Happy Lewinsky day! Posted by: McQ
on Thursday, January 17, 2008
Yes a mere 10 years ago, the Lewinsky story broke, the age of the New Media began and the same people who are again running for the White House were in the center of the story:
BLOCKBUSTER REPORT: 23-YEAR OLD, FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN, SEX RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESIDENT
**World Exclusive**
**Must Credit the DRUDGE REPORT**
At the last minute, at 6 p.m. on Saturday evening, NEWSWEEK magazine killed a story that was destined to shake official Washington to its foundation: A White House intern carried on a sexual affair with the President of the United States!
The DRUDGE REPORT has learned that reporter Michael Isikoff developed the story of his career, only to have it spiked by top NEWSWEEK suits hours before publication. A young woman, 23, sexually involved with the love of her life, the President of the United States, since she was a 21-year-old intern at the White House. She was a frequent visitor to a small study just off the Oval Office where she claims to have indulged the president's sexual preference. Reports of the relationship spread in White House quarters and she was moved to a job at the Pentagon, where she worked until last month.
Other than the obvious, one of the major developments that came out of this was the death of the "feminist movement". As James Taranto reminds us:
Organized feminism lost much of its moral authority, as no less a personage than Gloria Steinem—in a famous op-ed that is mysteriously missing from the New York Times archives but we found here—explained away treatment of women that she never would have tolerated from a Republican or a private-sector boss.
The article cited is here. It is the most incredible collection of scapgoating and rationalizing you'll ever read in your life. Steinem outdid herself that day and as a result completely undid the feminist movement.
For another, there was and is a difference between the accusations against Mr. Clinton and those against Bob Packwood and Clarence Thomas, between the experiences reported by Kathleen Willey and Anita Hill. Commentators might stop puzzling over the President's favorable poll ratings, especially among women, if they understood the common-sense guideline to sexual behavior that came out of the women's movement 30 years ago: no means no; yes means yes.
[...]
As reported, Monica Lewinsky's case illustrates the rest of the equation: "Yes means yes." Whatever it was, her relationship with President Clinton has never been called unwelcome, coerced or other than something she sought. The power imbalance between them increased the index of suspicion, but there is no evidence to suggest that Ms. Lewinsky's will was violated; quite the contrary. In fact, her subpoena in the Paula Jones case should have been quashed. Welcome sexual behavior is about as relevant to sexual harassment as borrowing a car is to stealing one.
The real violators of Ms. Lewinsky's will were Linda Tripp, who taped their talks, the F.B.I. agents who questioned her without a lawyer and Kenneth Starr, the independent prosecutor who seems intent on tailoring the former intern's testimony.
What if President Clinton lied under oath about some or all of the above? According to polls, many Americans assume he did. There seems to be sympathy for keeping private sexual behavior private. Perhaps we have a responsibility to make it O.K. for politicians to tell the truth — providing they are respectful of "no means no; yes means yes" — and still be able to enter high office, including the Presidency.
Until then, we will disqualify energy and talent the country needs — as we are doing right now.
Incredible. In a very dark way you have to admit - it's a classic.
It was a great day when the egregious oaf who was equal parts revivalist preacher, snake-oil huckster, and political con artist got caught LITERALLY WITH HIS PANTS DOWN!!!
Drudgereport vaulted to the top blog and has stayed there ever since. Billary is hankering for another bite at the apple, but finds his volcanic temper beginning to leak lava just like an incontinent old wearer of Depends...!
Like a dead scorpion, the poison in the stinger can still inflict pain and death, but Clinton Inc. may be reeling and I for one want to see a young Obama knock this pair of dissembling dysfunctional libtards exit left ASAP.
