Rodham (novel)
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''Rodham'' is an American alternative history novel written by
Curtis Sittenfeld Elizabeth Curtis Sittenfeld (born August 23, 1975) is an American writer. She is the author of 2 collections of short stories, ''You Think it, I’ll Say It'' (2018) and ''Show don't tell'' (2025), as well as seven novels: ''Prep'' (2005), the s ...
and published in 2020. The novel imagines a world in which 2016 U.S. Democratic presidential nominee
Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
never married
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
and instead pursued her own political career.


Summary

In 1970, while a law student at
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
, Hillary Rodham meets
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
and is surprised when the charismatic and handsome man pursues her intensely. Previously unlucky in love, Hillary is pleased that Bill seems to value both their intellectual and sexual connection. In the summer of 1971, Bill gives up his plans to work on the McGovern campaign and follows Hillary to California where she will be interning. Their life seems blissful until Hillary catches Bill cheating on her with the daughter of her boss. Bill reveals to Hillary that while he loves her he also fears he is governed by sexual impulses that make him unable to stay faithful. Hillary reluctantly decides to forgive him. In 1974, to the distress of her mentors and professional colleagues, Hillary moves to
Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville ( ) is the List of cities and towns in Arkansas, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Washington County, Arkansas, Washington County, and the most populous city in Northwest Arkansas. The city ...
, helping Bill with his campaign for governor and preparing to build a life with him. Shortly before election day, Hillary is approached in a parking lot by a woman who claims that Bill raped her. Bill loses his campaign and falls into a depression. A few months later, Hillary decides to take an extended vacation to visit former friends and colleagues before preparing to marry Bill. However, upon her return, she finally confronts him about the rape allegation which Bill strenuously denies while admitting to further consensual affairs. Though Hillary still loves Bill and is willing to marry him, he asks her to leave him as he is unable to remain faithful. In 1991, Hillary is now a successful law professor at
Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...
. She is contacted by Bill who informs her that, after four terms as a governor, he intends to run for president. At the same time, Hillary is recruited to primary Alan J. Dixon in the Senate. She changes her mind when
Carol Moseley Braun Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun, also sometimes Moseley-Braun (born August 16, 1947), is an American diplomat, politician, and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999. Moseley Braun was the first African-Ameri ...
, a black woman, decides to primary Dixon, but after witnessing Braun's disorganized campaign, Hillary changes her mind once more and successfully runs for senate. At the same time, Clinton is outed for a long term affair he had with a cabaret singer. After a ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'' interview with his wife goes horribly wrong, he drops out of the race and calls Hillary to congratulate her and to inform her that he is looking to leave politics for good. By 2015, Hillary is preparing to run for president for the third time, part of a strategy she has been planning since 1997 to acclimate the country to the idea of a woman president. She is horrified when she learns that Bill has decided to enter the presidential race after having spent the previous decades earning millions in
Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that is a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical area of the Santa Clara Valley ...
. As Bill quickly rises in the polls, Hillary and her team consider convincing
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
to run as a Republican challenger hoping that he and Bill will cancel each other out as the media struggles to cover them both. Trump declines to join the race but positions himself in the media as a close Rodham advisor, eventually endorsing her with an offensive speech that denigrates immigrants. Hillary is hit with an accusation of sexual assault from a former female staffer. To counteract the lesbian rumours that surround her, she arranges a fake date with a donor, Albert, and is pleasantly surprised when they genuinely connect. A debate in which she apologizes to the former staffer inspires the woman who once accused Bill Clinton of rape to come forward. Hillary Rodham wins the Democratic primary and, eventually, the presidential race against
Jeb Bush John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 43rd governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. A member of the Bush family, Bush political family, he was an unsuccessful candidate for pre ...
. On January 20, 2017, she is elected the first female president, with
Terry McAuliffe Terence Richard McAuliffe (born February 9, 1957) is an American businessman and politician who served as the List of governors of Virginia, 72nd governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat ...
as her vice president.


Reception

The novel drew mixed reviews with reviewers finding "the entire premise was crass" yet also entertaining.
NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
called it "a nauseating, moving, morally suggestive, technically brilliant book". ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'' criticized the novel for creating a "less controversial Hillary" than her real life counterpart.


TV series

An adaptation of the novel was announced to be in development at
20th Television 20th Television, Inc. (formerly known as TCF Television Productions, Inc., 20th Century-Fox Television and 20th Century Fox Television) is the television studio arm of 20th Century Studios, owned by Disney Television Studios, a division of the Di ...
. Sarah Treem was attached to write and executive produce, along with
Warren Littlefield Warren W. Littlefield (born May 11, 1952) is an American television executive. Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Littlefield attended Montclair High School and graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York, where he was awar ...
and the Sittenfeld executive producing as well. The series is being shopped around to various studios, including
Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
, who had passed on it. In 2022, it was announced that
Claire Danes Claire Catherine Danes (born April 12, 1979) is an American actress. Prolific in film and television since her teens, she is the recipient of three Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2012, ''Time (magazine), Time'' named he ...
and
Dakota Fanning Hannah Dakota Fanning (born February 23, 1994) is an American actress. Fanning is known for her roles in blockbuster films and independent features, both as a child actor and as an adult. Her accolades include nominations for a Golden Globe A ...
have been cast as Clinton in different timeframes, and
James Ponsoldt James Ponsoldt is an American film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed the drama films '' Off the Black'' (2006) and '' Smashed'' (2012), the romantic comedy-drama ''The Spectacular Now'' (2013), and the dramas '' The End of the Tour'' ( ...
would direct.


Alternate Presidents

The book sees two people who never became President hold the office: Jerry Brown (1997–2001) and
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
(2001–2009). George H.W. Bush serves two terms, winning re-election in 1992.
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
still serves two terms as President with
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
as his Vice President (2009–2017). Obama beat Vice President
Sam Brownback Samuel Dale Brownback (born September 12, 1956) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011 and as the List of governors of Kansas, 46th governor of K ...
(and his running mate
Jim Gilmore James Stuart Gilmore III (born October 6, 1949) is an American politician, diplomat and former attorney who served as the 68th governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002. A member of the Republican Party, Gilmore also chaired the Republican Nation ...
) in 2008.


References

{{Authority control 2020 American novels American alternate history novels Cultural depictions of Hillary Clinton Random House books Novels about politicians