William Cohen
A Maine Republican who transcended partisan politics to serve as Secretary of Defense in a Democratic administration, embodying pragmatic centrism.
Born 1940 (age 86)·American politician·Birthday: August 28·The Silent Generation
Biography
William Cohen built a career on the principle that national interest should supersede party loyalty. A thoughtful lawyer and author from Maine, he first made his mark as a member of the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate hearings, where his vote for impeachment signaled an independent streak. Elected to the Senate, he cultivated expertise in defense and intelligence, earning respect across the aisle. His defining moment came when President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, asked him to lead the Pentagon. Cohen's acceptance made him the first Republican in a Clinton Cabinet, a symbolic appointment meant to foster bipartisan unity on foreign policy. As Secretary of Defense, he managed a post-Cold War military through a period of downsizing and new challenges, including conflicts in the Balkans. His tenure was marked by a sober, managerial approach, reflecting his belief in governance through consensus and practical compromise.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
William was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When William Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
William's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 80
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 86 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 20th U.S. Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton, the only Republican in the Democratic administration's cabinet.
- Was a key figure on the Senate Intelligence Committee and helped draft the Defense Department reorganization plan after the Cold War.
- Voted in favor of impeaching President Richard Nixon as a member of the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate scandal.
Did You Know?
He is a published poet and novelist, having written several works of fiction and non-fiction.
Cohen played college basketball for Bowdoin College and was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Before politics, he worked as an assistant county attorney and later ran a small law practice in Bangor, Maine.
“The ship of state is the only ship that leaks from the top.”
