Hitchens examines Clinton's psychology and how it affected the then-president's record in war, acts that led to accusations of sexual abuse, his skill at "triangulation" and his relationship with his wife Hillary.

Its re-publication in paperback in 2000 featured expanded content, a new subtitle (The Values of the Worst Family), and an additional image of Hillary Clinton on the front cover.

Club wrote that Hitchens "ultimately does an excellent and revelatory job of not only breaking down Clinton's various alleged and provable offenses [...] but tying them together, making a case for how his much-discussed character flaws actually affect his ability to serve the people.

"[6] Nick Cohen of The Observer defended Hitchens's comparison of Clinton's America to a banana republic, and praised the chapter on the president's war crimes.

"[14] Karen Lehrman of The New York Times, while lauding "Hitchens's brave willingness to show all the sordid scenarios in which our emperor has removed his clothes", found the book emotionally undisciplined in the depth of its negativity toward Clinton, writing that the author "is appalled by virtually everything the President does.