Paula Jones, Reconsidered

In todays world liberal Democrats resign while most accused Republicans stay in office. How different would history be if Bill had stepped down and Al Gore had become president? Yes the Donald is probably guilty as charged for sexual assault and a list of other things as long as your arm. But behind him sits Mike Pence, polar oppisite of Al Gore and future tool of Mitch McConnel.

Lots of people say they want the Clintons to disappear but the Republicans find them too useful as whipping boys to ever let that happen.

We live in a time where most openly immoral president Trump is supported by the supposedly most moral part of our population religious Christian right.

I don't believe Paula Jones for one bit. I think they had consensual sex and he probably didn't treat her good so she took revenge. She was on Trump's corner in 2016. Trump is accused of harrasing so many women it is not even close. Therefore she is not genuine. Republicans used her the best way possible. Don't forget republicans made real war hero John Kerry coward while they turned AWOL W. Bush into two term president that did so much damage to this country and the world.

What is wrong with your country? ... You have one of the most incompetent presidents of all time ... and he is still there. The Clinton thing is old news, why keep dredging up the past? It's politics and money .. the allegedly wronged women want money and the GOP want the Clintons in the news to create a diversion from the Moron-in-Chief.

Reliving this and realizing one could simply superimpose Trump atop Clinton at key moments, as well as explainers-in-chief, now and then, and even people on the street ... 'I didn't vote for him to worry about where he sleeps at night; I think he's doing a great job for the country,' it really is deja vu all over again. And a reminder that for overlooking or not paying attention to the sins of Bill (& Hil), we are now saddled with DJT. I'm really glad to see Monica mostly whole at this point, and looking terrific. Ditto Paula Jones, and all the others. May DJT's similarly wronged women get their days in court, may he be deposed, may this circle be completed. And then, maybe, finally, we can move on ...

The common notion that the allegations were somehow "politicized" in a way that (say) the Kavanaugh allegations - also filtered through partisan lawyers who co-opted them for political purposes in ways that certainly don't seem to have had the best interests of the women involved at heart - weren't itself politicizes sexual assault. It turns the idea that it's something done by Them, by the Enemy, by those evil Republicans into such a normal part of our understanding of sexual assault, that we don't just stop noticing it, we start seeing anyone who doesn't judge allegations in the same partisan way as the ones politicizing this - after all, why else would they think that way?

Let's not lose our sense of proportion. Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about sex. Everyone lird about sex. Ask congress to stand up if you cheated on your spouse in the last year and see how many stand up. How many rented a call girl or received one as a favor or have an account with high class brothel ? Physically attempting to rape a teenager by pinning her to a bed or giving her too much too much drink or a drug or making someone's job or promotion contingent on keeping the boss happy so you can call your secretary into your office, lock the door by remote control and tells his secretary to drop her pants, etc. , this an entirely different matter. Yes it is about power and fear but Bill Clinton was not impeached for any of these things. Lying and rape and threats are not in the same classification. Note this: After he was impeached and tried and acquitted he was reelected with comfortable majority because people figured if the Republicans couldn't defeat him at the polls they would try to get something, anything on him and all they came up with is lying about sex.

As Susan Collins so recently pointed out, one is innocent until proven guilty. This review of A&E’s highly watchable documentary, however, reminds us that those coming forward can be dismissed as “bimbos”. It’s a tough hurdle to overcome and one of the reasons that the abused prefer to stay quiet.

Can we stop asking the wife, no matter who she might be, to comment on the persons who have accused their husbands of harassment or worse? What does one actually expect a wife to say? Does everyone really believe anyone would willingly throw their husband under the bus? Just stop asking the wife what she thinks of the whole sordid mess. It wasn't her.

There are creeps and predators, but I sometimes wonder whether some of so-called victims were not ambitious and predatory themselves. Then, when there were sour grapes or an wanted outcome, they retaliated with attacks. My mother taught me to say no and to stay out of men’s bedrooms and hotel rooms. That is still good advice.

I watched the entire 7 hours and was impressed with all of these women and saddened on how they were characterized by Carville et al. There probably was a 'right wing conspiracy' to use these women to get at Bill and Hillary. But that has nothing to do with whether or not these women were telling the truth. They were believable, IMHO. Watching Bill's facial expressions while he parsed the definition of "is" was really creepy.

This supposedly fair and unbiased look at Clinton's accusers ignores the main reason those of us who followed Republican attacks on Clinton at the time found them suspicious: money. While the right screamed at the top of their lungs that Clarence Thomas' and Kavenaugh's accusers must be lying because they didn't immediately report the assaults on them, they had no such problem with Clinton accusers coming forward years later and only once the misanthropic inherited billionaire Richard Melon Scaife was offering a bounty for any stories against the Clintons. Paula Jones, in particular, was not only well compensated for her story, but even had plastic surgery paid for by the right to make her better looking and therefore more believable. As for Lewinsky, she had a consensual relationship with a daddy figure. Her latching on to the #metoo movement is just a pathetic attempt to wring another fifteen minutes out of it.

So much hypocrisy on the right about the accusations against Bill Clinton. Trump has 19 women accusing him but the right wants us to forget that.

Clinton having extra-marital affairs is certainly credible, and in fact, he acknowledges as much in his biography. There are a number of books about Clinton's alleged sexual encounters, and they sound a lot different than this piece...with the exception of Monica Lewinsky. She was a victim of sorts, but a willing victim who has said she exposed the thong she was wearing intentionally in front of Clinton. Paul Jones is another story. She was a creation of the vast right-wing conspiracy, and apparently, was even advised by Ken Starr before he was appointed. My recollection is that when Jones appeared in court, she couldn't remember if the alleged encounter with Clinton took place in the morning or the afternoon, which was fatal to her case. For the interested, they might look at "The Hunting of the President," "Blinded by the Right," and "The Clinton Wars." There were a bunch of nefarious characters in this melodrama whose goal in life seems to have been to discredit Clinton -- and they knew his weakness. Without naming all the sleazy goobers and bubbas, the campaign against Clinton was financed by a wealthy Mellon heir with the assistance of a right-wing magazine, and promoted by anti-Clinton activists and publicity seekers who lied with abandon, but who mostly seemed to survive their ignominious role in the affair. It was because of the latter that Brodderick's and Wiley's claims looked to be suspect, even though they may not have been

Clinton, Bush, and trump all reveal the poverty of American leadership, each in their own way. Bush's wars are far worse than the puerile idiocies of the other two, but many of us want to believe that sexism and racism are America's biggest problems. Good luck America.

After working in local politics for more than a decade in the 1970's, I can tell you that much of the behavior complained of is at best wrapped in layers of compromise. The political culture was such that men held positions of power and women drew their power from their relationships with men in power. To punish individuals for functioning in typical manner in that environment seems misdirected. The culture needed to be changed, and, in my view as a young woman at the time, that was what the Women's Movement was all about. I had power or my own and did not want to gain it by my associations alone. To me. Paula Jones is not a victim but may be an opportunist whose bargain did not turn out as she hoped.

We now live in a world where the many sexual harassment/assault allegations against Donald Trump cause us, via classic whataboutism by the Republicans, to look again at the allegations against Bill Clinton, which were investigated by Ken Starr, who left Baylor for not doing enough in a sexual assault scandal there, and who employed a young lawyer named Brett Kavanaugh, the most famous "Renate Alumnius," who pushed for tough questioning into the specifics of Clinton's sexual activity with Lewinsky, and led to impeachment proceedings, which were prosecuted in the House by Newt Gingrich, while he was having an affair that resulted in his second divorce, as his then-wife was recovering from cancer. It's time for this entire generation of creepy men to exit the stage, yet the media can't stop supporting them. I don't know if it's money, titillation, or some other kind of voyeurism that drives us to keep giving these men our time and attention but by now it's just pitiful.

I watched the series and, though I was young and didn't pay enough attention 20 years ago, I learned a lot. It was presented very concisely and objectively and I laud Ms Lewinsky for her strength and perseverance. Would be great to hang out with her!

I may be a staunch Democrat, but identifying as a staunch feminist is more important to me. Powerful men have always been guilty of this type of behavior. Men whose only attribute was physical strength have always been guilty of this behavior. Politicians are among the worst offenders, but it is omnipresent across the spectrum of all societies. Though Bill Clinton's actions were egregious, he hardly holds a candle to the sainted Jack Kennedy, whose depredations were quite Trumpian. Back then the press covered up for someone as powerful as the President. Today the same press exposes offenders gleefully, but hardly anyone cares. The fact that a serial molester and attacker stalks the halls of the White House, while his so-called Christian defenders turn a blind eye, carries the strongest testimony that nothing matters anymore.

Good people can do bad things. I have watched this and found it both enlightening, inspiring and sad. Enlightening because we now see this from multiple perspectives; sad because one must have compassion when smart, gifted humans suffer from major lapses in judgement that hurts them and others; and inspiring because we see two talented, brilliant people rise from the ashes to lead useful, productive lives. I admire Monica Lewinsky for her tenacity and courage. I admire Bill Clinton for being a fantastic President and leader of the free world before, during and after the scandal, and to this day, contributing his enormous abilities and resources to do good in the world.

So now, the term “vast right-wing conspiracy” is appearing in quotation marks? Previously, the Times took that paranoiac referent quite seriously. The Democrats electoral fortunes have steadily declined since Clinton shoved the the party rightward into Republican territory. Maybe the Times will begin telling the truth about that, too?

If you try to make money and/or political hay on an alleged assault, you lose credibility. The mistake those woman made was to let right wing thugs get in and take them over.

it always amazed me why so many women at the time bad-mouthed these abused persons and defended Clinton. of course, they were influenced by his wife, Hillary, who stood by her man instead of the truth. she and james carville made a nice duo in making hateful, derogatory comments against these victims of the arrogant Bill, who grabbed the Bible and ran for cover to the black preachers every time he was accused.

So, America's premier #MeToo offender is reduced to a TV show? Typical. Now, when they realize that Hillary was his accomplice?

And why don't we start talking about President Kennedy and his legendary affairs - which were NOT publicized? For Heaven's Sake, let the past be the past - let's concentrate on the present sitting teflon "president" and his tawdry affairs with porn stars, and Playboy playmates. Did trump pay for this A&E series - is his pal from the National Enquirer involved?

“”The Clinton Affair,” A&E’s six-part mini-series on the scandals of Bill Clinton’s presidency, lacks a point of view. It is straightforward in style and evenhanded in tone. Strangely, this recommends it.” Apparently, The New York Times is so intent on putting its own liberal spin on every story it published that it now is unable to recognize this A&E series for what it is: impartially presented, true journalism.

I believe her! Paula Jones that is.

Bill Clinton is a person of low moral character as the NYT points out. He never should have been elected President. His wife is no better. There are serious allegations and substantial evidence that she violated federal law notwithstanding James Comey's legal conclusion. You liberals should acknowledge the above, admit your errors and completely disassociate yourselves from the Clintons. That's the only way you have a chance against Trump in 2020.

Trump and his minions may have broken the most powerful weapon that can be used against politicians when opposing their ideas is pointless. For better or worse, sexual misconduct or moral degeneracy, actual or fabricated, may no longer be effective. In the absence of a juicy story the media may be forced to focus on the facts and the policies.

A harsh, telling headline. A human being is ‘reconsidered’. The Clintons, and their opponents, share equal shame.

Most of the women that have accused Bill Clinton are those whom refused his advances. It's safe to say after watching the "Clinton Affair" that Monica would not have come forward if it wasn't for Linda Tripp. I can't help but wonder how many "Monica Lewinskys" there are out there - women who enjoyed his advances and have affection for him.

I voted for Bill Clinton twice, and now regret it. Not so much because of his well-known "bimbo problem" that preceded his election, but his Republican-lite policies (allowing derivatives to go unregulated and rescinding Glass Steagall) that led to the Great Recession. "I believe the women," but resent how it was politicized by conservatives who were relentless in their efforts to undermine him from Whitewater, Travelgate, Vince Foster and on and on. As with Donald Trump, the voters made the choice. What has been disgusting, then and now, is the absolute destruction it has caused many of the women involved from Monica Lewinsky, Paula Jones and the others up to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Like all whistleblowers, and that's exactly who they are, they have been more vilified than praised. But why they let Trump, a self-confessed womanizer and philanderer, use them as political pawns during the debates still bothers me about their character and judgment. Nevertheless, it's time for forgiveness and rehabilitation. If there's one positive of the #MeToo movement and this TV series, it is that at last these women, especially Monica Lewinsky, have their dignity and sense of self-worth finally restored.

What this series of "news reports" amounts to is a hind-sight retelling of a sordid and tawdry episode in the lives of weak-charactered, ambitious, power-hungry, not-as-smart-as-they-think-they-are people, who exercised the subversive, submissive, and dominant sexual behaviors at the ready to obtain their rise in positions and juxtapositions with others of the same ilk in powerful, political and employing positions. And, when these individuals were exposed and caught in actions and behaviors that were at the least morally questionable and at best beyond the sound level of criminal intent and action (hitting most of the 10 commandments, and I say that because the majority of these espouse devout Judo-Christian beliefs), displayed a level of lying, cheating, and morally-absent actions and behaviors that were unrivaled until these last two years. What I question is the value of all this rehashing of people, who were adults and made decisions as adults that had a direct impact upon their lives, but yet want to deflect blame and cause on others, and want the rest of us to impart sympathy and empathy upon their sorry lives in reflection. No thank you, you were pathetic back then and are even more pathetic now. GO AWAY, MOVE ON. Your contribution to the world is and has been horrible and truly unworthy of our time and effort.

No one involved in this has clean hands. The Clintons and their partisans savaged his victims (yes taking advantage of power and position for sexual behavior and domination creates victims) the republican partisans viciously used those same women as weapons of political destruction. The media gleefully played all sides of the story and people in general ate the whole thing up. Men like Bill Clinton have long seen women like this as entitlements of power and position, so does Donald Trump. In this as much else one hand wash’s the other but none are clean.

A harsh, telling headline. A human being is `reconsidered.' The Clintons, and their opponents, share equal shame.

A lot of us on the Left looked the other way when Clinton's accusers came forward, some of them claiming terrible acts by Clinton, including rape. A lot of the same among us were shouting pretty loud for Kavanaugh to be denied the SCOTUS. I count myself among both groups. We need to take a long look in the mirror, even though the events were decades apart. Chief among those who should self-check re: hypocrisy is Senator Gillibrand. She insisted Franken resign from the senate immediately, without the Ethics Investigation he requested. yet she was happy to share her campaign stage with Clinton, who was accused of FAR worse than Franken was. Seems like Opportunism and Hypocrisy to me.

Well, well, 25 years late and a $100 bill dragged through a trailer park short... Hopefully, Democrats upset with the appalling Donald Trump in the Oval Office may now understand why Republicans were so incensed when the venal, duplicitous, and predatory Bill Clinton was there in the ‘90s. His foul behavior then probably cost Al Gore the election in 2000 (Buddhist Temples, anyone?) and the memory of his misbehavior and correction along with Hillary’s duplicity helped her to lose to The Donald in 2016. Can’t wait until both The Donald and the Clintons are in the rear view mirror...

I started watching the Clinton documentary but after the first episode, I couldn't watch anymore. It was ugly watching all the self-serving scoundrels come out of the woodworks and the beginnings of the ugly media tactics that the Republicans, via Newt and Rush, used to uglify the political world. Have things changed since then? Not a wink. We still swim in the same muck and slime. The beginning statement of the first episode hit it right on the head. When Democrats lose an election, they get sad. When Republicans lose an election, they get even.

I hope these women can find peace, if not justice.

At the end of this article are the words: "Paula Jones spoke out against the most powerful man in the world, and when his lawyers argued that a sitting president couldn’t be subject to a civil suit, she took them all the way to the Supreme Court AND WON (my caps)." So don't we now have a legal precedent?

Most of this is for the National Enquirer crowd, which unfortunately is too many in America (witness the tRump effects.) Even the U.S. Senate didn't convict Pres. Clinton because this didn't rise to "high crimes and misdemeanors." That it of course appears to conform to a telling that violates the #me too concerns of powerful men taking advantage of lower stationed women, please note that Ms. Lewinsky for one has never taken the position that she was cajoled or compelled by the President. Things happen sometimes between men and women. Not all of these things are savory or pure, but we're all evolving.

Both Bill and Hillary Clinton are culpable in the abuse and continuing denigration of the victims of his actions. Mrs. Clinton, you are not a feminist. As a Democrat, I believe that the entitlement you both have demonstrated over the years is the reason why our party has lost credibility with non-coastal Americans. Mrs. Clinton argues that Trump is worse. That's not the issue. The election of Trump was more anti-Clintons and their control of the Democratic party by non-democratic means. Enough of their speaking tour; let them be silent and allow the party to regain its morals.

"Now, at 44, I'm beginning (just beginning) to see new career options (books, media commentary, appearances, et al!) thanks to #MeToo."

Not sure why people can’t let Clinton-era issues go. Let’s all agree to treat each other better tomorrow than we did yesterday, and address our numerous existing problems.