--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bill Clinton wanted to survive. And Bill…" description: "\"Bill Clinton wanted to survive. And Bill Clinton wanted to thrive, not just for himself, although that's primarily what drives Bill Clinton. He's a cla..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/monica-crowley-7194_also_bill-clinton-wanted-to-survive-and-bill_1309358.jpg" --- # Bill Clinton wanted to survive. And Bill Clinton wanted to… ![“Bill Clinton wanted to survive. And Bill Clinton wanted to thrive, not just for himself, although that's primarily what drives Bill Clinton. He's a classic narcissist. So of course he wanted to thrive and succeed. But he also wanted America to thrive and succeed, which is why he worked with a…” quote by Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/monica-crowley-7194_also_bill-clinton-wanted-to-survive-and-bill_1309358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/monica-crowley-7194_also_bill-clinton-wanted-to-survive-and-bill_1309358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a02/monica-crowley-7194_also_bill-clinton-wanted-to-survive-and-bill_1309358.jpg) > “Bill Clinton wanted to survive. And Bill Clinton wanted to thrive, not just for himself, although that's primarily what drives Bill Clinton. He's a classic narcissist. So of course he wanted to thrive and succeed. But he also wanted America to thrive and succeed, which is why he worked with a Republican Congress.” [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes Bill Clinton as driven by personal ambition and a desire for national success, labeling him a classic narcissist who seeks both self‑interest and collective prosperity. **In simple terms:** Clinton wants personal and national success, driven by self‑interest. Key Takeaway Recognize mixed motives in leadership. Themes politics psychology leadership Mood critical analytical Type political commentary psychological assessment When to use this quote - campaign strategy - policy negotiation - public perception - media analysis Key Concepts narcissism dual motives bipartisan cooperation Questions to Reflect On - How do personal ambitions shape political decisions? - Can personal drive benefit a nation? A Different Perspective Self‑interest may conflict with public good. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Also](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/also/) [Although](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/although/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Thrive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-thrive-957212/) [Bill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill/) [Bill clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill-clinton/) [Classic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classic/) [Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) [Clinton Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton-wanted-871930/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) [Drives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drives/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/himself/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Narcissist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narcissist/) [Primarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primarily/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Succeed Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed-wanted-1939762/) [Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive/) [Survive Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive-clinton-4327175/) [Thrive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrive/) [To survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/to-survive/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Thrive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-thrive-4327176/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) [Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked/) ## Related quotes > [I want to see America thrive. I want to see all different families here succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-meng/i-want-to-see-america-thrive-i-want-to-see-all-different-families/) [Grace Meng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-meng/) > [I just wanted to be a guy on the radio and I wanted to succeed, and I wanted a situation where I could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-just-wanted-to-be-a-guy-on-the-radio-and-i-wanted-to-succeed-and-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I really wanted to succeed. I wanted to be accepted. I read every magic book that I possibly could, studied every move, and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-really-wanted-to-succeed-i-wanted-to-be-accepted-i-read-every-magic/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [But I think there was a sense amongst the House Republicans especially that we didn't just want to be opposed to Bill Clinton; that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-the-house-republicans/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [Bin Laden was once targeted by President Clinton. President Clinton wanted to kill him but couldn't get him. Of course not, we all know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bin-laden-was-once-targeted-by-president-clinton-president-clinton/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Her family had no such ties. She was able to forge her way into that world. And then to those people, the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/her-family-had-no-such-ties-she-was-able-to-forge-her-way-into-that/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Hillary Clinton wanted to hide what she was doing so that there was no trail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/hillary-clinton-wanted-to-hide-what-she-was-doing-so-that-there-was/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Bill Clinton is a classic, old-school Southern pragmatic Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/bill-clinton-is-a-classic-old-school-southern-pragmatic-democrat/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Bill Clinton was impeached primarily for criminal conduct: lying under oath and misleading a federal grand jury about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Nixon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/bill-clinton-was-impeached-primarily-for-criminal-conduct-lying-under/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [It wasn't easy in the 1970s when I initially started on my mission - to take yoga to the world. Nobody knew what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bikram-choudhury/it-wasn-t-easy-in-the-1970s-when-i-initially-started-on-my-mission-to/) [Bikram Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bikram-choudhury/) > [“George Bush made a mistake when he referred to the Saddam Hussein regime as 'evil.' Every liberal and leftist knows how to titter at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/george-bush-made-a-mistake-when-he-referred-to-the-saddam-hussein/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The Right has been trying to take down Bill Clinton for 20 years. I know; I was there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/the-right-has-been-trying-to-take-down-bill-clinton-for-20-years-i/) [David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/) > [I didn't eat for two days when Bill Clinton won, but after Obama's election, I was genuinely depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-fleischmann/i-didn-t-eat-for-two-days-when-bill-clinton-won-but-after-obama-s/) [Chuck Fleischmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-fleischmann/) > [Nobody has ever gotten a bigger push than Bill Clinton gave to Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/nobody-has-ever-gotten-a-bigger-push-than-bill-clinton-gave-to-obama/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [“Those of us who follow politics seriously rather than view it as a game show do not look at Hillary Clinton and simply think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/those-of-us-who-follow-politics-seriously-rather-than-view-it-as-a/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More by Monica Crowley > [Bill Clinton is a classic, old-school Southern pragmatic Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/bill-clinton-is-a-classic-old-school-southern-pragmatic-democrat/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Of course there are individual racists in America. Sadly that's true. And sadly that will always be true. It's true in this country, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/of-course-there-are-individual-racists-in-america-sadly-that-s-true/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [The man who was known as 'no drama Obama' during the campaign has given us nothing but depleting and infuriating drama since he arrived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/the-man-who-was-known-as-no-drama-obama-during-the-campaign-has-given/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [The point of a presidential campaign is to put the candidate through the ringer: to force him to get banged up by his opponents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/the-point-of-a-presidential-campaign-is-to-put-the-candidate-through/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [When you talk about presidents, loyalty is a great thing until it becomes a bad thing. Witness once again Watergate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/when-you-talk-about-presidents-loyalty-is-a-great-thing-until-it/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [I think the Republican Party is supposed to be the party of less government intrusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/i-think-the-republican-party-is-supposed-to-be-the-party-of-less/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [True equality means holding everyone accountable in the same way, regardless of race, gender, faith, ethnicity - or political ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/true-equality-means-holding-everyone-accountable-in-the-same-way/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [When I'm debating others, whether it's Eleanor Clift or Bob Beckel, you're still in a fierce debate mode, but you're also on best behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/when-i-m-debating-others-whether-it-s-eleanor-clift-or-bob-beckel-you/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [I think the American people believe in stopping and preventing terrorism pretty much at any cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/i-think-the-american-people-believe-in-stopping-and-preventing/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Germany was beaten after World War I, but it didn't take long for it to rise again as a much more malignant threat. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/germany-was-beaten-after-world-war-i-but-it-didn-t-take-long-for-it/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Oh absolutely. Look they hate all conservatives but they have a special kind of loathing for women conservatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/oh-absolutely-look-they-hate-all-conservatives-but-they-have-a/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [We need the ability to buy healthcare insurance across state lines that would increase competition and drive down cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/we-need-the-ability-to-buy-healthcare-insurance-across-state-lines/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [It is an abuse of power, when you are President of the United States, to use the White House to single out a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/it-is-an-abuse-of-power-when-you-are-president-of-the-united-states/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [If the government controls your health care, the government controls you. Obamacare was never about health care. It was about government power, dependency, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/if-the-government-controls-your-health-care-the-government-controls/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [From 2002 to the end of his presidency, George W. Bush routinely was accused by the Left of 'creating chaos:' chaos in Iraq, chaos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/from-2002-to-the-end-of-his-presidency-george-w-bush-routinely-was/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) [Explore all 93 Monica Crowley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) ## More Also quotes > [I'm a workaholic, but I also like to vacation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrueche-tran/i-m-a-workaholic-but-i-also-like-to-vacation/) [Karrueche Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrueche-tran/) > [I've also directed, shot, and edited several music videos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-king/i-ve-also-directed-shot-and-edited-several-music-videos/) [Richard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-king/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [With all the technology we're inventing and what they're coming up with scientifically, people are having longer lifetimes. It's scary, but in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-murphy/with-all-the-technology-we-re-inventing-and-what-they-re-coming-up/) [Brittany Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-murphy/) > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [I always like to look for adventure when I go away. I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. 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Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) [Browse all 3,822 Also quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/also/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Bill Clinton wanted to survive. And Bill Clinton wanted to thrive, not just for himself, although that's primarily what drives Bill Clinton. He's a classic narcissist. So of course he wanted to thrive and succeed. 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