The 1990s Government, Politics, and Law: Headline Makers

Madeleine Albright (1937–) Madeleine Albright was appointed U.S. secretary of state in 1997, becoming the first woman to hold the post and the highest-ranking woman ever in the executive branch. For four years previously, she served as the U.S. representative to the United Nations. Her diplomatic and political skills were well regarded around the world. Albright had a reputation as a plain-spoken and aggressive defender of U.S. interests. Yet she was also well known for her ability to talk to many different people with varying political agendas and to get them to agree on difficult issues.

George H. W. Bush (1924–) George H. W. Bush served as the forty-first president of the United States from 1989 to 1993. In office, he quickly established the reputation of specializing in foreign affairs while having little real interest in domestic issues. The dramatic end of communism, the invasion of Panama, and the Persian Gulf War marked his presidency. In perhaps his finest hour, Bush organized a worldwide, UN-sanctioned coalition against Iraq for its invasion of Kuwait. At the end of the Gulf War, he enjoyed a virtually unprecedented public approval rating of 91 percent.

Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947–) Hillary Rodham Clinton, the forty-second first lady of the United States, used her position as few previous first ladies had done. In 1993, she chaired a task force charged with producing a health care reform plan. Although the plan was not adopted by the U.S. Congress, Clinton continued her leadership role, traveling the globe to bring attention to women's issues, children's issues, and health care. In 1995, Clinton served as honorary chair of the American delegation to the United Nations' Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China.

Johnnie Cochran (1937–) Johnnie Cochran gained national notoriety in 1994 when he became a member of O. J. Simpson's legal defense team. Along with fellow defense attorney F. Lee Bailey, he developed the "race card" strategy as a chief defense tactic. He called attention to recorded racist remarks made by a police detective involved in the murder investigation. Cochran also provoked one of the prosecuting attorneys into having Simpson try on a pair of blood-stained gloves, which clearly did not fit, eventually leading the jury to find Simpson not guilty.

Newt Gingrich (1943–) Newt Gingrich, who served as a U.S. representative from Georgia beginning in 1979, was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives late in 1994. In this powerful position, he led fellow Republican representatives' efforts to implement the so-called Contract with America. Gingrich influenced the political agenda between 1994 and 1996, helping Republicans gain control of the House. In 1997, he was fined three hundred thousand dollars for violating House ethics rules regarding the use of tax-exempt foundations for political purposes. In November 1998, he resigned his seat in the House.

H. Ross Perot (1930–) H. Ross Perot, an extremely successful businessman from Texas, ran for the presidency of the United States in 1992 and 1996 as the candidate from his newly formed Reform Party. Though he lost both elections, he made a credible showing, and his Reform Party continued to influence American politics. Many Americans agreed with Perot's view that a self-serving elite dominated government, ignoring the problems of average citizens. At the end of the decade, Perot's political vision continued to draw support across the country.

Colin Powell (1937–) Colin Powell had become the youngest man and the first African American to hold the country's top military office, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was an instrumental figure in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, and he served as President Bush's key adviser during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. He was credited with skillfully balancing the political objectives of President Bush and the strategy needs of General Norman Schwarzkopf. In 1994, he served as part of a three-person team that helped avert a military invasion of Haiti by U.S. troops.

Janet Reno (1938–) Janet Reno became the first female U.S. Attorney General when she was sworn in to the post in 1993. Noted for her strong-willed, straightforward manner, she had a reputation for being willing to take difficult stands. Some of her decisions angered members of Congress, who repeatedly called for her to step down from her post. She offered to resign after the Waco incident, but President Clinton refused to accept her resignation. Despite being embattled on all sides, Reno served longer in her position than any attorney general in the previous thirty years.