I was an avid supporter of Bill Clinton, I went to his inauguration and agreed with many of his political stances. I will never forget the disappointment I felt when Bill Clinton stood up at a White House press conference and lied to the American public saying "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky". News of the story first broke in January 1998, when I was still in Elementary school. I remember finding out about it from my Mother and talking about it in school before actually seeing the press conference. A few months of speculation went by before DNA evidence from a blue dress with Clinton's semen stain, was provided to prove the relationship.
Finally in August Clinton admitted to having an "improper physical relationship" with Lewinsky. Clinton claimed that he believed that sexual relations did not include oral sex and this was why he initially claimed to not be intimate with Lewinsky. Even then, in Elementary school, I remember just simply feeling lied to...who didn't know that oral sex was improper relations and what kind of fools did he take us to be?! I remember how everyone though Clinton would be impeached, we were just waiting for the announcement, but after a lot of back and forth between the senate and the US House of Representatives, it never came and he held his position in office. I remember watching Monica Lewinsky on the news and being more upset with her than with Clinton, I remember not liking the way she carried herself or the way she spoke- looking back I am not sure if this was a reflection of how the media wanted me to see her or if I would have the same problem with her today.
This is a great example of two things:
ReplyDelete1. How media can so easily induce mass panic and 2. How emotional reporters have become in recent times.
I would add a third: Agenda Setting. The media covered this story so continuously and so often it overshadowed many more important political and current events.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching this press conference as well. Looking back I think the thing that sticks out most in my mind is how haggard President Clinton looked at the time.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the manner in which he handled the situation was completely inappropriate, though I also feel that the media circus that followed these events was ridiculous. What should have been a private matter for President Clinton to handle between his family and Monica Lewinsky became a national embarrassment.