Letter from America: The Clinton Years (1993-1996)

Santa Claus or Father Christmas? The origin of the Patron saint of Christmas is explored. Plus, the surprising popularity of a Tickle Me Elmo toy has caused prices to skyrocket.

A tribute to Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former leader of the UN General Assembly, whose peacekeeping skills were put to the test during the Rwandan Genocide.

Madeleine Albright becomes the first Secretary of State in America, and investigations reveal a possible chemical cause of Gulf War Syndrome.

Cults of California, tolerance in San Francisco, and the permissive parenting backlash are discussed by Alistair Cooke in this week's Letter From America.

From California, Alistair Cooke examines the un-politicised institution of Thanksgiving and the changing face of US politics.

After public revelations of cases of sexual violence in the US Army and Navy Alistair Cooke examines the scandal of the sexual harassment of women in America's armed forces.

US intervention in the Rwandan refugee crisis and the history of President Clinton's press conferences.

The results of the presidential elections and how technology is turning busy television studios into silent cathedrals, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The history Halloween, the origin of the vampire myth and the roaring business performed by pumpkin farmers during the month of October.

A season of disaster, forest fires, tornadoes, earthquakes and leads to a recollection of a vast storm in 1938 which descended on the Northern Atlantic coast.

The science of electoral prediction and the possible pitfalls of keeping one ear to the ground following the Dole and Clinton debates.

Vice-presidential responsibilities, the careers of Bob Dole, Dan Quayle and Jack Kemp, and the false predictions of Lord Kelvin, Albert Einstein and Arthur C Clarke.

The first presidential debate between President Clinton and Mr Dole, and the unique election advantage gifted to incumbent presidents, the presidential halo.

Boris Yeltsin's heart-bypass surgery and the cultures of secrecy that have surrounded the heath and governance of gravely ill leaders.

As O J Simpson's civil trial begins Alistair Cooke considers what can be gained from a civil suit and examines the differences in the way the new trial is being run.

The Defense of Marriage Act and the implications it has to same sex marriage, and news from Bob Dole's floundering presidential campaign.

The US cruise missile strike in Iraq, the claims that the first Gulf War was left unfinished and the complexities of the first conflict, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The Democratic Party convention returning to Chicago, the history of the city and the 'circus within a plague' of the last, disastrous conference of 1968.

The return of Ross Perot as a presidential candidate, the prohibition of third-trimester abortions, the proliferation of guns and the education of children about global warming.

The history of the party nomination conventions, the switch to the primary election as the method of choosing a presidential candidate, and Bill Clinton's lead in the polls.

The commercialisation and crass television coverage of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and the effect that an influx of money has on sport.

The presidential race, US welfare and healthcare reform and the prurience and pressure surrounding the TWA flight 800 crash investigation.

The TWA Flight 800 crash and the media coverage of the accident, the casino life of the financial markets and Bob Dole's reluctance to embrace the 1990s.

The Helms-Burton bill, which penalises foreign companies doing business with Cuba, Senator Jessie Helms and tobacco , and the importance of Southern states to President Clinton.

A reflection on the life and legal crusade of the flamboyant US celebrity lawyer Melvin Belli, self-proclaimed defender of the 'little helpless guy'.

Boris Yeltsin's victory in the Russian presidential elections, the relative novelty of universal suffrage in the West and the need for democracy, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The death of Max Factor Jnr. and the origin of the word "make-up" are the subjects considered by Alistair Cooke.

With Bob Dole resigning from the Senate, Alistair Cooke examines the legislator's time as Senate leader and explores the uncertain future of the Republican Party.

The death of Timothy Leary, the impact of LSD in the 1960s, and the need for each generation to rebel against the one before, as chronicled by Alistair Cooke.

Memorial Day, now indistinguishable from Veteran's Day, leads Cooke to consider on how recognition of military service has changed and, how Bill Clinton joined the US army.

The unique power of single issue groups in American presidential elections and President Clinton's stance on gay marriage are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The preparations for the upcoming presidential elections, and the resurgence of the legal and moral debate over assisted suicide in the US, as considered by Alistair Cooke.

The diplomacies of Wilson and Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan's Star Wars defence programme, and the American response to international elections, as detailed by Alistair Cooke.

The sale of President Kennedy's rocking chair, JFK's ailments and the discreetness of the press, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The life and work of columnist Erma Bombeck, "America's only woman humourist", and writer of "At Wit's End", is remembered by Alistair Cooke.

The University of South Florida's reaction to a bomb threat leads Alistair Cooke to consider the emergence and nature of America's new anti-terrorism laws.

The rise of Montana's armed insurgents, their historical inheritance and their opposition in the FBI, as chronicled by Alistair Cooke.

Euthanasia, and the right to die for the terminally ill, the case of Karen Ann Quinlan, and Dr Jack Kevorkian, the Michigan doctor who has helped 27 dying people.

Ross Perot and Pat Buchanan's challenge to Bob Dole in the race for the Republican presidential nomination and how a thief in the night may yet undo Bill Clinton.

On the 50th anniversary of his Letter from America broadcasts Alistair Cooke re-presents the first talk, describing his return from an austere Britain to a bountiful New York.

The Lockerbie bombing, the unpredictable threat of terrorism and the difficulty of making anti-terror laws compatible with constitutional rights, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

Fifty years after Churchill's speech warning of Soviet ambitions in Europe, Alistair Cooke considers the new threat posed by communist China.

Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan, divisions within the Republican Party and the greatest anxiety of "middle America" are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The varied nature of democratic governments, the legal and political powers of state government and the arcane operation of the US tax system are considered by Alistair Cooke.

Phineas T Barnum, Hershel Geguzin and Ruldolph Walter Wanderone, three notable fraudsters, are all profiled by Alistair Cooke.

The importance of the New Hampshire primary election in the race to become president is the subject of a discussion by Alistair Cooke.

President Clinton's State of the Union Address and the origins and purposes of the grand jury system.

The controversy surrounding Hilary Clinton's involvement in the presidency and the actions of Mrs Roosevelt and Mrs Adams, are the subject of a comparison by Alistair Cooke.

The New York blizzard of 1996, the great snowfall of 1947 and the "paralysing anxiety" during the blizzard of 1888, as chronicled by Alistair Cooke.

A halt on US Government services and the consequence of the refusal to pass a continuing resolution on the Budget Balancing Bill, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

A Christmas spent in Vermont, the joy of experiencing absolute silence and the progress of the federal government shutdown are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The adaptability of American soldiers, the debate in Congress over the reading of prayers in schools, and what makes a good government are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The arrival of the first America soldiers in Bosnia in December 1995, the harsh conditions they face and the position of the constitution on the declaration of war.

The Pulitzer winning journalist James "Scottie" Reston (1909-1995) and the writer's transition from young sports commentator to respected political columnist.

The relationship between church and state, the future of a monument to the Ten Commandments and the existence of freedom of speech in the classroom are explored by Alistair Cooke.

A possible end to the conflict in Bosnia, the role of the US in the peace treaty, and why the city of Dayton became the venue for the signing in November 1995.

The federal government shutdown on November 14 1995, the events leading up to this national crisis, and an exploration of the history of US debt and the proposed solutions.

General Colin Powell's electoral appeal, the apathy towards Republican candidates and a shift in political reporting are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The formation of Quebec, the American and Canadian relationship with France and the possibility of a divided neighbour to the north, are explored by Alistair Cooke.

The visit of Yasser Arafat to New York City to meet with the United Nations in 1995, the traffic carnage caused in the city and his plea to reconstitute the Security Council.

How the demographics of New York taxi drivers change and how President Clinton's relationship with business may be key in the race for re-election, explored by Alistair Cooke.

The race issues surrounding the OJ Simpson trial, the emergence of the black middle class and the future for a divided America, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

How do Americans feel about the OJ Simpson trial following the delivery of the verdict in October 1995?

An examination of the increased rate change in America and the possible entrance of Colin Powell and Ross Perot to the Presidential race, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The dangers of an online America, the importance of considering a sentence before committing it to paper, and the possible return of the Luddites are considered by Alistair Cooke.

The events which led to the resignation of Senator Robert Packwood, and what Packwood's diary tells us about the lobbying system are explored by Alistair Cooke.

Labor Day 1995, the continuation of the OJ Simpson murder trial, and President Clinton's promises for campaign for re-election in 1996.

Senator Bill Bradley's decision to not run for re-election to the Senate, the 'broken' nature of American politics and the role of a third political party.

As President Clinton takes his summer holiday, Alistair Cooke explores the way in which presidential vacations have become less about relaxation and more about public relations.

The concept of local identity and blurring of state lines, the delivery of water to 19th century farmers and environmental policy are examined by Alistair Cooke.

A recollection of the events leading up to the use of the atomic bomb to end the Second World War, and an examination of the thirty year controversy that followed.

As the American relationship with tobacco changes, should President Franklin D Roosevelt's memorial statue still include his omnipresent cigarette?

A discussion on the difficulty of predicting the results of the 1996 election, and a recollection of the mistake that dashed the presidential hopes of Governor George Romney.

The Smith-Corona Company application for bankruptcy, the demise of the manual typewriter, and the response of the American public to the conflict in Bosnia.

United Nations intervention in Bosnia, the failure of Bill Clinton to act on the crisis, and the inspiration the president may draw from Roman Emperor Tiberius.

The politics of the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess, the effectiveness of affirmative action and the current trend of conservatism in America are explored by Alistair Cooke.

The ruling allowing a group of Boston war veterans to ban homosexuals and bisexuals from the St Patricks Day parade, and the division it has caused in America.

How Field Marshall Jan Smutt and Lord Halifax were led astray by wild flowers at the first United Nations Conference in 1945 in San Francisco.

The evolution of medicine bottles, the problems affecting American farmers, and why private restaurants are a symbol of change in Cuba.

The work of historian Edward Gibbon, the parallels between modern-day America and the fall of Rome, and Bob Dole's credentials as a presidential candidate.

President Clinton's speech on the relationship between the American armed forces and NATO, and the public perception of the lack of a clear objective in a modern conflict.

Great American inventions, Jackie Kennedy's overhaul of the official rooms of the White House, and the closure of Pennsylvania Avenue to the public in 1995.

With the Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Rockefeller Centre both experiencing financial difficulties, Alistair Cooke looks at the problems faced by both institutions.

The development of equality in New York City, and President Clinton's mission to dissuade President Yeltsin from sending nuclear aid to Iran, as discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The American press reports on the end of the war in Europe, and the comparatively minor celebrations in the US, as remembered by Alistair Cooke, fifty years after VE Day.

The impact of home-grown terrorism, and the conflicts that arise when discussing the First Amendment, in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing on 19th April 1995.

Are taxes one of only two inevitabilities in life? Alistair Cooke explores how have they have been reduced and simplified in modern-day America.

The passing of Franklin D Roosevelt (1882 -1945) and FDR's legacy 50 years after his death, the evolution of the breaking news story, and the only third-term in office.

The role that the extreme Christian right play in American politics, and whether any religious group has the power to bring a politian down are explored by Alistair Cooke.

Why Americans are obsessed with the OJ Simpson trial, the viewing habits of a sequestered jury member, and the real winner of the Oscars, are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

School dinners, gangsters, snow ploughs and the other problems faced by the Mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani, are explored by Alistair Cooke.

With a Republican majority in both houses of the Senate for the first time in 40 years, Cooke explores the parallels drawn between Newt Gingrich and President Roosevelt.

The role of 'ringers' to gain unfair advantage in both sport and business, as the baseball strike continues.

The beginnings of the American deficit and how the gap between the national income and outgoings has been allowed to widen are explored by Alistair Cooke.

What is the secret of longevity? Alistair Cooke investigates the factors that have been attributed to elongated lifespans and profiles the world's oldest woman Jeanne Calment.

Senator William Fulbright (1905-1995) is remembered by Alistair Cooke, including his work as a tenacious young politian and as an ambassador for American students studying abroad.

The events leading up to the 1994-95 baseball strike in America and the role that Congress could play in bringing the national pastime back from the brink.

George Abbott (1887-1995), the Broadway producer and director, is remembered, from his humble beginnings as a messenger through to becoming one of America's greatest playwrights.

With the jury selection for the OJ Simpson trial taking longer than expected, Alistair Cooke explores American dependency on red tape and the 'death' of common sense.