which was charged with the responsibility of setting up higher standards for the states school to be espoused by 1984. Schools were given a maximum duration of 3 years to either implement the standards or face serious repercussions. Clinton appointed Hillary, his wife to head the committee. The committee succeeded in reforming Arkansas education system by transforming it from the worst in the United States to among the best. This has been identified by a number of people as the greatest achievement as an Arkansas governor. Clinton, through this Education Committee improved the education programs by allocating more funds for schools, rising opportunities for gifted students, escalating vocational education, inclusion of a wider range of courses, and raising the teachers salaries.

The education programs initiated by Clinton were very tough, calling for teacher competency testing which incensed teachers groups (Applebome 2). This program established standards for students and teachers, mandated elementary school counselors and smaller classes, and established first eighth grade test in the United States, where student ought to pass prior to entering high school. In 1989 and 1991, other educational programs followed. They comprised the nations 2nd program to permit students the right to choose the schools they would desire to attend, some amalgamations of incompetent, inefficient, and unproductive small districts, 1000 annual college scholarships for qualifying poor and middle income students, revamping of vocational education, and increases in teachers pay (Applebome 2).. As a result of his endless effort in reforming Arkansas education system, between 1983-84 and 1990-91, the  of Arkansas high school graduates joining college rose from 38 to 48. In 1983-84, just 68 of the Arkansas high schools offered Chemistry and 46, physics. Due to Clintons reforms all states high schools offer both subjects (Applebome 2).  
 
Mr. Clinton was also applauded by many people for his efforts to enhance health care, especially in poor areas. In earlier years, Arkansas had fifteen million dollars allocation for early childhood education and started novel programs in health care and parental care for children emanating from poor background. Clinton did not waiver the controversial health issues, such as the health departments initiative of distribution of condoms to students in high schools through school clinics (Applebome 2). As an Arkansas governor, Mr. Clinton had a real desire of investing in health issues, as he took on legislature and most of the time fought for health department budget. Besides, business leaders in Arkansas as well praised Governor Clinton for his economic development efforts, comprising tax incentives, enhancing job training, and fostering international trade. They termed him as a person who assisted Arkansas to outpace the United States together with its neighboring states in terms of income growth, employment growth, and growth in manufacturing jobs during his reign as a governor (Applebome 2).

Clintons Arkansas Blood Scandal
In 1980s, while Clinton was serving as Arkansas governor, the administration under him awarded a contract to Health Management Associates (HMA) to offer medical care to states prisoners. The president of HMA was a political ally and a long term friend of Bill Clinton and was later appointed to Arkansas Industrial Development Commission by him (Farah 1). The HMA president was later among members of Clintons 1990 gubernatorial reelection team. In addition to treating prisoners, HMA struck a deal of collecting prisoners blood and selling it. Due to the exploding HIV crisis, United States regulations never allowed the sale of prisoners blood in the country. As such, HMA found a willing dealer in Montreal that brokered a deal with Connaught, a Canadian blood fractionator that did not know the supply source. The blood from Arkansas prisoners was distributed by Red Cross throughout Canada. This dubious deal continued until 1983, when Health Management Associates discovered that some of the blood donated by prisoners was contaminated with hepatitis and HIV virus (Farah 1).

Michael Galster who operated orthopedic clinics in Arkansas prisons during the period the prisoners blood was collected was afraid to blow out the story. He however authored a thinly fictional book titled Blood Trail that clearly explained of an Arkansas governors function in that enormous scandal. According to Galster, it was crystalline clear that HMA officials were pretty aware that the blood was contaminated, but went on selling it to Canada plus other foreign countries. He as well alleged that governor Clinton knew of that dreadful scandal and probably benefited from it financially. Michael Galster further indicated in his fictional story that Clinton organized a payoff plan to a number of officials, comprising a judge to ensure that the blood deal continued. The eyewitnesses claimed that millions of dollars were made from that conspiracy because more than 7, 000 pounds of blood were shipped each and every week from a single prison (Farah 1).

Conclusion
The life of Bill Clinton as an Arkansas Governor began in 1978 when he won the governorship election. However, in his first term in office he made a number of reforms which were unpopular to several Arkansans, such as raising automobile license fees. Those against the unpopular changes were angered and shifted their support to a Republican candidate in the 1980 general election. Clinton was later defeated by a Republican Frank D. White by a close margin of 52 to 48 of total votes. Almost immediately after his defeat, he began preparing for a comeback by hiring several political gurus, including his great ally as well friend Betsey Wright. The comeback campaign was so tremendous that he managed to recover from a defeat to clinch an office, a position he held until 1992. Besides, Clinton was praised by many people for his education reforms, which made Arkansas among the best states in the United States. Finally, he was involved in a number of scandals like the Arkansas blood scandal that was mainly used against him by his opponent during 1993 presidential campaign.