Rating: 
Summary: A balanced and thoughtful review--a rarity!
Review: A rarity indeed in the realm of Clinton literature is an honest and balanced review of the Clinton years. It is not a deep review but a wonderful reconsideration of the Clinton years. Klein is spot on in most of writing--from his accounts of the destruction of Newt Gingrich to the accounts of Clinton's self-destruction. He hammers Clinton particularly hard for the Mark Rich pardon, which makes perfect sense in the context of who Clinton was. Klein makes one very bizarre conclusion. He blames Clinton for the current problems between Israel and the Palestinians. It is unclear how the failed peace talks are really Clinton's fault (don't Barak, Sharon and, of course, the Arafat and his ilk, deserve the blame?). Nevertheless, a rare book that is honest and tempered. And it pulls no punches. Fair and balanced.
Rating:
Summary: A Quick But Informative Study of Bill Clinton's Presidency
Review: Although not terribly detailed, this is an exceedingly readable book about the flawed presidency of Bill Clinton. It is an even-handed approach to his years in office, how people did or did not influence him, his strengths, and his weaknesses. Admittedly I still like Bill Clinton, so I'm probably biased in this regard, but Klein does a good job in incorporating the negative aspects of Clinton with his positive skill in exercising leadership.
Rating:
Summary: Concise history of Bill Clinton's presidency
Review: Bill Clinton's presidency was characterised as much by media frenzy as anything else, therefore it is probably appropriate that a journalistic approach to the overall history of his presidency is taken at some stage.
While not a scholarly work, this is a very well written, balanced account of the Clinton years and the major events that shaped his administration. Mr Klein (thankfully) spares us the gory details of Whitewater, the Lewinsky affair and so on and instead presents these scandals in their proper context.
The author makes a convincing case in describing how the landscape of US politics in the 1990's was shaped by trends which began with Watergate. The years of dirt-digging, media hyperbole and inter-party warfare all converged during this period to new levels. In terms of Clinton's own failings, in the author's view the moral self-indulgances which are characteristic of the nation as whole, and which themselves derive from years of prosperity and peace, are epitomised and exemplified by the president.
It's not all doom and gloom however, and Klein presents his case very well in showing the concrete achievements of the Clinton era. There are also great portraits of the other major personalities such as Gore, Gingrich and of course Mrs Clinton.
There may be more exhaustive and analytical accounts of this period to be published and of course it will be some time before Bill Clinton can be placed in his proper historical context, however in the interim this book explains the Clinton years with great insight. Well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: An even-handed account...
Review: Considering that this book was written by the noted liberal journalist Joe Klein, this book gives the reader a surprisingly even-handed account of the Clinton Presidency. Unlike most Clinton fans, Klein does not simply focus on the high points of Clinton's years in office. He also does a good job of highlighting the failings of what could have been a great Presidency. Overall, this book is a good, early draft of the history of the Clinton Administration.
Rating:
Summary: Natural flow
Review: I enjoyed the book thoroughly. From its dramatic opening till its end I never once lost interest reading. The text has all the qualities one might expect from a good New Yorker article -- depiction of events, environment surrounding the events, and analysis that are more in the nature of posing questions rather than of definite, authoritative answers (in fact Klein was a staff writer for The New Yorker). Through this book I've learned for example about Clinton's involvement with DLC (Democratic Leadership Council), the formation of the "New Democrats," why his (or Hillary's) health care reform failed (for pushing welfare reform at the same time -- due to inexperience), a brief history of the Gingrich revolution, his stance on globalism, plausible reasons behind his sudden resolution to shoot missiles to suspected Al Qaeda camps in Sudan and Afghanistan (to avert attention from the Lewinsky scandal), and plausible reasons behind his decision to grant a presidential pardon to Marc Rich. The book put events that occurred throughout Clinton's two terms nicely into perspective.
Rating: 
Summary: too short, unorganized
Review: I got the impression that Mr. Klein just threw together a bunch of odds & ends he had left over from another book and notes -- the way they made the movie "Midway" out of edit-outs from "Tora, Tora, Tora!"
Rating:
Summary: too short, unorganized
Review: I got the impression that Mr. Klein just threw together a bunch of odds & ends he had left over from another book and notes -- the way they made the movie "Midway" out of edit-outs from "Tora, Tora, Tora!"
Rating:
Summary: Finally... a fair assessment of the Clinton presidency!
Review: I'm happy to report that this book isn't another smearing of Clinton or a book about how great he was. It doesn't ignore Clinton's foibles (so Republican readers can't say it's one-sided), but it also doesn't ignore the good policies that Clinton passed during his 8 years in office.Too often these Clinton books only speak of how morally bankrupt the former president was... they're all about Whitewater and Monica. It's good to see a book that doesn't gloss over those events, but puts them in perspective alongside the successes of the Clinton administration. Yes, Clinton had sexual relations with Lewinsky and then lied about it... but many other politicians have extra-marital affairs too, and they're not all Democrats. Yes, there may have been some impropriety involving Whitewater... but there's improper things like that going on all the time in politics, involving both Democrats AND Republicans. (Dubya lied about his history with Enron, and Cheney's friends stand to profit big-time from the war with Iraq.) This book is an overview of the ENTIRE Clinton presidency, not just the scandals. This is how Clinton should be remembered in American History... as a man with many foibles, but as a man who brought the country an unprecedented 8 years of peace and prosperity. All of the Clinton-bashing books neglect to mention that: 1. During his first year, Clinton passed a $5.5-billion increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit, essentially giving a tax cut to millions of middle-class families and helping to jump-start the economy.
2. Clinton passed the welfare reform bill and NAFTA - which should've pleased the Republicans big time - but, unplacated, they continued trying to undermine him at every step.
3. Clinton passed a balanced budget that actually gave the federal government a SURPLUS for the first time in 40 years. And by eliminating the deficiit, interest rates went down, and the economy took off.
4. Fourteen million new jobs, the lowest unemployment rate in over two decades, the lowest inflation in three decades, a big increase in home ownership, yearly decreases in crime rates, etc. By every conceiveable indicator, the country was better under Clinton than it was before he took office. Ask a Republican what was so awful about Clinton and the response will be something relating to his personal scandals. But what about his political record?? Shouldn't the president's voting record and the policies he enacts be more important than his personal life? (BTW, I feel the same way about Republican presidents... I could care less about Dubya's scandals - cocaine use, Enron, etc. The man's voting record is more important. But look at his voting record while he was governor of Texas... it's appalling!) This book is a good and objective overview of the ENTIRE Clinton presidency. I hope history remembers him this way, not just for the personal scandals. And Dems take note! In one of the earlier chapters, Klein gives sound advice on how we can reclaim political power over the GOP. The voters don't want a liberal democrat, they want a moderate (or "New") democrat... that's a big hint.
Rating: 
Summary: Still in the Confessional
Review: Joe Klein is still muttering mea culpas for the oft-denied, nown-admitted "anonymous" Primary Colors. The book was a hoot (much better than the movie) in its depiction of Bill Clinton as a fascinatingly, repellant character. I suppose to prove that he really didn't mean all those snide, mean things he's been telling everyone who'd listen that he really likes the guy. If anyone is a natural polician it is the man from Hope. Even in the depths of his scandals (his falling asleep during hours of phone sex was the latest headline) I told my boys that he epitomized the American dream. Klein agreed. Where else can a poor chubby boy from the most backward state in the Union with a dysfunctional family become the leader of the country? His native intelligence and curiousity was both a curse and a blessing. It enabled him to succinctly explain his point of view and simultaneously become paralyzed in analysis. Klein shows the good and the bad - there was plenty of both. He always wanted to do great things but personal habits, ingrained years before, kept destroying that goal. His daily obscenity-filled tirades have been described by aides; his lifelong filandering has been documented but almost as well known is his deep religious faith. Klein briefly discusses the enigma of Hillary who both made and broke the man. In the end, one is left wondering what Bill Clinton believes - his wide-ranging interests led him into new and different directions while his political genius recognized the latest trend for political use. He was the Natural - an excellent title and description.
Rating:
Summary: Naturally Enjoyable and Interesting
Review: Joe Klein's inside expose of the Clinton White House, "The Natural", is a compelling and intelligent look at the entire scope of Clinton's much disputed yet ultimately successful presidency. Not a glorified Clinton loving book, The Natural takes an insider's look at the inner workings of the White House, through the eyes of one Joe Klein. Klein is both objective and supportive, critical and understanding. He holds nothing back in his examination of the eight years Clinton sat in the White House. From Monica Lewinsky to Hillary to many of Clinton's legislative endeavors, it's all there. Klein manages to paint this picture by a somewhat standoffishness through the book. There are appropriate times he interjects himself into the tome, but it's never hindering or borthersome. In fact, it reminded me that he really was an insider, and that his viewpoints clearly had the ability to be one-side, but he is much more broad than that. Clearly, those who will relelentlessly bash this book without ever reading it are merely fooling themselves. The Natural is a book that reminds us of the man we elected twice to our countries highest office, who oversaw a time of great prosperity, who suffered from his humanness as we all do, and has lived to tell the tale. The Natural is part of that tale, and a great addition to it.
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