Former Arkansas governor, William Jefferson Clinton, was elected president of the United States on November 3, 1992, defeating incumbent George H.W. Bush. Clinton’s first term was highlighted by the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. In April of 1993, the new administration was faced with the crisis in Waco, followed two years later with the deadly bombing in Oklahoma City. Another low point for the Clinton presidency occurred in Somalia on October 3, 1993. During the battle of Mogadishu, 19 American servicemen were killed, 73 wounded and 1 captured in a military operation that went wrong.
In 1994, Republicans made big gains in the mid-term elections, but soon after that, the U.S. engaged militarily in the Balkans. A successful bombing campaign led to the Dayton Peace Accords. Domestically, Clinton had to navigate legal matters with the Whitewater investigation which turned into the Monica Lewinsky affair and, eventually, impeachment by the House of Representatives. The president was acquitted of all charges by the Senate. The administration’s economic policies led to a strong economy, with low unemployment and a rise in home ownership. By the end his term in office, the Clinton administration was posting a budget surplus, and the president had high poll numbers upon leaving office.