Bill Clinton rose to become one of the world’s most well-known personalities after being inaugurated as President of the United States in 1993.
Since then, the Arkansas politician has had a long and prosperous career, while the infamous affair with intern Monica Lewinsky overshadowed a substantial amount of his White House stay.
At the same time, despite the scandalous affair, Bill has been married to Hillary Clinton for more than 45 years. Since they initially met in college, the two have been by each other’s sides through many terrible times.
Hillary, it turns out, wasn’t sure about marrying Bill in the first place; it took him three attempts before she said yes.
Here’s all you need to know about Hillary and Bill Clinton’s marriage.
Bill Clinton was born on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas, as William Jefferson Blythe III.
At the time, his mother, Virginia Kelley, had suffered a great loss when his father died in a traffic accident just three months before Bill was born.
Bill Clinton’s Childhood
His mother married Roger Clinton when he was four years old.
His stepfather, on the other hand, was a terrible man. He was allegedly always intoxicated and beat Bill’s mother.
“It may sound strange, but I never hated my stepfather, Roger Clinton.” “Even after he pulled the trigger in here, even after he was drunk, even after he beat my mother — even after I became big enough to stop him from beating my mother,” Bill added.
“I had some awareness that he was a fine man who couldn’t control his drinking. And that he was so full of demons that he couldn’t contain himself and unleashed them in devastating, cruel ways. I despised what he did, but I never despised him.”
He never told any of his classmates about what was going on at home. Bill Clinton said in his autobiography that he lived “two parallel lives” from childhood to adulthood, all the way to being a politician. His dark secret was what his stepfather did.
Despite what Roger Clinton accomplished, Bill chose to take his father’s surname while he was in high school. He kept his biological father’s first and second names, but not his surname, William Jefferson.
“I think the fact that I was born without a father and spent a lifetime attempting to piece together a picture of one had a lot to do with how I turned out,” Bill remarked.
“Both good and bad. But, on average, I believe there is more good than harm. But it had a significant role.”
Meeting President John F. Kennedy
Bill went on to achieve great success in school.
He excelled in school and was a wonderful saxophone musician at the same time. As a result, many people assumed he would become a professional musician. Of course, we now know that fate had other intentions.
When Bill was in high school, a very important meeting launched him on the path to politics. He visited the White House Rose Garden as a delegate to Boys Nation, where he met then-President John F. Kennedy. The image of the two shaking hands has become pretty famous.
“I was probably the third or fourth person in, and…I sort of muscled my way up (to the front),” Bill said of the encounter.
Several of Clinton’s acquaintances noted that Bill couldn’t stop talking about the intriguing event that had just occurred on the way home from the conference.
Clinton told future Minnesota Congressman Jim Ramstad, “Someday, I’m going to have that position.”
Bill afterward attended Georgetown University. Then, in 1968, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University, where he later got his law degree.
Not only did his time at Yale boost his chances of pursuing a political career in the future, but it was also where he met the love of his life, Hillary Rodham.
Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton’s love story
Bill and Hillary were both law students at Yale. He shared his early memories of her while speaking at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.
“I met a girl in the spring of 1971,” Bill explained.
“The first time I saw her, we were in a class about political and civil rights. She had thick blonde hair, huge glasses, and didn’t wear cosmetics. And she emanated a captivating sense of strength and self-possession.”
Despite the fact that they had met multiple times on campus, one single occasion in 1971 changed everything.
Hillary and Bill were each studying in different parts of the law library. But Hillary caught Bill staring at her. The young lady decided to put down her book and walk over to Bill to talk about it.
“Look, if you’re going to stare at me, I’m going to stare back. We should at the very least know each other’s names. My name is Hillary Rodham, and who are you? ” Bill remembered Hillary telling him that.
The future President was speechless at the time. He introduced himself, and the two soon met again. Bill had become attached to Hillary and had proposed to her on a date.
During the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Bill recalled, “She exuded this air of strength and self-possession that I found irresistible.”
“I simply went ahead and invited her to accompany me to the art museum. Since then, we’ve been walking, talking, and laughing together.”
Why did Hillary Clinton reject down Bill twice?
Both Hillary and Bill were interested in politics, it turned out.
They began dating and worked together the next year on George McGovern’s presidential campaign. Despite the fact that he lost the election, Hillary and Bill were happy with their efforts.
Not to mention how well they were getting along – something Bill hoped would last.
He proposed to Hillary in 1973, while in England. Unfortunately, Hillary Clinton declined Bill Clinton’s proposal, stating that she needed more time. Having said that, she was madly in love with him.
“Bill was in another universe. It was a different degree of intimacy. I thought he was the most interesting man I’d ever met, and would ever meet,” Hillary remarked in a Hulu documentary.
In an interview with Girls star Lena Dunham in 2016, Hillary expressed her fear of losing her individuality and becoming lost in the “sort of aftermath” of “Bill’s force-of-nature-personality.”
Not only that, but the young woman wasn’t sure she was ready to commit to a career in the spotlight – she knew Bill wanted to be a politician.
Bill proposed to her again a year later. But, just like the first time, she declined.
“I got married to my best buddy.”
“‘Well, I’m not asking you again until you’re ready to say yes,’ he added.” “And that was a big part of my ambivalence and fear about not knowing who I was or what I could accomplish if I married someone who was going to chart a route that he was really certain about,” Hillary explained.
Bill gave Hillary some time, and when he asked again, she said yes. So the pair married in the living room of their Arkansas home in 1975. The ceremony was attended by a small group of family and friends.
“I got married to my best buddy.” “After more than four years of being around her, I was still in awe of how clever, strong, loving, and caring she was,” Bill once recalled of their wedding day.
“It was a great leap of faith,” Hillary remarked, “and I think most marriages are.”
Chelsea Clinton, the couple’s first child, was born in 1980.
Bill and Hillary pursued their political ambitions, finally reaching the White House.
Bill Clinton was elected Governor of Arkansas in 1978 and President of the United States in 1993. At the same time, Hillary had established herself as one of the country’s most powerful and competent lawyers.
Bill’s eight-year presidency, however, was to be overshadowed by the major Monica Lewinsky controversy.
Despite some very trying periods, Hillary and Bill Clinton’s love endures. The couple will celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary in 2022. Bill Clinton turned to Twitter to express his feelings for his wife.
“October 11th, 45 years ago, was a gorgeous day. It still is. The bride was also stunning. And she still is,” Bill Clinton said, with a photo of the newlyweds.
“Congratulations on your anniversary, Hillary. I love you.”
“It’s been 45 years. There is never a dull moment with you, and you are still my best friend,” Hillary wrote on Instagram. “I love you, Bill.”
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