My Life

^{valedictorians and salutorians of Arkansas high schools}

^{My workday at the Tosco plant}

^{At the Sanyo Electric plant in Japan}

^{Left to right: Henry Oliver; Gloria Cabe; Carol Rasco}

^{At the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, during the governors’ conference, 1984. I’m standing next to Minnie Pearl; Hillary is at the far left.}

^{Left: Chelsea’s first day of school. Middle: Betsey Wright and I surprise Hillary for her birthday, 1983. Right: Chelsea is enjoying the sight of me holding “Boa Derek” for Proclamation Day.}

^{Dancing with Chelsea and with Hillary at the Governor’s Inaugural Ball, January, 1991}

^{With Dr. Billy Graham and my pastor, Dr. W. O. Vaught, fall 1989}

^{With (clockwise, from left) Lottie Shackleford, Bobby Rush, Ernie Green, Carol Willis, Avis Lavelle, Bob Nash, and Rodney Slater at the National Democratic Convention, July 1992}

^{The 1992 campaign. Tipper Gore took this picture of the huge crowd in Keene, New Hampshire}

^{In the “war room” James Carville and Paul Begala high five}

^{Campaigning in Stone Mountain, Georgia}

^{Wall Street turns out for Hillary and me.}

^{On the West Coast in 1992}

^{Cinco de Mayo}

^{Rally in Seattle}

^{Greeting supporters in Los Angeles}

^{At a prayer meeting after the Los Angeles riots}

^{The Rodham family: (from left) Maria, Hugh, Dorothy, Hillary, and Tony. Hillary’s father, Hugh, is seated.}

^{The campaign team}

^{The bus tour}

^{Hillary and I, Tipper and Al Gore, President Jimmy Carter, and (at left) Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller celebrate Tipper’s and my joint birthday.}

^{President George H. W. Bush, Ross Perot, and I at the University of Richmond debate}

^{The Arsenio Hall Show}

^{Election night, November 3, 1992}

^{My first day as President-elect}

^{With Mother}

^{At Carolyn Yeldell Staley’s house: (front row) Mother, Thea Leopoulos; (second row) Bob Aspell, me, Hillary, Glenda Cooper, Linda Leopoulos; (top row) Carolyn Staley, David Leopoulos, Mauria Aspell, Mary Jo Rodgers, Jim French, Tommy Caplan, Phil Jamison, Dick Kelley, Kit Ashby, Tom Campbell, Bob Dangremond, Patrick Campbell, Susan Jamison, Gail and Randy Goodrum, Thaddeus Leopoulos, Amy Ashby, Jim and Jane Moore, Tom and Jude Campbell, Will Staley}

TWENTY-TWO

Wright, Lindsey & Jennings was, by Arkansas standards, a large firm with a fine reputation and a varied practice. The support staff were able and friendly and went out of their way to help settle me in and make me feel at home. The firm also allowed me to bring my secretary, Barbara Kerns, who had been with me for four years by then and knew all my family, friends, and supporters. It even provided Betsey Wright office space so that she could keep working on my files and, as it turned out, plan the next campaign. I did some legal work and brought in a couple of modest clients, but I’m sure the lifeline the firm threw me didn’t make it any money. All the firm really got out of it was my everlasting gratitude and some legal business defending me when I became President. Though I missed being governor and the excitement of politics, I enjoyed the more normal pace of my life, coming home at a reasonable hour, being with Hillary as we watched Chelsea grow into her life, going out to dinner with friends, and getting to know our neighbors, especially the older couple who lived directly across the street, Sarge and Louise Lozano. They adored Chelsea and were always there to help out.

I resolved to stay away from public speaking for several months, with one exception. In February, I drove to Brinkley, about an hour east of Little Rock on the interstate, to speak at the Lions Club banquet. The area had voted for me in 1980, and my strongest supporters there all urged me to come. They said it would lift my spirits to be with folks who were still supporters, and it did. After the dinner, I went to a reception at the home of my county leaders, Don and Betty Fuller, where I was gratified and a little surprised to meet people who actually wanted me to be governor again. Back in Little Rock, most people were still trying to get on good terms with the new governor. One man whom I’d appointed to a position in state government and who wanted to stay on under Governor White actually crossed the street in downtown Little Rock one day when he saw me walking toward him. He was afraid to be seen shaking hands with me in broad daylight.

While I was grateful for the kindness of my friends in Brinkley, I didn’t go out speaking again in Arkansas for several months. Frank White was beginning to make mistakes and lose some legislative battles, and I didn’t want to