Bill Clinton

===Activities until 2008 campaign===

In 2002, Clinton warned that pre-emptive military action against Iraq would have unwelcome consequences,<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0210/02/ip.00.html | title=House Passes Resolution Authorizing Use of Force in Iraq; New Jerssy Supreme Court Hears Argument For, Against New Democrat on Ballot | work=CNN | date=October 2, 2002 | access-date=August 30, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/clinton-urges-caution-over-iraq-as-bush-is-granted-war-powers-607775.html |work=The Independent |location=London |first=Andrew | last=Grice |date=October 3, 2002 |title=Clinton urges caution over Iraq as Bush is granted war powers |access-date=August 30, 2011 | quote="A pre-emptive action today, however well justified, may come back with unwelcome consequences in the future."<br /><br />As someone who had ordered military action before, he said: "I don't care how precise your bombs and your weapons are, when you set them off, innocent people will die."  | url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821084326/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/clinton-urges-caution-over-iraq-as-bush-is-granted-war-powers-607775.html |archive-date=August 21, 2011 }}</ref> and later claimed to have opposed the Iraq War from the start (though some dispute this).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/bill_clinton_says_he_opposed_iraq_war_from_start | title=Bill Clinton Says He Opposed Iraq War from Start (UPDATED) | publisher=Outside The Beltway | date=November 28, 2007 | access-date=September 12, 2013}}</ref> In 2005, Clinton criticized the Bush administration for its handling of emissions control, while speaking at the [[United Nations Climate Change conference]] in Montreal.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4515898.stm | title=Last-minute climate deals reached | work=BBC News | date=December 10, 2005 | access-date=August 30, 2011}}</ref>

The [[William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park]] in [[Little Rock, Arkansas]], was dedicated in 2004.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4021201.stm | title=Clinton Library open for business | work=BBC News | date=November 18, 2004 | access-date=September 11, 2011}}</ref> Clinton released a best-selling autobiography, ''[[My Life (Bill Clinton autobiography)|My Life]]'', in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Glaister | first=Dan | title=Oprah Winfrey book deal tops Clinton's $12&nbsp;m | date=May 22, 2006 | work=The Guardian | location=London | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/may/22/books.media | access-date=August 30, 2011}}</ref> In 2007, he released ''[[Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World]]'', which also became a [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''New York Times'' Best Seller]] and garnered positive reviews.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/books/bestseller/0923besthardnonfiction.html | title=Best Sellers | date = September 23, 2007 | work=The New York Times | access-date=September 18, 2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130510044404/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/books/bestseller/0923besthardnonfiction.html| archive-date=May 10, 2013| url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Bush and Clinton.jpg|thumb|Former president George H. W. Bush and Clinton in the White House Library, January 2005]]
In the aftermath of the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami|2004 Asian tsunami]], [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|U.N. secretary-general]] [[Kofi Annan]] appointed Clinton to head a relief effort.<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6894871 | title=Clinton to be U.N.'s envoy on tsunami relief | date=February 1, 2005 | agency=Associated Press | work = NBC News | access-date=August 30, 2011}}</ref> After [[Hurricane Katrina]], Clinton joined with fellow former president George H. W. Bush to establish the Bush-Clinton Tsunami Fund in January 2005, and the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund in October of that year.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.constitutioncenter.org/libertymedal/recipient_2006.html | title=2006 Philadelphia Liberty Medal Award | publisher=Constitutioncenter.org | access-date=August 26, 2011}}</ref> As part of the tsunami effort, these two ex-presidents appeared in a [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] pre-game show,<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39788-2005Jan26.html | title=Senior Bush, Clinton to Appear at Super Bowl | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Mark | last=Maske | date=January 27, 2005 | access-date=April 26, 2010}}</ref> and traveled to the affected areas.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4281627.stm | title=Bush, Clinton end tsunami visit | work=BBC News | date=February 21, 2005 | access-date=September 11, 2011}}</ref> They also spoke together at the funeral of [[Boris Yeltsin]] in April 2007.<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,268092,00.html | title=Former Presidents Bush, Clinton Represent U.S. at Boris Yeltsin's Funeral | work=Fox News | date=April 24, 2007 | access-date=May 10, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208142544/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,268092,00.html | archive-date=December 8, 2007 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Based on his philanthropic worldview,<ref>{{cite web|first=Jon | last=Meacham |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/12/20/planetary-problem-solver.html |title=Planetary Problem Solver |work=[[Newsweek]] |date=December 20, 2009 |access-date=September 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816140119/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/12/20/planetary-problem-solver.html |archive-date=August 16, 2011 }}</ref> Clinton created the [[William J. Clinton Foundation]] to address issues of global importance. This foundation includes the Clinton Foundation HIV and AIDS Initiative (CHAI), which strives to combat that disease, and has worked with the Australian government toward that end. The [[Clinton Foundation|Clinton Global Initiative]] (CGI), begun by the Clinton Foundation in 2005, attempts to address world problems such as global [[public health]], poverty alleviation and religious and [[ethnic conflict]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org |title=Clinton Global Initiative |publisher=[[Clinton Foundation|Clinton Global Initiative]] |date=June 19, 2011 |access-date=August 17, 2011 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20110807000555/http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/ |archive-date=August 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2005, Clinton announced through his foundation an agreement with manufacturers to stop selling sugary drinks in schools.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2006/05/03/383279.html | title=William J. Clinton Foundation announces agreement to reduce junk food in schools | publisher=Comcast.net | access-date=August 25, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501105724/http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=%2F2006%2F05%2F03%2F383279.html | archive-date=May 1, 2008 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Clinton's foundation joined with the [[Large Cities Climate Leadership Group]] in 2006 to improve cooperation among those cities, and he met with foreign leaders to promote this initiative.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.clintonfoundation.org/080106-nr-cf-cci-pr-president-clinton-launches-clinton-climate-initiative.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927022059/http://www.clintonfoundation.org/080106-nr-cf-cci-pr-president-clinton-launches-clinton-climate-initiative.htm | archive-date=September 27, 2007 | title=Clinton Foundation and Climate Partnership, Press Release | date=August 1, 2006}}</ref> The foundation has received donations from many governments all over the world, including Asia and the Middle East.<ref name="theage.com.au">{{Cite news | first1=Peter | last1=Baker | first2=Anne | last2=Davies | date=November 18, 2008 | url=http://www.theage.com.au/world/obama-team-turns-scrutiny-on-bill-clinton-20081117-692j.html | title=Obama team turns scrutiny on Bill Clinton | work=[[The Age]] | location=Melbourne | access-date=August 31, 2011}}</ref> In 2008, Foundation director [[Inder Singh (philanthropist)|Inder Singh]] announced deals to reduce the price of anti-malaria drugs by 30&nbsp;percent in developing nations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08233/905462-114.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131140152/http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08233/905462-114.stm |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2010 |title=Young man combines expertise in economics and social issues at Clinton Foundation |first=Pohla | last=Smith |date=August 20, 2008 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=August 30, 2011 }}</ref> Clinton also spoke in favor of [[California Proposition 87 (2006)|California Proposition 87]] on [[energy development|alternative energy]], which was voted down.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Peach | last=Indravudh | title=Clinton backs Prop. 87 | date=October 15, 2006 | work=Daily Bruin | publisher=[[UCLA]] | url=http://www.dailybruin.com/index.php/article/2006/10/clinton-backs-prop-87 | access-date=August 31, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108163926/http://www.dailybruin.com/index.php/article/2006/10/clinton-backs-prop-87 | archive-date=November 8, 2011 | url-status=dead }}</ref>