Former President Bill Clinton and bestselling author James Patterson have teamed up again for their third crime thriller, *The First Gentleman*. The novel centers on the husband of a sitting president who faces a murder trial, while two determined journalists work to uncover the truth. The accused first gentleman, a former Patriots player, threatens to derail a major economic deal—called the “Grand Bargain”—that his presidential wife is about to announce. The story is packed with political intrigue, sabotage, and multiple deaths.
In an interview with USA TODAY, Clinton shared insights from his time in the White House that influenced the book’s details. He emphasized a key theme: despite the high stakes, “The president and her husband are people.” He explained that those in the White House try to maintain some normalcy amid intense pressure. “We all react differently to different things that happen. So we try to capture that,” Clinton said.
Before facing the trial, the fictional first gentleman simply wants to enjoy his morning run without interruption. However, he is assigned a Secret Service running partner to keep him safe. This mirrors Clinton’s own habit of morning runs during his presidency. On his 100th run, Clinton’s security team gifted him a box of M\&M’s—a keepsake he still treasures. “I loved it,” he recalled with a smile.
James Patterson joked that after 20 years, those M\&M’s are probably not edible anymore. Clinton’s running habit was famously challenging for his Secret Service detail, according to his former agent Dan Emmett. Emmett explained in his memoir that Clinton insisted on running outside the White House for mental clarity and to connect with the public. This required a special group of agents who could keep up with the president and remain alert to any threats.
