Assessments of Bill Clinton (in verse)

The Year 13 Government & Politics group were set a task to read various assessments of Bill Clinton as President and sum up their own conclusions on his presidency in verse. Below are some of our favourites:

There was a fellow called Bill
Who lived near Capitol Hill
He had an affair,
the Dems did despair, nearly losing him his seal.

Renowned for missed opportunities,
Congress was known for disunity,
a disappointment for some.
Having too much fun,
He had lost touch with community.

An era of fiscal prosperity,
Two terms of energy and clarity,
Crime figures were low,
Employment was a go,
Free trade was a popularity.
CW

There was a young gov'ner named Bill,
With undeterrable political will,
Despite tales of scandals,
And Congressional mishandles,
He remains ever popular still.
KM

Bill Clinton had lots of charm
It didn't do his presidency harm
Although he had flair
He failed with healthcare
And he and Republicans didn't get on.

By the end there was a budget surplus
But Congress had turned into a circus
He gave the Middle East support
Then avoided going to court
In the end all was forgiven.
AT

Was Bill Clinton a superficial president?
His lack of moral authority was evident
White Water, Lewinsky, impeachment, the lot
Clintonian scandals will not be forgot
His obstruction of justice was reprehensible
But the Republican attack was hardly defensible.

In domestic affairs the guy showed ability
An era of economic prosperity and social stability
Yes relations with Congress were at a strain
And healthcare reform went down the drain
But surplus was up and crime was down
The role of government re-asserted, even Newt didn’t frown.

In foreign affairs he didn’t do as well
The Test Ban Treaty was hard to sell
Yet global trade was encouraged at least
Peace established in the Balkans, Northern Ireland and Middle East.

So to conclude our judgement of his presidency
In the art of persuasion he clearly lacked competency
He did leave the country in robust good health
Welfare reform and economic wealth
But we can’t help but feeling a sense of talent wasted
His hopes of a fairer society only briefly tasted.
AH