Letter From America By Alistair Cooke: The Clinton Years (1993-1996)

The nature of reviewing the past and predicting the future, and musings on how abstract votes will affect the nomination of Democratic presidential candidate.

Newt Gingrich becomes speaker of the US House of Representatives. American apathy towards foreign policy and Clinton's shift towards the centre are explored by Alistair Cooke.

Former Senator Barry Goldwater, the speech that won Ronald Reagan the Governorship of California and the state of the Republican Party in 1994 are assessed by Alistair Cooke.

Jimmy Carter's diplomatic efforts, the security problems faced by the White House and the size of Lyndon Johnson's handkerchief are mused over by Alistaire Cooke.

A mass shooting on a Long Island commuter train, the OJ Simpson trial and the litigation involved in becoming a US citizen lead Cooke to discuss the legal process in America.

The rise of cable television and the difficulty it creates when trying to find a truly local news story, discussed by Alistair Cooke in San Francisco.

The erosion of San Franciscan water pipes, the continuing conflict in Bosnia and the American feeling that NATO is becoming a redundant entity are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

Newt Gingrich is installed as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alistair Cooke examines his suggested amendments to the constitution, and the life of new legislation.

President Clinton's failure to deliver on welfare reform, the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the need for speculation in journalism.

The Republican landslide Senate victory leads Alistair Cooke to critique Clinton's medical reform and recalls presidents who have triumphed in the face of adversity.

The history of Halloween, how a rise in street crime has affected the celebration and the objections of the Christian right, are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

Senator Edward Kennedy and Mitt Romney's televised debate before the 1994 Congressional elections provides an opportunity to discuss the history of the Kennedy family.

A new American ally is assessed by Alistair Cooke, following the donation of four billion dollars to North Korea to curb the production of nuclear arms.

Senator Diane Feinstein's heroic effort to pass a bill in Congress for the protection of 6 million acres of Californian desert highlights the drama of congressional voting.

North Korea's persistent nuclear development puts the UN in a tough situation; Cooke wonders whether Jimmy Carters diplomatic discussions or the UN Forces are the best deterrent.

As American troops enter Haiti, Alistair Cooke chronicles President Clinton's motivations for intervening in the conflict and explains Jimmy Carter's role in the negotiations.

How President Clinton's position will be affected by the upcoming congressional elections leads Cooke to recall the underdogs and upsets from the history of American politics.

Employment in America, and attempts to define the modern working population are discussed by Cooke, following the cancellation of the Labor Day parade in New York.

The Allied troop withdrawals from Berlin prompt Alistair Cooke to remember the division of Germany following the Second World War.

The US role in the Cuban War of Independence and how America is housing Cuban refugees in the Guantanamo Bay facility are considered by Alistair Cooke.