My thoughts on the Clinton affair: Linda Tripp is the one who caused most trauma to Monica.

[allgood33]

Linda Tripp, befriended her, used her to get at BC. Linda Tripp called the FBI and set the trap for Monica to be questioned by them. This is what had her so frightened. The media has and will continue to give Linda Tripp and Ken Star a pass in this entire sorry affair. I don't believe that Bill or Hillary went after Monica.

Hillary making comments as any other woman might have about an extramarital affair by her husband was not unusual.
Hillary was criticized for "staying" with Bill but who are we to judge the toll the entire incident took on their lives and family relationships. It will all be chalked up to "political ambition" that they stayed together...but I look at their lovely daughter and think otherwise. You can absolutely love your spouse and still be either the victim or perpetrator of an affair...speaking as one on both sides of the spectrum.

[MichMan]

1. Bill shouldn't have betrayed his supporters by going on TV...

...wagging his finger and denying everything. I believed him and told everyone that it was a lie. Felt like an idiot when it turned out to be true.

He was lucky Monica didn't blackmail him

[USALiberal]

32. I agree, I was very disappointed in him. Especially when I believed him and defended him. nt

[rampartc]

34. clinton should have told the truth

"it is none of your business."

[karynnj]

43. He even lied to his cabinet which defended him

George Stephanopolis wrote of the betrayal and anger he felt.

[alphafemale]

68. That was the most crushing part of it.

I can forgive just about anything if you are willing to take your justice and make amends that are due.

But a bold faced lie when it was obvious it was a lie.

And especially when he wagged that finger.

That was a complete breach of trust.

[vlyons]

2. The Clinton marriage is private

Nobody's business but theirs.

[USALiberal]

30. Same for Trumps affairs? nt

[vlyons]

38. What ever consenting adults do in private is nobody's business.

Trump, however, has been accused of sexually preying on minors and inappropriately sexually touching women without consent. That's not the same thing as consenting adults. I don't care if he has affairs with consenting women. If the women want to blab to the media or write a book about it, that's his problem.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

40. Bill Clinton...22 million jobs. I remember the 90's well.

Bill is a far cry from a russian who cheated his whole life. His affairs point to his pattern of other wrong doing. Therefore, in my mind, relevant to the issue. Bill cares about his country first. Monica wasn't 'paid off' until she endlessly played the victim for her own choice. Linda Tripp certainly was the problem. Pres B Clinton got a female version of R Stone'd...L Tripp.
Neither of them were good, but, there's a big difference. Pres B Clinton is my hero. The 90s were good to me. He did a LOT for this country. The russian, has decimated our honor. Big big difference.
Plus Bill had the balls enough to go under oath. Unlike any Bush, Cheney, Red Ivan trum, or anyone else. I gotta hand it to him for that.

[USALiberal]

46. I thought Clinton was a great president.....

But he made terrible personal decisions in his life. I believed him 100% about his fucking "I never had sexual relations with that woman" flat out lie and even defended him many times. All he had to do there was tell the truth. He didn't.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

50. Oh well. We are human. He learned from his mistake. I don't see the same from

the moralists on the right. Don ivan needs to testify under oath too. So we have 30years of referencing what HE says too. just mho.

[USALiberal]

52. I agree! GOPers never call out their own when they should. I am glad our side usually does. nt

[calimary]

53. And let's not forget - he paid for his mistakes.

He didn’t get away with it bhe was impeached AND disbarred.

I still like him and stand with him - especially since he married well.

[sfwriter]

61. Trumps affairs are private, but...

Paying hush money to silence women during a campaign is not.
Preying on underage girls is not.
Paying for 8 abortions while being an anti abortion advocate and seating the most antiabortion Supreme Court in 100 years is not.
Bragging about sexual assault is not.

I’m sure I’m forgetting some other affronts in his pursuit of women.

[Polybius]

66. I keep hearing about him in this thread about "underage girls"

Is there any proof at all, and how many have accused him of this?

[sfwriter]

72. Trump bragged to Howard Stern about it.

Walking in on the Teen Miss Universe dressing room was claimed a a perk of owning the pageant. It was corroborated by five women.

https://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/article/2016/oct/18/allegations-about-donald-trump-and-miss-teen-usa-c/

Other rumors abound, but this is what he claims.

[Autumn]

3. My opinion remains the same today as it was then. It was nobody's business but theirs,

[dchill]

4. Too bad Linda Tripp couldn't ask the FBI...

to investigate the accusations against Brett Kavanaugh.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

41. +1

WHAT a creep...

[Arkansas Granny]

5. I've often wondered what kind of response is proper for a woman to make

toward another woman who willingly had a sexual affair with her husband. Are they expected to be supportive of the other woman?

[LisaL]

9. Exactly. I find the idea that a woman should be supportive of her husband's mistress absurd.

I mean, seriously?

[JayhawkSD]

13. I don't think any response is "proper."

That woman did not violate any covenant with the wife, the husband did that. There was no covenant between the two women. The covenant was between the man and his wife, and the man broke it. The wife's anger should be directed at the husband who violated her trust, not at the woman he did it with.

The "other woman" is certainly not the wife's friend, but nor is she the one who wronged the wife. She had no duty to the wife, and therefor violated none.

The "other woman" had a duty to society, a duty to respect boundaries, and certainly should suffer some disrespect from all of us as a result of failing to follow that duty.

[LisaL]

15. I don't think Hillary was all that happy with her husband either.

But the idea that the woman should be supportive of her husband's mistress is nuts. You also seems to be suggesting that females who have affairs with married men are blameless in the matter. Well, it takes two to tango.

[JayhawkSD]

19. I specifically did not say they are blameless.

I said, "The "other woman" had a duty to society, a duty to respect boundaries, and certainly should suffer some disrespect from all of us as a result of failing to follow that duty."

[LisaL]

20. That I agree with. What I don't agree is that somehow a wife is expected to only blame her husband

and not the mistress who knew full well the man was married.

[jrthin]

22. And, the mistress who premeditated the affair. Before she interned, she

told her friend that she was taking her knee-pads with her. She had her sights set on Clinton.

[JayhawkSD]

28. Because the husband is incapable of saying no?

The double standard is amazing. When a woman is "molested" by an employer it is never in any degree her fault, not even one percent. She is 100% a victim in the affair.

But another affair, the woman is at fault. She set out to seduce the guy and he, who in the other case was all-powerful and totally controlling the woman, in in this case so weak and controlled by the woman that he is unable to remain faithful to his wife.

So sometimes it's one way, sometimes it's the other. It doesn't depend on the degree of power, either, because in this case the guy who was victimized by the evil Monica was the President of The United States of America. It depends on who's telling it and who we like or don't like, in which the whole subject loses any trace of credibility.

[kcr]

60. Where is the double standard?

Since when did it become impossible to blame two people at the same time?

[Merlot]

37. "she knew...the man was married" puts responsibility on the woman for mans actions

It's up to the married person to NOT have the affair. That's what being married is about.

That line of thinking that it's somehow the (in this case) other womans responsibility for the mans actions is what gives us the chaparone rule of the pense marriage, and making women wear black bags over their bodies so that men won't be tempted.

It's lazy and dangerous to place responsibility for anyones actions on anyone other than that person.

[kcr]

62. That's like saying

stealing isn't wrong because that's putting the responsibility on a person because someone else decided to own something.

There's no way around it. If a person knows someone is married and sleep with them anyway, they're knowingly doing something that they know could blow up other people's lives and cause them great pain and disruption.

[LisaL]

63. Exactly.

[Arkansas Granny]

24. If a person willingly has an affair with a person they know to be married,

they have definitely wronged that person's spouse, IMO.

[R B Garr]

6. Does Lewinsky have a mother who can help her daughter??

Hillary seems to be the only woman expected to comfort a young woman who tried to steal her husband — over 20 years ago now. Monica’s obsession is looking scary at this point.

[cyclonefence]

7. The fact remains that Clinton was in a position of authority

in the workplace, and he violated all kinds of norms by "taking advantage" of that fact, regardless of Lewinsky's age, experience and willingness. He (among others) was in the wrong, and he has apologized. I don't know what else he is supposed to do at this point.

[R B Garr]

12. Monica should have been fired. Flashing her panties in the

workplace was worthy of immediate dismissal.

edit-LOL, my phone auto correct wouldn’t put “panties” through and changed it to “pantries”

[dawg day]

33. I have pantry envy--

To me, a pantry for storage is MUCH more enticing than panties.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

44. Tsk tsk. It's ok so long as you aren't storing food, in your underwear,

and stacking underwear, in your pantry. Unless you live alone, and intend to remain that way. Heh heh.

[Arkansas Granny]

26. I don't dispute that Bill is responsible for his bad behavior, but

Monica was a willing partner. Both were consenting adults.

[Mr. Ected]

8. Why are you dredging this up again?

Progressive means to look forward. Rehashing 20 year old events does not strengthen us from within. Whatever lessons were to have been learned should have been learned long ago. Let's discuss how we intend to govern, given the incredible opportunity we have just earned and won. The GOP would love for us to perpetually self-flagellate, so let's not.

Not meant to be a personal attack, just an observation and a plea.

[malaise]

10. Ding ding

My thoughts - fuck Monica.

[JayhawkSD]

16. Indeed.

Monica violates the normal behavior of civil society, those that say we respect boundaries, and wants sympathy. I think not.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

47. Funny how she comes out of the woodwork to lament and opine

every year or so. It's all about smearing the Clintons. The right wing has BLOWN their supposed moral high ground w the acceptance of what don ivans done. If Pres B Clinton had to go under oath, so should don ivan. Then we can make fair comparisons. Just my take on it.

[malaise]

48. Follow the money

She's just another grifter

[LisaL]

11. Well maybe you missed it, but Monica is on the news again.

I guess we are supposed to bury our head on the sand and pretend it isn't happening?

[JayhawkSD]

14. Yes. very good point.

[USALiberal]

25. Because it is back in the news because of the documentary!! And this is a "DISCUSSION BOARD"!!!! nt

[Mr. Ected]

59. Then DISCUSS it to your heart's content

I can't even imagine the change we will be able to effect if we just discuss Monica Lewinsky, Linda Tripp, and all the other fun Democratic adventures from the 90's. Whee!

Then again, ask yourself WHY Monica Lewinsky is back in the news right now. Who benefits? Who suffers? Who is playing right into their hands?

[madinmaryland]

71. You're right. We should be remembering Strom Thurmond who had an illegetimate child

with an African American Woman. He hid it for many years while voting against all civil rights for his child's mother.

That to me is the definition of a piece of shit person, yet he is the symbol of the Republic Party.

[Captain_New_York]

17. My thoughts

Linda Tripp is a nasty person who hated Bill & Hillary and Dems in General (Probably brainwashed by hate radio and Fox). Ken Starr is a mediocre political hack ( a lot like Our new USSC Justice)

[dawg day]

35. And think about who else was involved with Starr--

Kavanaugh.

And George Conway, Kellyanne's "mutinous" husband, weirdly enough.

[TheBlackAdder]

49. Did Linda Tripp tip off Kavanaugh? She seems like the shit stirrer who manipulated Monica.

[SMC22307]

18. Monica made the choice to have an affair with a married man,

Bill Clinton made the decision to cheat on his wife, and Linda Tripp screwed her young "friend" over. There's plenty of blame to go around in this sordid tale.

[Arkansas Granny]

29. Amen! But, somehow, Hillary has always been criticized for her reaction.

[SMC22307]

42. She shouldn't have been. If only Bill Clinton had admitted from the very beginning...

that he had an affair with Monica, regrets it (without trashing her), and that the matter is between he, his wife, and his God, the nation wouldn't have been dragged down into that into sordid quagmire. I'm flashing back to my office at that time with dittohead coworkers yukking it up over cigars and semen stains. It was truly ridiculous. MOVE ON DOT ORG!

[manor321]

21. Let me give you my thoughts on the Charles Lindbergh kidnapping...

[Stallion]

23. ...and Eve Shouldn't have Shared her Apples with Adam in the Garden of Eden

just some more TIMELY thoughts this Saturday morning

[USALiberal]

27. Wow, that a silly statement. nt

[dawg day]

31. And let us not forget Jonah Goldberg's mom-

Lucianne Goldberg. She was a rightwing nutter with a megaphone, who was trying to do a book about the "murder" of Vince Foster, of course. She was the one who told Tripp to entice Lewinsky into confiding... and secretly taping the conversations.

It really was a conspiracy.

[SHRED]

36. Just like with tRump

The problem is having a President that is susceptible to being blackmailed.

Having said that...why in the Hell are we talking about Bill Clinton still?

[alarimer]

39. It was 100% Bill's responsibility

The power differential alone makes it despicable. Have none of you learned anything from the past year? You sound EXACTLY like Republicans justifying Trump’s or Kavanaugh’s. Utterly disgusting.

But it’s okay, as long as we win right?

I’ve always hated Clinton because of all the triangulating, centrist bullshit, but also because he’s s horrible, disgusting pig of a man. We need get rid of all of them in this party, regardless. Of whether they win or not. This is not like Franken, which was a setup from the beginning. This was pure abusive powerful man antics.

[SMC22307]

51. Nonsense. I was a young woman at one time working in DC...

and if I had flashed my thong at a man I would have been sending a clear message, just like Monica did. She seemed open to play with a married man, and he went for it. The two most at fault are Bill and Monica, with Tripp betraying her young "friend" and right-wing media unnecessarily dragging this country into the sordid mess.

[still_one]

57. According to Lewinsky the affair was consensual, which is what the OP was about. As for Bill

Clinton's behavior using the power of his position to take advantage of other women, that is a different issue, and blaming Hillary for that behavior, or judging what she should or should not have done is a perfect example of blaming the victim, because Hillary was a victim in all of this, and I would suggest that those who feel the need to do that perhaps have some latent sexist traits themselves

[still_one]

55. yeah, that "damn centrist bullshit", WHO APPOINTED RUTH BADER GINSBERG. (sarcasm)!!!!!!!

and in case you are misinterpreting my post, that does not mean that I am justifying Bill Clinton's sexual harassment, which incidentally had NOTHING to do with Lewinsky, which was consensual, and which was the subject of the OP, along with the unfair blaming of Hillary for Bill Clinton's behavior.

Yeah, those "damn centrist Democrats", such as LBJ, who gave us Medicare, Medicaid, the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, etc.

[Wintryjade]

65. Trump and Kavanaugh forced sexual assault. You are really saying Monica choosing to bj

a married man, actively seeking him out to do just that is the same as forcing women and girls?

I disagree.

I do not like Bill Clinton, I do not support him and I would have love HRC to kick him to the curb, But, you are wrong that it is the same as Kavanaugh to the point of being offensive. Kavanaugh tried to rape a young girl.

[loyalsister]

70. He could have put a stop to the traumatizing abuse Lewinsky experienced

It was within his power to prevent the investigation, end the investigation, or at least to call off his loyalists who demonized her on his behalf. He didn't. She acknowledges her part when she has talked about how horrible the aftermath was for her. I agree. He is 100% responsible for getting caught in his own foolish power drunk antics as well as for the abuse she suffered.

[still_one]

45. Is this really an issue, or is it just the right wing bubble that wants to talk about it? You know,

the RW bubble who embraced a racist, sexist, bigot, adulterer to lead their party

but it sure presents a nice distraction from the insidious racism that has permeated the republican party, the Mueller investigation, and the draconian policies that are working to take away people's healthcare, social security and medicare, along with other hard fought rights relating to Civil Rights, Women's Rights, Workers Rights, the environment, etc.

[onecaliberal]

56. Why is she a thing yet again? Trump is burning down democracy.

What the fuck is wrong with the media.

[UniteFightBack]

58. Linda Tripp is an entrapping dirt bag. The absurdity and inappropriateness of this "investigation"

is getting a light shined on it yet again.

Again it's getting an indirect comparison of what a total fabricated bullshit investigation over NOTHING it was and the validity of the Mueller investigation. What a stark contrast it will be.

[Wintryjade]

64. Monica caused her trauma's as an adult making the decisions she did.

Not Hillary's job to coddle her or Linda's job to do whatever. Lewinski was a grown ass woman in her twenties making her own adult choices regardless of the poor choices they were. They are her choices and only hers.

[Squinch]

67. My thoughts on the Clinton affair: two consenting adults engaged in an affair umpteen

years ago, and it has no bearing on my life whatsoever.

Move the hell on.

[Conflict]

69. Agreed

Wasn't news. Wasn't a crime.

[GulfCoast66]

73. You got less than 300 posts and you OP this shit.

Things that make me go huummm.