I'd say Clinton inherited the debt from Bush (and Reagan, but the chart doesn't go back that far) and it decreased until it was zeroed out sometime 1997 - 1998, when a surplus began growing.

The problem, in my opinion, is also (as GUEST,999's) the two parties are so busy re-enforcing their political identities and sticking to "What makes a good Dem/Repub" that they can't see that extremes just don't work. Don't tax and spend like crazy, then spend some more doesn't work, and tax (mostly the wealthiest) and spend doesn't work... well it DOES work, but it sure pisses off people who don't want it to work or don't like that it does.