| The Election of 1996 marked the first time since Franklin Roosevelt that a democrat was elected for a second full term in office. Despite lingering doubts about his ethics and character Americans voting in favor of President Clinton as the lesser of two evils. He skillfully reclaimed the center of political discourse, and successfully labeled the Republicans as the party of extremists. Clinton was aided by the fact that his opponent, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, never seemed to connect with the voter. If elected he would have been the oldest of any to assume the Presidency, and that was deemed by many as too old. |