Bill Clinton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Your continued donations keep Wikipedia running! Bill Clinton Baptist Signature William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19 , 1946 ) was the 42nd President of the United States , serving from 1993 to 2001. Before his election as President, Clinton served nearly 12 years as the 50th and 52nd Governor of Arkansas . His wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton , is the junior United States Senator from New York , where they both reside. Clinton founded and heads the William J. Clinton Foundation . Contents 14 Related miscellanea Early life William Jefferson Blythe III was born in Hope , Arkansas, and raised in Hot Springs , Arkansas. He was named after his father, William Jefferson Blythe, Jr. , a traveling salesman who died in a car accident three months before he was born. [1] His mother, born Virginia Dell Cassidy (1923–1994), remarried in 1950 to Roger Clinton . Roger Clinton owned an automobile dealership business with his brother, Raymond.

The young Billy, as he was called, was raised by his mother and stepfather, assuming his last name "Clinton" throughout elementary school but not formally changing it until he was 14. Clinton grew up in a traditional, albeit blended, family; however, according to Clinton, his stepfather was a gambler and an alcoholic who regularly abused Clinton's mother and sometimes Clinton's half-brother Roger, Jr. Bill Clinton as a child went to St. John's Catholic School and Ramble Elementary School. While at Hot Springs High School , Clinton was an excellent student and a talented saxophonist . He considered dedicating his life to music, but a visit to the White House to meet then-President John F. Kennedy following his election as a Boys Nation Senator led him to pursue a career in politics. Clinton was a member of Youth Order of DeMolay but never actually became a Freemason . [1] Clinton received a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (B.S.F.S.) degree from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. , where he became a brother of Alpha Phi Omega , worked for Senator J.

William Fulbright , was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and won a Rhodes Scholarship to University College, Oxford . While at Oxford, he played rugby union as a lock , and later in life he played for the Little Rock Rugby club in Arkansas. There he also participated in the Vietnam War protest movement . After Oxford, Clinton obtained a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Yale Law School in 1973. While at Yale, he began dating classmate Hillary Rodham . They married in 1975 and their only child, Chelsea , was born in 1980. Clinton is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Inc. Arkansas political career Politician In 1974, his first year as a University of Arkansas law professor, Clinton ran for the House of Representatives . The incumbent, John Paul Hammerschmidt , defeated Clinton with 52% of the vote. In 1976, Clinton was elected Attorney General of Arkansas without opposition in the general election. In 1978, Bill Clinton was first elected Governor of Arkansas , the youngest to be elected governor since 1938.

His first term was fraught with difficulties, including an unpopular motor vehicle tax and popular anger over the escape of Cuban prisoners (from the Mariel boatlift ) detained in Fort Chaffee in 1980. In the 1980 election, Clinton was defeated in his bid for a second term by Republican challenger Frank D. White . As he once joked, he was the youngest ex-governor in the nation's history. But in 1982, Clinton won his old job back, and over the next decade he helped Arkansas transform its economy. He became a leading figure among the New Democrats, a branch of the Democratic Party that called for welfare reform and smaller government, a policy supported by both Democrats and Republicans alike. Clinton's approach mollified conservative criticism during his terms as governor. However, personal and business transactions made by the Clintons during this period became the basis of the Whitewater investigation, which dogged his later presidential Administration. After very extensive investigation over several years, no indictments were made against the Clintons related to the years in Arkansas.

Campaign for the Democratic Nomination There was some media speculation in 1987 that Clinton would enter the race for 1988 Democratic presidential nomination after then-New York Governor Mario Cuomo declined to run and Democratic frontrunner Gary Hart bowed out due to revelations about marital infidelity. Often referred to as the "Boy Governor" at the time because of his youthful appearance, Clinton decided to remain as Arkansas Governor and postpone his presidential ambitions until 1992. Presenting himself as a moderate and a member of the New Democrat wing of the Democratic Party, he headed the moderate Democratic Leadership Council in 1990 and 1991. In 1992, Clinton was the early favorite of Democratic Party insiders and elected officials for the presidential nomination; therefore, he was able to rack up scores of superdelegates even before the first nominating contests were conducted. In spite of this, Clinton began his 1992 presidential quest on a sour note by finishing near the back of the pack in the Iowa caucus , which was largely uncontested due to the presence of favorite-son Senator Tom Harkin , who was the easy winner.

Clinton’s real trouble, however, began during New Hampshire Primary campaign, when revelations of a possible extramarital affair with Gennifer Flowers began to surface. Clinton and his wife Hillary decided to go on 60 Minutes following the Super Bowl to rebut those charges of infidelity, which had started to take their toll, as Clinton had fallen way behind former Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas in the New Hampshire polls. In fact, his campaign was beginning to unravel. Their TV appearance was a calculated risk, but it seemed to pay off as Clinton regained some of his lost footing. He still finished second to Tsongas in the New Hampshire Primary, but the media viewed it as a moral victory for Clinton, since he came within single digits of winning after trailing badly in the polls. Clinton shrewdly labeled himself “The Comeback Kid” on election night to help foster this perception and came out of New Hampshire on a roll. Tsongas, on the other hand, picked up little or no momentum from his victory. Clinton used his new-found momentum to storm through the Southern primaries, including the big prizes of Florida and Texas , and build up a sizable delegate lead over his opponents in the race for the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination.

However, there were still some doubts as to whether he could secure the nomination, as former California Governor Jerry Brown was scoring victories in other parts of the country and Clinton had yet to win a significant contest outside of his native South. With no major Southern state remaining on the primary calendar, Clinton set his sights on the delegate-rich New York Primary, which was to be his proving ground. Much to the surprise of some, Clinton scored a resounding victory in New York . It was a watershed moment for him, as he had finally broken through and shed his image as a regional candidate and as centrist Democrat whose standing with Northern liberals was questionable. Having been transformed into the consensus candidate, he took on an air of inevitability and was able to cruise to the nomination, topping it off with a victory on Brown’s home turf in the California Primary. Presidential election Bill Clinton with H. Ross Perot, Reform Party, and George H.W Bush, Republican, in a national debate Clinton won the 1992 Presidential election (43.0% of the vote) against Republican George H. W. Bush (37.4% of the vote) and billionaire populist H.

Ross Perot , who ran as an independent (18.9% of the vote) on a platform focusing on domestic issues; a large part of his success was Bush's steep decline in public approval. Previously described as "unbeatable" because of his approval ratings in the 80% range during the Persian Gulf conflict , Bush saw his public approval rating drop to just over 40% by election time. Additionally, Bush reneged on his promise ( "Read My Lips: No New Taxes!" ) not to raise taxes when he compromised with Democrats in an attempt to lower the Federal deficits. This hurt him among conservatives. Clinton capitalized on Bush's policy switch, repeatedly condemning the President for making a promise he failed to keep. Finally, Bush's coalition was in disarray. Conservatives had been united by anti- communism , but with the end of the Cold War , old rivalries re-emerged. The Republican Convention of 1992 was dominated by evangelical Christians, alarming some moderate voters who thought the Republican Party had been taken over by religious conservatives. [2] All this worked in Clinton's favor. Clinton could point to his moderate, 'New Democrat' record as governor of Arkansas.

Liberal Democrats were impressed by Clinton's academic credentials, his 1960s-era protest record, and support for social causes such as a woman's right to choose. Many Democrats who had supported Ronald Reagan and Bush in previous elections switched their allegiance to the more moderate Clinton. His election ended an era of Republican rule, including 12 consecutive years in the White House and 20 of the previous 24 years. That election also brought the Democrats full control of the political branches of the federal government, including both houses of Congress as well as the presidency, for the first time since 1980. Presidency, 1993-2001 Clinton's presidency included the longest period of economic growth in America's history. Clinton made cutting the deficit a top priority of his presidency. He supported and signed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 . The Clinton Administration had a domestic agenda that included successful passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Clinton was unsuccessful in his attempt at a universal health care reform program, known as the Clinton health care plan .

The foreign policy of the Clinton administration dealt with conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina , Haiti , and most notably the Kosovo War . Investigation and impeachment Main article: Lewinsky scandal In 1998, as a result of allegations that he had lied during grand jury testimony regarding his sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky , a young female White House intern, Clinton was the second U.S. president to be impeached by the House of Representatives (the other being Andrew Johnson ). The House held no serious impeachment hearings before the 1998 mid-term elections: Republican candidates rarely mentioned the issue of impeachment, but Democrats generally came out strongly against impeachment. In spite of the allegations against the President, his party picked up seats in the Congress. The Republican leadership called a lame duck session in December 1998 to hold impeachment proceedings. Although the House Judiciary Committee hearings were perfunctory and ended in a straight party line vote, the debate on the Floor of the House was lively. The two charges that were passed in the House (largely on the basis of Republican support but with a handful of Democratic votes as well) were for perjury and obstruction of justice .

The perjury charge arose from Clinton's testimony about his relationship to Monica Lewinsky during a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by former Arkansas-state employee Paula Jones . The obstruction charge was based on his actions during the subsequent investigation of that testimony. Impeachment trial in the Senate Main article: Impeachment of Bill Clinton The Senate refused to convene to hold an impeachment trial before the end of the old term, so the trial was held over until the next Congress. Clinton was represented by Washington powerhouse law firm Williams & Connolly . On February 12 , the Senate concluded a 21-day trial with the vote on both counts falling short of the Constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority to convict and remove an office holder. The final vote was generally along party lines, with all of the votes to convict being cast by Republicans. On the perjury charge 55 senators voted to acquit, including 10 Republicans, and 45 voted to convict; on the obstruction charge the Senate voted 50-50. [3] Clinton, like the only other president to be impeached, Andrew Johnson , served the remainder of his term.

Other controversies Main articles: White House personnel file controversy and White House travel office controversy The White House travel office controversy began on May 19 , 1993 , when several longtime employees of the White House Travel Office were fired. A whistleblower's letter, written during the previous administration, triggered an FBI investigation which revealed evidence of financial malfeasance. The White House personnel file controversy of June 1996 arose around improper access to FBI security-clearance documents. Craig Livingstone, head of White House security, improperly requested, and received from the FBI , personnel files without asking permission of the subject individuals. Campaign finance and the pardon controversy Main articles: 1996 United States campaign finance controversy and Bill Clinton pardons controversy The 1996 United States campaign finance controversy was an alleged effort by the People's Republic of China (PRC) to influence the domestic policies of the United States, prior to and during the Clinton administration and also involved the fund-raising practices of the administration itself. President Bill Clinton has been criticized for some of his presidential pardons and other acts of executive clemency. Clinton issued 140 pardons on his last day in office ( January 20 , 2001 ).

It is common practice for Presidents to grant a number of pardons shortly before leaving office, but Clinton's last day list was more numerous than those of many previous presidents. Most of the controversy surrounded Marc Rich and allegations that Hillary Clinton's brother, Hugh Rodham , accepted payments in return for influencing the president's decision-making regarding the pardons. [2] Willey and Broaddrick allegations Two claims of sexual misconduct on the part of Bill Clinton were alleged by Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick, during the Clinton Administration. Neither claim resulted in charges against Clinton. Public approval Clinton's approval ratings throughout his presidential career While Clinton's job approval rating varied over the course of his first term, ranging from a low of 36 percent in mid-1993 to a high of 64 percent in late-1993 and early-1994, [4] his job approval rating consistently ranged from the high 50s to the high 60s in his second term. [5] Clinton's approval rating reached its highest point at 73 percent approval in the aftermath of the impeachment proceedings in 1998 and 1999.

[6] A CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup poll [7] conducted as he was leaving office, revealed deeply contradictory attitudes regarding Clinton. Although his approval rating at 68 percent was higher than that of any other departing president since polling began more than seventy years earlier, only 45 percent said they would miss him. While 55 percent thought he "would have something worthwhile to contribute and should remain active in public life", and 47 percent rated him as either outstanding or above average as a president, 68 percent thought he would be remembered for his "involvement in personal scandal" rather than his accomplishments as president, and 58 percent answered "No" to the question "Do you generally think Bill Clinton is honest and trustworthy?" 47 percent of the respondents identified themselves as being Clinton supporters. In May 2006 a CNN poll comparing Clinton's job performance with that of his successor, George W. Bush, found a majority of respondents said Clinton outperformed Bush on every single issue in question. [8] Public image Clinton reading with a child. As the first Baby Boomer president, Clinton was the first president in a half century not shaped by World War II.

With his sound-bite-ready dialogue and pioneering use of pop culture in his campaigning, such as playing his saxophone on The Arsenio Hall Show , Clinton was sometimes described as the " MTV president". [9] Until his inauguration as president, he had earned substantially less money than his wife, and had the smallest net worth of any president in modern history, according to My Life , Clinton's autobiography. Clinton, a charismatic speaker, tended to draw huge crowds during public speeches throughout his terms in office. Clinton was also very popular among African-Americans and made improving race relations a major theme of his presidency. [10] Nobel Prize -winning author Toni Morrison in 1998 called Clinton "the first Black president," saying "Clinton displays almost every trope of blackness : single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald's -and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas," and, despite his career accomplishments, comparing Clinton's scrutinized sex life to the stereotyping and double standards that blacks typically endure. [11] Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush , Ronald Reagan , Jimmy Carter , Gerald Ford , and their wives at the funeral of President Richard Nixon on 1994 - 04-27 .

Hillary Clinton re-enacts being sworn in as a U.S. Senator by Vice President Gore as Bill and Chelsea Clinton observe. Post-presidential career Public speaking Like other former American presidents, Clinton has engaged in a career as a public speaker on a variety of issues. In his speaking engagements around the world, [12] [13] he continues to comment on aspects of contemporary politics. One notable theme is his advocacy of multilateral solutions to problems facing the world. Clinton's close relationship with the African American community has been highlighted in his post-Presidential career with the opening of his personal office in the Harlem section of New York City . He assisted his wife, Hillary Clinton , in her campaign for office as Senator from New York . Clinton's autobiography, My Life , was released in June 2004. On July 26 , 2004 , Clinton spoke for the fifth consecutive time to the Democratic National Convention , using the opportunity to praise candidate John Kerry . Many Democrats believed that Clinton's speech was one of the best in Convention history. In it, he criticized President George W.

Bush's depiction of Kerry, saying that "strength and wisdom are not opposing values." He dedicated his presidential library , which is the largest in the nation, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center , in Little Rock , Arkansas on November 18 , 2004 . Under rainy skies, Clinton received words of praise from former presidents Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush , as well as from the current president, George W. Bush . He was also treated to a musical rendition from Bono and The Edge from U2 , who expressed their gratitude at Clinton's efforts to resolve the Northern Ireland conflict during his presidency. On December 9 , 2005 , speaking at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal , Clinton publicly criticized the Bush Administration for its handling of emissions control. Further, Clinton twice visited the University of California, Los Angeles in 2006 to promote initiatives concerning the environment. First, on August 1 , 2006 , he met with Tony Blair , Ken Livingstone , Antonio Villaraigosa , and Gavin Newsom to advertise the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group .

On October 13 , 2006 , he spoke in favor of California Proposition 87 , which was voted down. Health Bill Clinton on The Daily Show , promoting My Life On September 9 , 2004 , Clinton had an episode of angina and was evaluated at Northern Westchester Hospital . It was determined that he had not suffered a coronary infarction , and he was sent home, returning the following day for angiography , which disclosed multiple vessel coronary artery disease . He was transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, where he underwent a successful quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery on September 6 , 2004 . The medical team claimed that, had he not had surgery, he would likely have suffered a massive heart attack within a few months. On March 10 , 2005 , he underwent a follow-up surgery to remove scar tissue and fluid from his left chest cavity, a result of his open-heart surgery. Clinton, along with Pres. George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and Pres. George H. W. Bush pay their respects to Pope John Paul II before the pope's funeral. Humanitarian work Main article: William J.

Clinton Foundation While in Sydney to attend a Global Business Forum, Clinton signed a memorandum of understanding on behalf of his presidential foundation with the Australian government to promote HIV/AIDS programs in the Asia-Pacific region. On May 3 , 2005 , Clinton announced through the William J. Clinton Foundation an agreement by major soft drink manufacturers to stop selling sugared sodas and juice drinks in public primary and secondary schools. Friendship with George H.W. Bush There had been reported signs of a friendship growing between Clinton and George H.W. Bush. After the official unveiling of his White House portrait in June 2004, the Asian Tsunami disaster, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2004 election , Clinton and Bush met, although the nature of the meetings did not appear to include a reconciliation of political opinions. Clinton with former President George H.W. Bush in January 2005. On January 3 , 2005 , President George W. Bush named Clinton and George H. W. Bush to lead a nationwide campaign to help the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake .

On February 1 , 2005 , he was selected by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to head the United Nations earthquake and tsunami relief and reconstruction effort . Five days later, Clinton appeared with Bush on the Super Bowl XXXIX pre-game show on Fox in support of their bipartisan effort to raise money for relief of the disaster through the USA Freedom Corps , an action which Bush described as "transcending politics." Thirteen days later, they traveled to the affected areas to see the relief efforts. On August 31 , 2005 , following the devastation of the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina , Clinton again teamed with George H. W. Bush to coordinate private relief donations, in a campaign similar to their earlier one in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami . Honors and accolades In 2005, the University of Arkansas System opened the Clinton School of Public Service on the grounds of the Clinton Presidential Center. On March 5 , 2006 , he received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Pace University , and is the first recipient of the Pace University President's Centennial Award.

Following reception of the honorary degree, he spoke to the students, faculty, alumni and staff of Pace, officially kicking off the centennial anniversary of the university. Also in 2006 Clinton was awarded the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding. On May 13 , 2006 , Clinton was the commencement speaker along with George H. W. Bush at Tulane University in New Orleans. They both received honorary Doctorates of Laws from Tulane University . Clinton spoke to the students, faculty and alumni of Tulane and of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina that Tulane students had known firsthand. In Europe, Bill Clinton remains immensely popular, especially in a large part of the Balkans and in Ireland. In Priština , Kosovo , a five-story picture of the former president was permanently engraved into the side of the tallest building in the province as a token of gratitude for Clinton's support during the crisis in Kosovo. [14] On December 3 , 2006 , Clinton was made an honorary chief and Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu by Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Michael Somare .

Clinton was awarded the honor for his "outstanding leadership for the good of mankind during two terms as US president" and his commitment to the global fight against HIV/AIDS and other health challenges in developing countries. [15] Further reading Ivory Tower Publishing Company Achievements of the Clinton Administration: the Complete Legislative and Executive (1995) ISBN 0-88032-748-0 Academic studies Cohen; Jeffrey E. "The Polls: Change and Stability in Public Assessments of Personal Traits, Bill Clinton, 1993-99" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 31, 2001 Cronin, Thomas E. and Michael A. Genovese; "President Clinton and Character Questions" Presidential Studies Quarterly Vol. 28, 1998 Davis; John. "The Evolution of American Grand Strategy and the War on Terrorism: Clinton and Bush Perspectives" White House Studies, Vol. 3, 2003 Edwards; George C. "Bill Clinton and His Crisis of Governance" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 28, 1998 Fisher; Patrick. "Clinton's Greatest Legislative Achievement?

the Success of the 1993 Budget Reconciliation Bill" White House Studies, Vol. 1, 2001 Glad; Betty. "Evaluating Presidential Character" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 28, 1998 Harris, John F. The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House. (2005) ISBN 0-375-50847-3 , biography William G. Hyland. Clinton's World: Remaking American Foreign Policy (1999) ISBN 0-275-96396-9 Jewett, Aubrey W. and Marc D. Turetzky; " Stability and Change in President Clinton's Foreign Policy Beliefs, 1993-96" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 28, 1998 Johnson, Fard. "Politics, Propaganda and Public Opinion: The Influence of Race and Class on the 1993 - 1994 Health Care Reform Debate". (2004).

ISBN 1-4116-6345-4 Laham, Nicholas, A Lost Cause: Bill Clinton's Campaign for National Health Insurance (1996) Lanoue, David J. and Craig F. Emmert; "Voting in the Glare of the Spotlight: Representatives' Votes on the Impeachment of President Clinton" Polity, Vol. 32, 1999 Livingston, C. Don, Kenneth A. Wink; "The Passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement in the U.S. House of Representatives: Presidential Leadership or Presidential Luck?" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 27, 1997 Maurer; Paul J. "Media Feeding Frenzies: Press Behavior during Two Clinton Scandals" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 29, 1999 Nie; Martin A. "'It's the Environment, Stupid!': Clinton and the Environment" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 27, 1997 O'Connor; Brendon. "Policies, Principles, and Polls: Bill Clinton's Third Way Welfare Politics 1992-1996" The Australian Journal of Politics and History, Vol.

48, 2002 Poveda; Tony G. "Clinton, Crime, and the Justice Department" Social Justice, Vol. 21, 1994 Renshon; Stanley A. The Clinton Presidency: Campaigning, Governing, and the Psychology of Leadership Westview Press, 1995 Renshon; Stanley A. "The Polls: The Public's Response to the Clinton Scandals, Part 1: Inconsistent Theories, Contradictory Evidence" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 32, 2002 Rushefsky, Mark E. and Kant Patel. Politics, Power & Policy Making: The Case of Health Care Reform in the 1990s (1998) ISBN 1-56324-956-1 Schantz, Harvey L. Politics in an Era of Divided Government: Elections and Governance in the Second Clinton Administration (2001) ISBN 0-8153-3583-0 Wattenberg; Martin P. "The Democrats' Decline in the House during the Clinton Presidency: An Analysis of Partisan Swings" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol.

29, 1999 Wattier; Mark J. "The Clinton Factor: The Effects of Clinton's Personal Image in 2000 Presidential Primaries and in the General Election" White House Studies, Vol. 4, 2004 References Tony Blair - Biography - IMDb Tony Blair Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trivia (50) | Personal Quotes (51) Overview (4) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) Tony Blair was born on May 6, 1953 in Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland as Anthony Charles Lynton Blair. He has been married to Cherie Blair since March 29, 1980. They have four children. Spouse (1) ( 29 March 1980 - present) (4 children) Trivia (50) Graduated from Oxford University in 1975. He and his wife, Cherie Blair , are both lawyers. Good friends with Bill Clinton . Is fluent in French. Studied law at St. John's College, Oxford University 1972-1975.

Although born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he mainly grew up in the city of Durham in northeastern England. When he succeeded John Smith as leader of the Labour Party, he began referring to the party as "New Labour" and rejected many of its old, socialist ideologies. Supports the English soccer team Newcastle United. Labour MP for Sedgefield since 1983. Admitted to the Privy Council in 1994. Leader of the Labour Party since 1994. Leader of the Opposition, 1994-1997. Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury since 1997. Called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn, in 1976. Sang and played guitar in a band called Ugly Rumours while at university. He is a fan of the rock group Dire Straits . Has his look-alike puppet in the French show Les guignols de l'info (1988). He is a fan of the progressive rock band King Crimson . Attended Cathedral Chorister School, Durham with Rowan Atkinson .

Children: Euan Blair (19 January 1984), Nicholas (6 December 1985), Kathryn (2 March 1988), Leo (20 May 2000). Leo is the first baby born to a sitting Prime Minister in 150 years. Admitted to the British press that he is a fan of the British Glam Rock band, The Darkness . December 8 2003 - Hosted a party at 10 Downing Street for England's World Cup winning rugby team. Lost his deposit standing as the Labour candidate in a by-election for Beaconsfield (Buckinghamshire) in May 1982. (Candidates had to pay £500 which was returned if they attracted 5% of the total votes cast) His father-in-law is actor Anthony Booth . His mother-in-law is Gale Booth . Awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for his support of the Iraq war begun in 2003 (Public Law 108-60, 17 July 2003).

On 18 July, following presentation of the medal, he addressed a joint session of Congress, the first British Prime Minister to do so since Margaret Thatcher in 1985. He was 43 year 11 months and 5 days when he became Prime Minister, the youngest tenant of Number 10 since Robert Banks Jenkinson, Earl of Liverpool who was appointed in 1812, when he was 42 years, 1 day. John F. Kennedy , the youngest elected US President, was 43 year 7 months and 22 days when inaugurated. Condemned by distinguished British military officer General Sir Michael Rose as the most warmongering British prime minister since Viscount Palmerston, who held office in the 1850s and 1860s. [July 2004] Is of Irish and Scottish descent He came in 67th place in the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. He came in first place in Channel Four's poll of the 100 Worst Britons.

May 5th 2005, as leader of the British Labour Party in the General Election, he was re-elected to a third term in office as Prime Minister. However, his majority in the House of Commons was reduced from 161 to 66, a substantial reduction from the 2001 General Election when his party was last elected by the British people. Portrayed by Julian Sands in the play "Stuff Happens," by David Hare ; Jamie Foxx on Chappelle's Show (2003), and Jude Law on Saturday Night Live (1975). Underwent an operation to correct an irregular heartbeat. (September 2004) Educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh. He became the first British prime minister since Sir Alec Douglas-Home , who served between 1963 - 1964, to have been educated at a private fee-paying school. Went to the 1999 FA Cup final in Wembley stadium between Newcastle United and Manchester United with the Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern . Tony Blair is a Newcastle fan while Bertie Ahern supports Man Utd.

He has an older brother, Bill, and a younger sister, Sarah. Voted the number one worst Briton in Channel 4's poll of the 100 Worst Britons. [11 May 2003] The first single he bought was "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles . Announced he will resign as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007. (10 May 2007). Resigned as Prime Minister and was succeeded by his Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown . (27 June 2007). A friend of singer and Labour Party supporter Mick Hucknall . His favorite singer is Paul Rodgers , who performed at the Labour Party conference in 2002. Friend of Anthony Minghella . Although born in Scotland, he considers himself English and has expressed support for the England football team in the World Cup. His favourite piece of music is Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega and his favourite novel is Ivanhoe by Walter Scott . Resigned as British PM and now a British envoy to the Middle East. [May 2007] British Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party.

[May 2005] Memorably opened his first Cabinet meeting with the words "Just call me Tony", doing away with centuries of tradition that Cabinet members - including the Prime Minister - should always be addressed by their job titles and never their names. His successor Gordon Brown continued this policy, but under David Cameron, use of traditional titles has returned. His son Euan Blair appeared in the BBC-funded film Priest (1994). Personal Quotes (51) When Europe and America stand together the world is a better and more prosperous place. In retrospect, the millennium marked a moment in time, but it was the events of 11th September, that marked a turning point in history. It was a tragedy, an act of evil. From this nation goes our deepest sympathy and prayers for the victims and our profound solidarity with the American people. We were with you at the first - we will stay with you to the last. A middle-aged mother looks you in the eye and tells you that her only son has died and asks you why, and I tell you you do not feel like the most powerful man in the country at times like that. Because there is no answer, there is no justification.

The fundamentals of the US, British and European economies are strong. Every so often, I feel I should graduate to classical music, properly. But the truth is, I'm more likely to listen to rock music. "In the end, the country has got to look at me and decide whether the person they believed in is the same person they've got now." (said in 1997) The product of an unchecked and unbalanced mind who came to confuse the notion of knowing your own mind with refusing to listen to anyone else. - on Margaret Thatcher's leadership style What we have governing our country is a degenerate party that loves lecturing people about right and wrong but has long since ceased to know the difference between right and wrong. - said in 1996 about the Conservative government I don't believe that anyone wants a two-tier Europe. There will be areas no doubt in which people move ahead in enhanced co-operation and that is already provided for by what was agreed at Nice. Defence is an area, for example, in which we would want to be part of any movement forward. There would be other areas where perhaps we would not be.

We can treat that on a case-by-case basis" - on the idea of a '2 speed' Europe I can assure you I have no intention of hiding away from this at all. On the contrary, I am enthusiastic about being able to debate these issues on the basis of an objective independent judgement by a judge, rather than the speculation. - on the Hutton Inquiry On finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq: "In a land mass twice the size of the UK it may well not be surprising you don't find where this stuff is hidden." If there were chemical or biological or nuclear battlefield weapons in Iraq, that most certainly would be a weapon of mass destruction and the idea that their use would not threaten the region's stability I find somewhat eccentric. On WMD, Dec 2003: "I don't think it's surprising that we will have to look for WMD. But that Saddam had them is beyond doubt." That we have yet to find WMD is something I have to accept and it is one of the reasons I think we now need a new inquiry. It is true David Kaye is saying we have not found large stockpiles of actual weapons.

I simply say to people that this threat of the interaction of unstable, chaotic states with WMD and terrorism is the security threat of the 21st century. And, if we were not prepared to deal with it in relation to Iraq with all the history of UN resolutions, with the history of actually using weapons of mass destruction, we would never be making the progress we are today with Iran, North Korea, Libya and with the other countries where we are able to deal with this issue. On Iraq, July 2003: "If we are wrong to have gone to war, we will still have destroyed a threat that is responsible for inhuman carnage." On WMD, Apr 2003: "I am absolutely convinced and confident about the case on WMD - critics will be eating some of their words." On Iraq Sept 2002: "What I believe the assessed intelligence has established beyond doubt is that Saddam has continued to produce chemical and biological weapons." On WMD, Nov 1998: "Before the Gulf war, Iraq had built up a vast arsenal of WMD.

It has been trying to hide them, and to acquire more, ever since." I do show the fatigue when it's there, but this is a job where a thousand people are kicking your backside morning, noon and night, so it's not surprising really. Education is the best economic policy there is. Sometimes it is better to lose and do the right thing than to win and do the wrong thing. "We do not want a personal and abusive campaign. Let's talk about what we can do for the country." (On the 1997 General Election) "This is a battle with only one outcome: our victory, not theirs." (About the war on terror) I am a passionate pro-European. I always have been. A day like today is not a day for sound bites really. We can leave those at home. But I feel the hand of history on our shoulder. My project will be complete when the Labour Party learns to love Peter Mandelson. Power without principle is barren, but principle without power is futile. I can only go one way. I've not got a reverse gear.

The only difference between compassionate Conservatism and Conservatism is that under compassionate Conservatism they tell you they're not going to help you but they're really sorry about it. You have your difficult times and you have your better times and the decisions you take are often very, very hard to take, but actually it's a privilege to take them. And the reason for that is, just occasionally, you meet people - and I do in different parts of the country - whose lives we have changed. I am not saying that everything has been good, because it hasn't. And incidentally, for those of you who think that you will ever get a government where everything is fine, that doesn't happen. What does happen is progress, if we have the courage and the determination. The strain of, frankly, anti-American feeling in parts of European politics is madness when set against the long-term interests of the world we believe in. The reality is that none of the problems that press in on us can be resolved or even contemplated without them. It was just completely new, a different sound. They're two remarkable people - very talented, very original.

(On Eurythmics ) I'll leave it to others far more knowledgeable than me to talk about U2 's music - all I'll say is that, along with millions of others right across the world, I'm a huge fan. I have never pretended to be a great House of Commons man but I can pay the House the greatest compliment I can by saying that from first to last I never stopped fearing it and that tingling apprehension that I felt at three minutes to twelve today I felt as much 10 years ago and every bit as acute. It is in that fear that the respect is contained. Some may belittle politics but we know, who are engaged in it, that it is where people stand tall and although I know it has its many harsh contentions it is still the arena that sets the heart beating a little faster, and if it is on occasions the place of low skulduggery, it is more often the place for the pursuit of noble causes. People are entitled to think that homosexuality is wrong, but they are not entitled to use the criminal law to force that view upon others. A society that has learned, over time, racial and sexual equality can surely come to terms with equality of sexuality.

(2001) It is time we moved beyond Thatcherism today. That's the problem the Conservatives have. They are still stuck in the past trying to get back to where they were with Mrs Thatcher, while the rest of the country wants to move forward. I don't believe that if you are acting in a competitive market, that it's the job of government to come along and tell a company - you are making too much profit. You can spend ages trying to stop the highest paid earners earning the money but in an international market like today, you probably would drive them abroad. What does that matter? Surely the important thing is to level up those people that don't have opportunity in our society. The justice for me is concentrated on lifting incomes of those that don't have a decent income. It's not a burning ambition for me to make sure that David Beckham earns less money. I grew up with Harold Wilson as prime minister and he was woven into my life as a youngster. He was there at the top of politics for many years and I think of him as the first modern prime minister. He was the first prime minister that people thought they might wander up to him in the street and say, 'Hello, Harold'.

He also brought in a whole new culture, a whole new country. He made the country very, very different. When I was younger I remember seeing The Beatles in Downing Street and how very incredible that was. In that culture of the Sixties, it was a revolution and a change in the way people thought and worked and lived and he will always go down for me as one of the most significant political figures of the 20th century. My dad was, I'm sorry to say, a Tory, but even he had a lot of respect for Harold Wilson . [on Margaret Thatcher ] Some of the things she did I disagreed with her, over Europe for example. But in other things, like how British industry became more competitive, in privatizing the state industries, in putting trade unions within a proper legal framework, those things are with us still today and I think they wouldn't be there today if they hadn't in the end achieved a certain stability and consensus in British politics. You look underneath that UKIP facade and you see something pretty nasty and unpleasant. This is my covenant with the British people. Judge me upon it. The buck stops here.

For the future, not the past, for the many, not the few, for trust, not betrayal, for the age of achievement, not the age of decline - that is my covenant with the British people. [on David Bowie in 1996] It's been a great year for British music. A year of creativity, vitality, energy, British bands storming the charts, British music back once again in its rightful place at the top of the world. And at least part of the reason for that has been the inspiration that today's bands can draw from those that have gone before, bands in my generation like The Beatles , The Stones [ The Rolling Stones ] and The Kinks , or the later generation, The Clash , The Smiths , The Stone Roses . But there is one man who spans the generations, who has been a source of inspiration to practically everybody. He's always at the cutting edge, he's an innovator, he's pushed the frontiers back, he's a man not afraid to go up the hill backwards. He's recorded with Bing Crosby and Queen and the Pet Shop Boys . He is now in his fourth decade of great music.

[to Nigel Farage] Let me just tell you, Sir: You sit with our Country's flag, you do not represent our Country's interests. I wouldn't want to win on an old fashioned leftist platform. Even if I thought it was the route to victory, I wouldn't take it. After the 1979 election the Labour Party persuaded itself of something absolutely extraordinary. Jim Callaghan ( James Callaghan ) had been prime minister and the Labour Party was put out of power by Margaret Thatcher and the Labour Party persuaded itself that the reason why the country had voted for Margaret Thatcher was because they wanted a really left-wing Labour Party. This is what I call the theory that the electorate is stupid, that somehow they haven't noticed that Margaret Thatcher was somewhat to the right of Jim Callaghan. [to Labour supporters whose hearts are on the left] When people say 'my heart says I should be with that politics', well get a transplant. See also

Question: Which university did Tony Blair and Bill Clinton both attend in their younger days?
Answer: Oxford