Monica Lewinsky, a previous White House intern, has recently said that ex-President Bill Clinton should have stepped down following the public disclosure of their affair over a quarter-century ago. Lewinsky shared her views during her appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast.
In her conversation with podcast host Alex Cooper, Lewinsky discussed how she believed the political scandal should have been managed once it was publicly disclosed that she had an affair with Clinton during her tenure at the White House.
“I think that the right way to handle a situation like that would have been to probably say it was nobody’s business and to resign,” Lewinsky told Cooper. “Or to find a way of staying in office that was not lying and not throwing a young person who is just starting out in the world under the bus.”
Recently, Lewinsky has become a voice against online bullying and public shaming. She also expressed apprehension about the extensive effect the scandal had on women of her generation who had to witness her public vilification.
“I think there was so much collateral damage for women of my generation to watch a young woman be pilloried on a world stage – to be torn apart for my sexuality, for my mistakes, for my everything,” she stated during the podcast.
The interview was part of Lewinsky’s promotional activities for her own podcast, “Reclaiming,” which she started hosting earlier this month. Her podcast has featured guests such as actress Olivia Munn and actor Alan Cumming.
Lewinsky has previously discussed the power dynamics involved in her relationship with Clinton. In a 2021 interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, she labeled Clinton’s actions as “wholly inappropriate” considering their positions and the age gap.
“I think what’s really important to remember in today’s world is that we never should have even gotten to a place where consent was a question,” Lewinsky stated to Tapper. “So it was wholly inappropriate as the most powerful man, my boss, 49 years old. I was 22, literally just out of college. And I think that the power differentials there are something that I couldn’t ever fathom consequences at 22 that I understand obviously so differently at 48.”
The scandal between Clinton and Lewinsky, which occurred in the 1990s, led to Clinton’s impeachment by the House of Representatives on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice after his initial denial of the affair. However, he was later acquitted by the Senate and completed his second term in office.
During the scandal, Lewinsky was subjected to rigorous media scrutiny and public shaming. The media resorted to derogatory names and even evaluated her physical appearance, leading to difficulties in finding employment in the subsequent years. She considered changing her name due to the notoriety.
In light of the recent #MeToo movement, the portrayal of Lewinsky in the media and the power imbalance between her and Clinton has been reassessed. Many members of the media have expressed remorse for their treatment of Lewinsky during the scandal.
In a 2021 interview with Variety, Lewinsky expressed her hope that young women in similar situations today would not face harsh judgment from the media and society. “I would hope that we would be having a different kind of conversation,” she stated. “I would (also) hope that most of the blame would not have rested on my shoulders, and most of the consequences.”
Former President Clinton has previously spoken about the impact the scandal had on Lewinsky’s life. In the 2020 documentary “Hillary,” he expressed regret, stating he felt “terrible about the fact that Monica Lewinsky’s life was defined” by their affair, “unfairly I think.” He added, “Over the years I have watched her trying to get a normal life back again.”
However, Clinton has previously stated that he “disagreed” with the sentiment that he should have resigned over the affair.
Lewinsky’s progression from being demonized in the media to being a respected advocate for issues of consent, power dynamics, and public humiliation signifies broader societal changes in understanding and discussing such scenarios.
Alex Cooper, who hosts “Call Her Daddy,” is reportedly the most-listened-to female podcaster globally. She inked a $125 million deal with SiriusXM last year for her podcast, which covers topics such as sex, relationships, and pop culture.