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The Bill Clinton story (winning the presidency)
Book Reviews
Humphry’s credentials on the subject are solid. He is the author of the bestselling Final Exit, a guide to assisted suicide published in 1991, and Jean’s Way,his 1978 account of helping his terminally ill wife to die. He is principal founder of the Hemlock Society and vice president of Americans for Death With Dignity. To buttress his argument in support of right to die legislation, the author offers results from several polls which show broad support among physicians, and among voters in California and Washington State, where recent initiatives were narrowly defeated. As a lesson for other state organizers, he supplies case studies on how and why these initiatives lost, in spite of initially strong public support. LawfulExit is a useful handbook for readers wanting the basics-and moreon the history and current issues surrounding euthanasia. It is dense with information of interest to those seeking a definitive source on the subject-a glossary of related terms, a discussion of ways to change the law, a model Death with Dignity law, a summary of 11 cases, dating back to 1935, in which physicians were charged with assisting in the death of terminally ill patients (noting that not one has been imprisoned), a bibliography, and a list of organizations working for legislative change. Lawjkl Exit illustrates the advantage and the dilemma facing citizens of a free society. While right to lifers oppose abortion and assisted suicide, equally passionate voices espouse the right to die for those who make the choice. Humphry criticizes Catholic church opposition to right to die laws, branding them “intolerant” and “the religious right.” Had he gone one step further, he might have mentioned other church denominations, who do not consider themselves members of “the religious right,” but oppose assisted suicide because, using his language, “they see it as an affront to God’s authority over their lives; only the diety gives life and only the diety takes it away” (p. 100). As repugnant as Humphry’s views may be to some, he develops a compelling argument and call to action for those who would work to change the law. Though at times the inclusion of detailed legislative language makes tough going for all but the most committed reader, LawfulExit renders a service to those who share his view that all persons be allowed to control their own destiny, especially at life’s end. Marjorie Marable Carter Assistant Professor, Public Relations Utica College of Syracuse University
John Hohenberg The Bill Clinton Story (Winning the Presidency) Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 294 pp., $24.95 cloth, June, 1994 Published as President Clinton neared the midpoint of his first-and conceivably only-term in office, this modest book reconstructs the 1992 campaign which saw him defeat George Bush and Ross Perot. Spring
1995
83
Puldic Relations Review
The book seeks to make its mark as a historical recapitulation of the 1992 campaign, rather than as an analytical and interpretive journalistic assessment. If the work therefore fails to generate the excitement and bite of its contemporaneous, though somewhat distant, rival, “The Agenda,” by Bob Woodward, which achieved multiweek exposure on best seller lists during much of 1994, it is presumably by design. Also, Professor Hohenberg’s work is more complimentary of Mr. Clinton. While Professor Hohenberg’s book is well written, it fails to hold its readers’ interest, chiefly because it doesn’t tell us very much about the 1992 presidential campaign that we didn’t already know. The work serves to organize previously documented information, rather than giving its readers insights into new material. Somewhat quizzically in view of its title, the book is as insightful and compelling when it deals with the Ross Perot candidacy as when it deals with Mr. Clinton’s presidential campaign. Surprisingly, too, is the lack of attention given to the role of Hillary Rodham Clinton in the campaign, both “front and center,” and as the behind-the-scenes, major advisor to her candidate-husband. While the tone and style of Professor Hohenberg’s writing are scholarly and restrained in expressing judgment, it is nevertheless interesting and instructive from two-year hindsight to note how much of Mr. Clinton’s persona evident during the 1992 campaign, and the electorate’s reaction to it, continued to constrain his ability to govern. Thus, Professor Hohenberg’s book is one more, modern-day affirmation of William Shakespeare’s aphorism, (in “The Tempest”) “what’s past is prologue.” Circumscribing Mr. Clinton’s first two years in the White House were the American public’s (and Congress’) doubts about his ethical and tactical reliability; the relatively narrow size of his winning “mandate”, especially when tested by his political ambitions to effect major changes in the socio-political fabric; his articulateness and attractiveness; his capacity to work hard and, by no means least, the bedeviling appearance of vacillation in managerial style. All these qualities-for good and bad-as Mr. Hohenberg recapitulates, were in evidence in the 1992 campaign. The negative facets of the Clinton personality failed to keep him from being elected president less, in retrospect, because the candidate was able to overcome them in the electorate’s mind, but more because the American voters ultimately believed he was the best of a none-too-distinguished group of candidates. Whether Mr. Clinton can overcome his by now well-publicized shortcomings, particularly in the daunting times of what his predecessor termed the new world order, remains to be seen. At stake are the president’s ambitious slate of socioeconomic programs and his place in history. Stephen H. Baer, APR Fellow, Communications Consultant Pasadena, CA
84
Vol. 21, No. 1
Humphry’s credentials on the subject are solid. He is the author of the bestselling Final Exit, a guide to assisted suicide published in 1991, and Jean’s Way,his 1978 account of helping his terminally ill wife to die. He is principal founder of the Hemlock Society and vice president of Americans for Death With Dignity. To buttress his argument in support of right to die legislation, the author offers results from several polls which show broad support among physicians, and among voters in California and Washington State, where recent initiatives were narrowly defeated. As a lesson for other state organizers, he supplies case studies on how and why these initiatives lost, in spite of initially strong public support. LawfulExit is a useful handbook for readers wanting the basics-and moreon the history and current issues surrounding euthanasia. It is dense with information of interest to those seeking a definitive source on the subject-a glossary of related terms, a discussion of ways to change the law, a model Death with Dignity law, a summary of 11 cases, dating back to 1935, in which physicians were charged with assisting in the death of terminally ill patients (noting that not one has been imprisoned), a bibliography, and a list of organizations working for legislative change. Lawjkl Exit illustrates the advantage and the dilemma facing citizens of a free society. While right to lifers oppose abortion and assisted suicide, equally passionate voices espouse the right to die for those who make the choice. Humphry criticizes Catholic church opposition to right to die laws, branding them “intolerant” and “the religious right.” Had he gone one step further, he might have mentioned other church denominations, who do not consider themselves members of “the religious right,” but oppose assisted suicide because, using his language, “they see it as an affront to God’s authority over their lives; only the diety gives life and only the diety takes it away” (p. 100). As repugnant as Humphry’s views may be to some, he develops a compelling argument and call to action for those who would work to change the law. Though at times the inclusion of detailed legislative language makes tough going for all but the most committed reader, LawfulExit renders a service to those who share his view that all persons be allowed to control their own destiny, especially at life’s end. Marjorie Marable Carter Assistant Professor, Public Relations Utica College of Syracuse University
John Hohenberg The Bill Clinton Story (Winning the Presidency) Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 294 pp., $24.95 cloth, June, 1994 Published as President Clinton neared the midpoint of his first-and conceivably only-term in office, this modest book reconstructs the 1992 campaign which saw him defeat George Bush and Ross Perot. Spring
1995
83
Puldic Relations Review
The book seeks to make its mark as a historical recapitulation of the 1992 campaign, rather than as an analytical and interpretive journalistic assessment. If the work therefore fails to generate the excitement and bite of its contemporaneous, though somewhat distant, rival, “The Agenda,” by Bob Woodward, which achieved multiweek exposure on best seller lists during much of 1994, it is presumably by design. Also, Professor Hohenberg’s work is more complimentary of Mr. Clinton. While Professor Hohenberg’s book is well written, it fails to hold its readers’ interest, chiefly because it doesn’t tell us very much about the 1992 presidential campaign that we didn’t already know. The work serves to organize previously documented information, rather than giving its readers insights into new material. Somewhat quizzically in view of its title, the book is as insightful and compelling when it deals with the Ross Perot candidacy as when it deals with Mr. Clinton’s presidential campaign. Surprisingly, too, is the lack of attention given to the role of Hillary Rodham Clinton in the campaign, both “front and center,” and as the behind-the-scenes, major advisor to her candidate-husband. While the tone and style of Professor Hohenberg’s writing are scholarly and restrained in expressing judgment, it is nevertheless interesting and instructive from two-year hindsight to note how much of Mr. Clinton’s persona evident during the 1992 campaign, and the electorate’s reaction to it, continued to constrain his ability to govern. Thus, Professor Hohenberg’s book is one more, modern-day affirmation of William Shakespeare’s aphorism, (in “The Tempest”) “what’s past is prologue.” Circumscribing Mr. Clinton’s first two years in the White House were the American public’s (and Congress’) doubts about his ethical and tactical reliability; the relatively narrow size of his winning “mandate”, especially when tested by his political ambitions to effect major changes in the socio-political fabric; his articulateness and attractiveness; his capacity to work hard and, by no means least, the bedeviling appearance of vacillation in managerial style. All these qualities-for good and bad-as Mr. Hohenberg recapitulates, were in evidence in the 1992 campaign. The negative facets of the Clinton personality failed to keep him from being elected president less, in retrospect, because the candidate was able to overcome them in the electorate’s mind, but more because the American voters ultimately believed he was the best of a none-too-distinguished group of candidates. Whether Mr. Clinton can overcome his by now well-publicized shortcomings, particularly in the daunting times of what his predecessor termed the new world order, remains to be seen. At stake are the president’s ambitious slate of socioeconomic programs and his place in history. Stephen H. Baer, APR Fellow, Communications Consultant Pasadena, CA
84
Vol. 21, No. 1