--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bill Clinton was lucky in many ways; but…" description: "\"“Bill Clinton was lucky in many ways; but when it came to former presidents, he won the lottery. When he was elected president, he had five former comm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nancy-gibbs-2206_cold-war_bill-clinton-was-lucky-in-many-ways-but_934730.jpg" --- # Bill Clinton was lucky in many ways; but when it came to… ![“Bill Clinton was lucky in many ways; but when it came to former presidents, he won the lottery. When he was elected president, he had five former commanders in chief at his disposal: Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush, the most of any president in the twentieth century. Not all of them had been…” quote by Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nancy-gibbs-2206_cold-war_bill-clinton-was-lucky-in-many-ways-but_934730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nancy-gibbs-2206_cold-war_bill-clinton-was-lucky-in-many-ways-but_934730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nancy-gibbs-2206_cold-war_bill-clinton-was-lucky-in-many-ways-but_934730.jpg) > ““Bill Clinton was lucky in many ways; but when it came to former presidents, he won the lottery. When he was elected president, he had five former commanders in chief at his disposal: Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush, the most of any president in the twentieth century. Not all of them had been helpful to one another, in or out of office. But some combination of his charm, their needs, and the new global challenges of the post–Cold War age allowed Clinton to deploy nearly all to his advantage—especially, as it turned out, the Republicans.”” [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clinton leveraged relationships with former presidents, using their experience and political needs to navigate post‑Cold War challenges, especially with Republicans. **In simple terms:** Clinton used ex‑presidents to help him politically. Key Takeaway Use existing networks strategically. Themes politics leadership networking Mood analytical strategic Type historical political When to use this quote - campaign strategy - foreign policy negotiations - party coalition building Key Concepts strategic alliances political capital Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance old alliances with new ideas? - What risks arise from depending on former rivals? A Different Perspective Reliance on past leaders may limit innovative approaches. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Came Presidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came-presidents-1550280/) [Clinton Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton-lucky-1550277/) [Cold war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-war/) [President Commanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-commanders-1550278/) [Presidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidents/) [Presidents Won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidents-won-1550279/) ## Related quotes > [ Since 1900, only three other \[than Donald Trump \] presidents have won the White House with a smaller percentage of the popular vote. Woodrow… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/since-1900-only-three-other-than-donald-trump-presidents-have-won-the/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [Whenever I came up against presidents of other companies, I was always smarter, because I was from the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berry-gordy/whenever-i-came-up-against-presidents-of-other-companies-i-was-always/) [Berry Gordy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berry-gordy/) > [By the time that book So You Want to Be President? came along, we had already had enough presidents that had shown us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/by-the-time-that-book-so-you-want-to-be-president-came-along-we-had/) [David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/) > [The Cold War is over. The kind of authority that the presidents asserted during the Cold War has now been diminished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/the-cold-war-is-over-the-kind-of-authority-that-the-presidents/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Decision making in a democracy depends above all on knowledge and not just the intel available to presidents and policymakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/decision-making-in-a-democracy-depends-above-all-on-knowledge-and-not/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Presidents make their hard decisions and then abide forever with their mistakes and regrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/presidents-make-their-hard-decisions-and-then-abide-forever-with/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [America's presidents tend to die young. Maybe it is in the nature of the men who reach such heights, or of the job once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/america-s-presidents-tend-to-die-young-maybe-it-is-in-the-nature-of/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Americas presidents tend to die young. Maybe it is in the nature of the men who reach such heights, or of the job once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/americas-presidents-tend-to-die-young-maybe-it-is-in-the-nature-of/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Today is Presidents' Day. We honor all 44. That works out to slightly less than 33 minutes per president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-is-presidents-day-we-honor-all-44-that-works-out-to-slightly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some of the presidents were great and some of them weren't. I can say that, because I wasn't one of the great presidents, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/some-of-the-presidents-were-great-and-some-of-them-weren-t-i-can-say/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [But no matter how many times we re-rank the presidents, in another 200 years, the top presidents will still be Washington and Lincoln and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/but-no-matter-how-many-times-we-re-rank-the-presidents-in-another-200/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Presidents are evaluated not by what they did by the stroke of their own pen; it's what they persuade Congress to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/presidents-are-evaluated-not-by-what-they-did-by-the-stroke-of-their/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Since 1775, when the first Continental Congress called for a national day of prayer, there have been such events called for by almost every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/since-1775-when-the-first-continental-congress-called-for-a-national/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Let's assume for the moment that the logic behind Presidents Day is actually sound for certain presidents. Why not have a separate holiday for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/let-s-assume-for-the-moment-that-the-logic-behind-presidents-day-is/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) ## More by Nancy Gibbs > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [The millennials were raised in a cocoon, their anxious parents afraid to let them go out in the park to play. So should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-millennials-were-raised-in-a-cocoon-their-anxious-parents-afraid/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Be bored and see where it takes you, because the imagination's dusty wilderness is worth crossing if you want to sculpt your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/be-bored-and-see-where-it-takes-you-because-the-imagination-s-dusty/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [As you probably know, I've written a lot about the presidency, so it's obviously exciting when you get to interview a president and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/as-you-probably-know-i-ve-written-a-lot-about-the-presidency-so-it-s/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [ \[Former chief executives\] come away thinking that America needs a strong, functioning presidency to succeed, and they become very protective of that office. Democrats… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/former-chief-executives-come-away-thinking-that-america-needs-a/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [It's hard to think of any tool, any instrument, any object in history with which so many developed so close a relationship so quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/it-s-hard-to-think-of-any-tool-any-instrument-any-object-in-history/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“Lydon Johnson realized he really was President, that his identity had changed by President Kennedy's shocking death, when aides who had been like family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/lydon-johnson-realized-he-really-was-president-that-his-identity-had/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [A typical smart phone has more computing power than Apollo 11 when it landed a man on the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/a-typical-smart-phone-has-more-computing-power-than-apollo-11-when-it/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [George W. Bush, though a president's son, is cast as Reagan's heir even more than his father's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/george-w-bush-though-a-president-s-son-is-cast-as-reagan-s-heir-even/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [For God to be kept out of the classroom or out of America's public debate by nervous school administrators or overcautious politicians serves no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/for-god-to-be-kept-out-of-the-classroom-or-out-of-america-s-public/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Pain is the most private experience, but its causes, whether natural or man-made, demand public accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/pain-is-the-most-private-experience-but-its-causes-whether-natural-or/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [On the court, Jason Collins is not a huge basketball star, but he has already claimed his place in civil rights history as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/on-the-court-jason-collins-is-not-a-huge-basketball-star-but-he-has/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [When you are a media celebrity, every word you speak is dissected, as are those you choose not to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/when-you-are-a-media-celebrity-every-word-you-speak-is-dissected-as/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [If you want to humble an empire it makes sense to maim its cathedrals. They are symbols of its faith, and when they crumple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/if-you-want-to-humble-an-empire-it-makes-sense-to-maim-its-cathedrals/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“The wand is mighter then the sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-wand-is-mighter-then-the-sword/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) [Explore all 179 Nancy Gibbs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) ## More Cold war quotes > [“A clear look back on the Cold War's battlegrounds, along with a sense of relief that the world survived forty-five years of confrontation, evokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-clear-look-back-on-the-cold-war-s-battlegrounds-along-with-a-sense/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. 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Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [We do not have the right to forget that reactionary imperialism exists and its forces actively operate in the world, that they encourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-grechko/we-do-not-have-the-right-to-forget-that-reactionary-imperialism/) [Andrei Grechko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-grechko/) > [If you don't like us, don't accept our invitations and don't invite us to come to see you. Whether you like it or not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-khrushchev/if-you-don-t-like-us-don-t-accept-our-invitations-and-don-t-invite-us/) [Nikita Khrushchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-khrushchev/) > [Ever since the end of the Cold War, it has been our paramount interest in Europe to strengthen NATO and to extend it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/ever-since-the-end-of-the-cold-war-it-has-been-our-paramount-interest/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [“And so this is where the post Cold War has brought us: to the recognition that the very totalitarism that we fought against in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/and-so-this-is-where-the-post-cold-war-has-brought-us-to-the/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. 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It let the FBI work with the NSA outside of the limits of the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-weiner/stellar-wind-resurrected-cold-war-tactics-with-twenty-first-century/) [Tim Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-weiner/) > [TICAD is a conference Japan launched in 1993 to assist self-supporting development in Africa against the backdrop of the declining international interest in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-kishida/ticad-is-a-conference-japan-launched-in-1993-to-assist-self/) [Fumio Kishida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-kishida/) > [I have seen the rise and fall of Nazi tyranny, the subsequent cold war and the nuclear nightmare that for fifty years haunted the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-have-seen-the-rise-and-fall-of-nazi-tyranny-the-subsequent-cold-war/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The Cold War philosophy of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), which prevented the former Soviet Union and the United States from using the nuclear weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lewis/the-cold-war-philosophy-of-mutual-assured-destruction-mad-which/) [Bernard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lewis/) [Browse all 906 Cold war quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-war/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Bill Clinton was lucky in many ways; but when it came to former presidents, he won the lottery. 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