Why was their so much anti-government rhetoric, political action, and even violence in the 1990s? to what extent did the clinton administration attempt to counter this mood, and to what extent did it bend to it?

The anti-government "Patriot" movement ignited due to the sovereign citizen's frustration towards the federal government and the accountable deaths of political rebels in places like Ruby Ridge and etc. It grew even more because of the death of 168 people during the Oklahoma City's federal building bombing. The Clinton Administration carried out the false flag operation of the bombing in Oklahoma City as a design to soften the public and accept the legislation of draconian anti-terrorism.

Word of mouth.