First In His Class (97 page)

351
The attorney general's job: Ints. David Newcomb, May 7, 1994; Terry Kirkpatrick, April 5, 1994; and Steve Smith, July 15, 1993.

352
fleshily abundant Dolly Parton: Ints. Richard Morris, July 27, 1994, and Joe Purvis, September 1994.

352
“He was just walking around”: Ints. Terry Kirkpatrick, April 5, 1994, and Joe Purvis, September 1994.

352
Elvis's death left Clinton:
Ibid.

352
Morris flew down: Int. Richard Morris, July 27, 1994.

353
Morris agreed to do a poll:
ibid.

353
A few weeks later: Int. David Pryor, June 29, 1993.

353
“you could run for governor”:
Ibid.

354
“the only truly distinguished”:
Arkansas Gazette,
May 10, 1978.

354
Internal campaign news: 1978 campaign daily news summaries, Doug Wallace Papers, UALR.

354
“If people knew how old-fashioned”: Nelson,
Hillary Factor
, p. 209.

354
plotting how Pryor could beat Tucker: Int. Richard Morris, July 27, 1994.

355
Clinton, the back room political consultant:
Ibid.

355
Pryor's wife, Barbara:
Ibid

355
They were determined: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993.

356
Geren charged that Clinton:
Arkansas Gazette,
Oct. 28, 1978.

356
Clinton easily rebuffed the charge:
Ibid

356
Geren called him at home: Int. Ed Howard, July 19, 1993.

356
“I was disappointed with Bill”:
Ibid.

357
The pain came: Int. Veta Ranchino, April 23, 1994.

357
The omen of future trouble: Carter note to Clinton, Doug Wallace Papers, UALR.

358
At his side was Dave Matter: Int. David Matter, Feb. 5, 1993.

359
“this was a good time”: Int. Carolyn Yeldell Staley, June 8, 1993.

359
Arriving by private jet: Int. Charlie Daniels, Jan. 27, 1994.

359
“Well, what do you think?”: Int. Steve Cohen, Feb. 3, 1994.

359
“For as long as I can”: Text of Governor Clinton's Inaugural Address, Jan. 9, 1979.

360
Craig returned to Washington: Int. Greg Craig, Jan. 27, 1994.

360
Two promises were unmet: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993.

360
Clinton asked Dick Morris: Int. Richard Morris, July 27, 1994.

361
Clinton directed Morris:
Ibid
.

361
The administration drafted: Ints. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993, and James McDougal, April 22, 1994.

361
the poultry industry:
WP
, March 22, 1992, David Maraniss and Michael Weisskopf. “The chicken connection is symbolized by the fact that a legislator, Sen. Joe Yates, is on the payroll of the poultry federation as director of industrial relations. Six lawmakers last year were guests of the federation for an all-expenses-paid golf outing out of state, state ethics records show, and four more were hosted by Don Tyson at a marlin-fishing vacation in Mexico.”

361
When he arrived at the terminal: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

362
As Clinton “pounded like crazy”:
Ibid.

362
“Whenever we'd pass”:
Ibid.

363
Labor leader J. Bill Becker groused: Int. J. Bill Becker, Jan. 7, 1992.

363
“Clinton was so friendly”: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993.

363
“I have no time to be governor!”: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

363
Clinton's staff arranged a summit: Int. Rudy Moore, July 16, 1993.

364
“Will you commit larceny today?”: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

364
“RW—see if you can work him in”: Rudy Moore note in White's files.

364
he now occasionally answered to “Baby”: Int. Harry Truman Moore, June 15, 1994.

364
“It was not easy for a boy”: Int. Ray Smith. Jr., April 25, 1994.

364
Three executive assistants: Ints. Rudy Moore, June 10 and July 15, 1993; Steve Smith, July 15, 1993.

365
As Clinton came to power: The account of the clear-cutting debate is drawn largely from a
WP
article, May 26, 1992: “Clinton's Hard Lesson In Pragmatism,” Michael Weisskopf and David Maraniss.

365
On a helicopter tour: Int. Steve Smith, July 14, 1993

366
The task force held thirteen hearings:
Ibid

366
In private meetings: Int. John Ed Anthony, April 1992.

366
“Every log driver”:
Ibid.

366
“Every time I go south”:
Ibid
Also int. Steve Smith, July 14, 1993.

367
It was also around that time: Int. Steve Smith, July 15, 1993.

367
Smith had mostly loved working:
Ibid.

367
“Bill never really bothered us” Int. John Ed Anthony, April 1992.

368
he played golf at a country club: Int. Duke Watts, May 6, 1993. (Although Clinton later developed a penchant for mulligans when his tee shots strayed, as a teenager, according to Watts, he was more honest than many of his friends. Watts said that in tournaments most of the boys would try to get in flights below their true abilities, whereas Clinton would always play in a more difficult flight. His golf talents outshone his abilities in the country club pool. Pat Parker, a lifeguard at Belevedere Country Club, once had to save a struggling Clinton who had knocked himself out doing a bellyflop off the high dive.)

368
Rudy Moore often told the story: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993.

369
Rodham's father taught her how: Hillary Clinton White House press conference, April 22, 1994.

369
“our prevailing, acquisitive”: Transcript, Hillary Rodham Commencement Address, May 31, 1969. From Wellesley College archives.

369
Blair, a Springdale lawyer: Int. Jim Blair, Sept. 6, 1994.

370
They had all read Joan Didion's: Int. Diane Blair, June 10, 1993.

370
Blair was abandoned: Int. Jim Blair, Sept. 6, 1994.

370
By the time he recruited Rodham:
Ibid.

370
Clients were plentiful:
WP
, April 10, 1994, Sharon LaFraniere and Charles R. Babcock;
Wall Street Journal,
April 1, 1994, Jeffrey Taylor and Bruce Ingersoll.

371
Blair could have kept: Int. Jim Blair, Sept. 6, 1994.

371
Playing the commodities market: Perhaps the clearest essay on the subject was James K. Glassman's “Hillary's Cows,”
The New Republic,
May 16, 1994.

372
“I thought it was terrible”: Int. Diane Blair, Aug. 19, 1994.

372
She seemed to get a break:
WP
, May 27. 1994: “Hillary Clinton Futures Trades Detailed,” Charles R. Babcock.

372
“They weren't going to hassle me”: Int. Jim Blair, Sept. 6, 1994.

373
She had less good fortune that year: The first national article detailing the Whitewater land deal was by
New York Times
investigative reporter Jeff Gerth, March 8, 1992. There had been less detailed articles in Little Rock newspapers earlier. Clinton critic Roy Drew, a stock market consultant, would later claim that he pointed Gerth in the direction of McDougal. Another Clinton antagonist, Sheffield Nelson, also pushed the story to national reporters during the early stages of the presidential campaign.

373
He could often be found: Ints. Steve Smith, April 26, 1994; Rudy Moore, April 27, 1994; and Randy White, April 11, 1994.

373
McDougal had encountered them: Int. Jim McDougal, April 22, 1994.

373
He had been making land deals:
Ibid

374
“It was a beautiful development”: Int. Susan McDougal, March 10, 1992.

374
One day they were invited to tea: Int. Mandy Merck, May 14, 1993.

375
“I'm beginning to think”:
Ibid.

375
“He walked all over”:
Arkansas Gazette,
Feb. 29, 1980: “Girl Born to Clinton and Wife.”

375
“That's a nice song”: Int. Carolyn Yeldell Staley, July 12, 1993.

376
Clinton told Rodham that White: Int. Bill Clinton, Jan. 20, 1992.

376
a bad situation deteriorated: The account of Clinton's handling of the Fort Chaffee crisis is drawn largely from
WP
, Oct. 22, 1992: “Cuban Refugee Uprising Offers View of Clinton's Reaction to Crisis,” David Maraniss. Also from documents at the Carter Library, and interviews with Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993; Ron Addington, April 5, 1994, and Jody Powell, Sept. 8, 1994.

378
Eidenberg, the White House official: Int. Eugene Eidenberg, October 1992.

378
“Don't answer it”: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

379
“Rudy, they're killing me”: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993.

379
White was in the room: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

379
Clinton nonetheless promised: Transcript of Clinton conversations with White House aide Gene Eidenberg, Carter Library, Atlanta, Georgia.

380
“kick and fuss and holler”: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993.

380
On the afternoon of August 4: Int. Eugene Eidenberg, October 1992. Also Carter Library documents on conversation with Jimmy Carter.

381
“I understand”: Transcript of Eidenberg statement at Fort Chaffee, Carter Library.

381
Rodham derided him: Int. Fred Altshuler, June 24, 1993.

381
Wagner understood: Int. Carl Wagner, June 28, 1993.

382
Merck was covering the convention: Int. Mandy Merck, May 14, 1993.

382
Clinton changed the subject.
Ibid.

382
“Energize us”: Int. Carolyn Yeldell Staley, June 8, 1993.

382
Simply putting together: Transcript, Address by Bill Clinton, Democratic National Convention, 1980. From governor's archives.

383
“What else”: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

383
A child had broken his record: Int. Rudy Moore, July 16.

383
To Moore, he seemed distracted: Ints. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993, and Randy White, April 11, 1994.

384
Clinton could not believe:
Ibid.

384
which so enraged Virginia Dwire: Int. Melinda Gassaway,
Sentinel-Record
editor, April 25, 1994.

384
The marks against Morris: Int. Rudy Moore, Aug. 18, 1994.

385
“had gone from being”: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994.

385
“We need Dick”:
Ibid.

385
“the last straw”: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

385
“God, I'm an idiot!”: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994.

386
He found a deck of cards: Int. Richard Mason, June 30, 1994.

387
They had an open line: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993.

387
she was trembling slightly: Int. Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994.

388
He phoned Bill Simmons: Int. Bill Simmons, Jan. 12, 1992.

388
although when David Broder: Int. David Broder, July 2, 1993.

388
“The guy screwed me”: Int. Rick Stearns, March 4, 1993.

388
One day he invited several aides: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

389
Brown offered him a job: Int. Mickey Kantor, Sept. 14, 1994.

390
During a trip to Fayetteville: Int. Diane Blair, June 10, 1993.

390
“It's the only track”:
Ibid.

390
Then he called her one night: Int. Billie Carr, Dec. 15, 1992.

390
“Woody! Hey, Woody!”: Int. Woody Bassett, June 21, 1993.

390
“Here's an idea”: Ints. Rudy Moore, July 16, 1993, and Randy White, April 11, 1994.

391
Rodham called Dick Morris: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994.

391
And Clinton called Betsey Wright: Int. Betsey Wright, June 27, 1993.

391
She had assumed the role of bad cop: Int. Rudy Moore, July 16, 1993.

391
He told Wright that he needed: Int. Betsey Wright, June 27, 1993.

391
Within days of taking the call: Ints. Betsey Wright, June 27, 1993, and Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994.

392
The youngest former governor: Ints. Carolyn Yeldell Staley, July 12, 1993; Betsey Wright, June 27, 1993: and Gloria Cabe, Sept. 13, 1994.

392
He looked pathetic: Int. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994.

393
“I've been thinking a lot”: Letter to Don Jones, 1981.

393
Rodham offered a more political:
Arkansas Gazette,
Feb. 22, 1981.

393
“I knew what she had gone”: Int. Fred Altshuler, June 24, 1993.

395
The traveling show of 1981: Int. Randy White, April 11, 1994.

395
The AFL-CIO summer convention:
Arkansas Gazette,
June 18, 1981, John Brummett, p. 1.

396
“When someone is beating you”: Int. Doug Wallace, April 21, 1994.

396
“The rug had been pulled out”: Int. Rudy Moore, June 10, 1993. Also, Bill Clinton letter to Rudy Moore, no date.

397
Jack Germond and Jules Witcover:
Arkansas Gazette,
July 10, 1981: “Columnists Are Wrong, Clinton Says.”

397
It did not start out as a pleasant: Ints. Dick Morris, Aug. 1, 1994, and Betsey Wright, Aug. 25, 1994.

397
Morris and Wright began to construct:
Ibid.