Bill and Hillary Clinton are two of the most polarizing people in American history. That mostly started with the scandals that rocked Bill during his two terms as president, including the revelation that he cheated on his wife with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. This caused many (especially conservative critics) to openly question whether Clinton was fit to serve as president, leading to a failed impeachment attempt.
Hillary Clinton became a contentious figure in her own right after she launched a long-running political career of her own. While it’s easy to focus on the scandals and controversies, we think it’s worth focusing on the relationship between these two. They’ve been through the kinds of trials that would destroy most relationships a hundred times over, yet they’ve remained married for nearly half a century.
How did this love story start? What have they endured, and how is this power couple still together? Keep reading to find out!
Bill Clinton’s formative years
Bill Clinton didn’t have a very prestigious upbringing…at least, not one that hinted he would someday become president. His father died in a car crash before he was born, so Bill was raised by his mother, Virginia Kelly, and her second husband, Roger Clinton. Sadly, Roger was an alcoholic who frequently abused Virginia, creating a terrible home life for young Bill.
Still, Bill Clinton kept to himself about what was happening at home and focused on keeping his grades up. He also never stopped loving his stepfather despite all the abuse, seeing him as a good man grappling with his own inner demons. And the young man who was born William Jefferson Blythe III decided to honor Roger by taking the last name “Clinton” while still in high school.
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Meeting the president changed Bill Clinton’s life
As mentioned before, Bill Clinton was very serious about his academic studies. While in high school, he was a member of Boys Nation, and he joined a delegation to the White House. In the Rose Garden, he met John F. Kennedy, Jr., and this experience changed his life. Simply put, after this meeting, Bill began to dream that he, too, could one day become president of the United States.
After graduating, Bill Clinton began attending programs and institutions that would help prepare him for a political career. For example, he attended Georgetown University, Oxford University (as a Rhodes Scholar, no less), and Yale University. He went to Yale to get a law degree, but he found something much more important: his future wife!
Hillary Clinton: Bill’s partner in love and politics
Bill Clinton and his future wife were both studying law at Yale at the same time. They first met while attending a political and civil rights class, and Bill was instantly smitten. This resulted in an embarrassing moment where they were both in the law library, and she caught him staring at her.
This was enough for Hillary to approach and tell Bill that if they were going to keep staring at each other, they should learn each other’s names. Bill was happy that she approached, and it didn’t take long for him to ask her out on a date. She said “yes,” beginning a romance that is still (against seemingly all odds) thriving to this day.
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Finally getting married
While Bill and Hillary Clinton were dating, they also worked on George McGovern’s presidential campaign. That campaign ended in failure for McGovern, but it was a huge success for the two lovebirds. After all, it illustrated how well these two worked together and how much they could accomplish when they were on the same page.
Afterward, Bill proposed to Hillary, but she didn’t say yes…at least, not right away. Even back then, Hillary clocked that Bill had major political ambitions, and she worried that she would lose her own ambitions and even her identity in his shadow. Nonetheless, she said “yes” when Bill proposed marriage a third time.
In 1975, Bill and Hillary got married in a simple ceremony at their home. Only a handful of friends and family were in attendance, but both the Clintons remember this as one of the happiest moments of their lives.
An enduring love and Hillary’s political career
Another of the Clintons’ happiest moments was the birth of Chelsea, their one and only child. Along the way, Bill’s ambitions paid off, as he became the governor of Arkansas in 1978 and was elected United States president in 1992. However, his presidential career was riddled with scandals, including the bombshell revelation that he had cheated on Hillary with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Many thought this would be the end of their marriage, even if it wasn’t the end of Bill Clinton’s political career. However, Hillary continued to support her husband throughout this scandal. And after they left the White House, he stood by her side as Hillary launched an impressive political career that took her from Senator to Secretary of State. She eventually lost her own presidential campaign against Donald Trump, but she still has the ultimate consolation prize: an ongoing marriage to the love of her life.