The Influence of Clinton on Democratic Party Politics

He went into politics with certain idealistic perspectives, particularly on issues of race but also on economic issues and on issues of war and peace. And over the course of trying to figure out how to get elected his ambition might sort of change or transform some of his ideals. So I would say that when he was elected in 92 it was part of a wave of more pragmatic neo-liberal thought coming to the fore. His presidency was really played out in that vein as sort of pragmatic, mostly progressive and liberal but at times doing what it took to survive.