High Hopes

Paperback in very good condition, looks unread. Renshon (political science, CUNY) presents a reasoned psychological interpretation of President Clinton's development, character, and leadership. Much to his credit, he recognizes political psychology as only one approach to predicting presidential performance. Clinton's character does not inspire confidence, he notes. Surprisingly, his ambition, integrity, interpersonal relations, and background make him similar to Richard Nixon rather than to Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt, the presidents to whom he likes to be compared. Renshon is not optimistic that Clinton's character can change if he is reelected and argues that the House Republicans remain the best check on the president's mercurial behavior. David Maraniss's First in His Class (LJ 3/1/95) and John Brummett's Highwire (LJ 9/15/94) are two excellent narratives that Renshon relies on heavily. This controversial study will appeal mostly to students of the presidency and political psychology. Recommended for large general libraries and subject collections. Karl Helicher. Why is Bill Clinton "a president of extremes, combining immense personal and political skills with equally evident personal and political flaws?" Renshon, a City University of New York political science professor, applies comparative psychoanalytic theory to Clinton's character (emphasizing ambition, integrity, and relatedness), to specific behaviors (the draft, his choice of spouse), and to Clinton's approach to his office and critical decisions as president. Renshon sees Clinton's alcoholic stepfather as just one challenge within an unusually difficult childhood and goes beyond conflict-avoidance generalities in suggesting key consequences of that childhood experience in Clinton's adult personality and character. Renshon's study stresses the importance of the match (or mismatch) between public expectations and leaders' performance; even readers who find the author's psychological analysis of Clinton convincing may question Renshon's reading of the public mood in '92, '94, and '96. But the op-ed crowd will no doubt pick up some of this book's more noteworthy conclusions, so libraries serving political junkies will want to add it to their shelves. Mary Carroll.…