September 5, 2012

9 Revealing Photos of Bill Clinton

From Howdy Doody to law school hipster, what is it about Slick Willie’s enduring appeal?

When former president Bill Clinton takes the podium in support of Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night, it will be his sixth consecutive convention speech for the Dems. What is it about Slick Willie that makes him such a beguiling presence in center-left politics? We haven’t the words to explain his enduring appeal; but thanks to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library, we do have the photographs:

1) It’s Howdy Doody time

William Jefferson Blythe, age five, 1952.William Jefferson Blythe, age five, 1952

2) Mastering the sax

Bill Blythe with a saxophone, celebrating his 12th birthday at his home in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1958.Bill Blythe with a saxophone, celebrating his 12th birthday at his home in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1958

3) The kings of Hot Springs

Bill and Roger Clinton with their dog, King, in front of their house on Park Avenue in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on Easter Sunday, 1962.Bill and Roger Clinton with their dog, King, in front of their house on Park Avenue in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on Easter Sunday, 1962

4) Studying the law, fashionably

Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham at Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, in January 1972.Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham at Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, in January 1972

5) Bill and Hillary: The Guess ad

Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham playing soccer in Fayetteville, Arkansas, during the summer of 1975.Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham playing soccer in Fayetteville, Arkansas, during the summer of 1975

6) power couple

Bill and Hillary on their wedding day in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on October 11, 1975.Bill and Hillary on their wedding day in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on October 11, 1975

7) Don’t. Stop. Thinking About Tomorrow.

Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in New York City, July 1992.Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in New York City, July 1992

8) pwning the Press corps

The Clinton's cat, Socks, in the White House Press Briefing Room.The Clintons’ cat, Socks, in the White House Press Briefing Room

9) Need a Friend? Get a dog

President Clinton with his dog Buddy in front of the White House.President Clinton with his dog, Buddy, in front of the White House

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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