Feb 13, 2012 2:03pm

Bill Clinton Struggled to Deal With Lewinsky Affair, Film Says

gty clinton impeach tk 120214 wblog Bill Clinton Struggled to Deal With Lewinsky Affair, Film Says

                                                                                  (George Bridges/AFP/getty Images)

Bill Clinton apparently struggled with whether to talk publicly about his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, as his aides were surprised, even dismayed, about his relationship with the 23-year-old.

A new documentary focusing on Clinton’s life and presidency reveals that he contacted pollster Dick Morris to gauge whether he should come out with the truth when news of the affair broke.

“He said, ‘Ever since I got here to the White House I’ve had to shut my body down sexually I mean, but I screwed up with this girl. I didn’t do what they said I did, but I may have done so much that I can’t prove my innocence,’” Morris recalls in the film “Clinton,” which was written and directed by Barak Goodman.

“And I said to him, ‘The problem that presidents have is not the sin, it’s the cover up and you should explore just telling the American people the truth.’ He said, ‘Really, do you think I could do that?’ And I said, ‘Let me test it, let me run a poll.’ So I took a poll and I tested popular attitudes on that and I called him back and I said, ‘They will forgive the adultery, but they won’t easily forgive that you lied,’” Morris says in the documentary to air on PBS next week.

Meanwhile, several of Clinton’s aides were convinced he was set up.

“He’s got all these enemies who are out to get him,” Clinton’s labor secretary, Robert Reich, said in the film. “He wouldn’t be so stupid as to jeopardize his entire presidency. For what? No, that was not the Bill Clinton I knew.”

Clinton first denied the affair that broke out in the news media in 1998, famously saying he “did not have sexual relations with that woman.” He later admitted to oral sex with the young intern and said his relationship with Lewinsky was wrong and inappropriate.

“I am profoundly sorry for all I have done wrong in words and in deeds,” he said Dec. 11 1998. “I never should have misled the country, the Congress, my friends or my family. Quite simply, I gave in to my shame.”

Although his subsequent impeachment made him only the second U.S. president to be impeached, Clinton’s aides say that in a way, the former president himself set up barriers that he could then leap across and he was always confident he could find his way back.

“How many second chances does any one person deserve?” his former press secretary, Dee Dee Myers, said in the film. “Clinton’s view is as many second chances as a person is willing to try to take. As many times as you fail, don’t you deserve the chance to redeem yourself? Isn’t history loaded with people who have fallen and gotten up, fallen and gotten up and done great things?”

Clinton declined to comment on the film.

The documentary also details the challenges Hillary Clinton faced as first lady. Clinton was, behind the scenes, a powerful force in the White House but aides said her strengths often turned into his weaknesses.

“Voters thought that it was a zero-sum game, that for Hillary to be strong, Bill would have to be weak, and as a result the perception of Hillary’s strength became a perception of Bill’s weakness,” Morris said.

Hillary Clinton was blamed by many for a weak turnout in the 1994 election and for the failure of the administration’s health care reform plan in 1993 that failed to gain momentum.

“She was outspoken, she was smart, she was hard driving, and some people resented her,” Clinton’s Deputy Chief of Staff Harold Ickes said in the film. “Remember during the campaign, it was two for the price of one, well people aren’t electing two for the price of one. They’re electing the president.”

The documentary airs on PBS Feb. 20-21, as part of  its ”American Experience” series.

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User Comments

“‘Ever since I got here to the White House I’ve had to shut my body down sexually ”

So not being able to play around meant no sex at all… Did we really need to know that he and Hillary had stopped having intercourse? Why? I mean, why do we need to know?

Posted by: ariadna | February 13, 2012, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm

It is clear that Clinton’s engagement with Monica was not a set up. It was not a conspiracy. Who did it? The Republicans as part of a right wing plot? Clinton has been the best Republican president since Reagan. Perhaps it was a communist plot. Did Al Gore send Monica over? Who set Clinton up? as is claimed by Clinton aides.

Posted by: mue | February 13, 2012, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm

Nothing new here for Clinton watchers. Madame Harriman who introduced him around and raised lots of cash for him said that Clinton was wonderful and would be a great president but that he “has a zipper problem”. He was infamous in political circles for his womanizing. I’ve also heard that he was wrestling with whether to come clean about Lewinsky during that period from January thru August 1998. I’m personally surprised that was the only thing Republicans could nail him on. They created a separate agency and spent $65 million to investigate whitewater, the travel office and anything else they could dig up – but the only thing they could find was his affair with Lewinsky. Spend that kind of money to investigate others in D.C. and you’ll find this kind of thing going on with an overwhelming majority of them, and probably much, much worse. Fact is, he was a very good president who did the job well and people are already longing for the days of his leadership.

Posted by: hopesprings52 | February 13, 2012, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm

If my wife looked like Hillary I’d be chasing someone else too. “I’m not standing behind my man like Tammy Wynette.” Oh yes you did woman and you enjoyed it.

Posted by: ruben | February 13, 2012, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm

set up? is reich serious? i get the impression that anyone who knew bill clinton knew he was sexually out of control. i don’t think it took too much for clinton to get all freaky…and it certainly didn’t require a set up. to this day clinton’s accolytes still can admit what cad the guy was/is…even after the general public has accepted him for what his is. i would think clinton’s approval rating would be pretty high now, especially considering the to goofballs who followed him in office.

Posted by: grumpopolis | February 13, 2012, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm

I’d give my left pinky toe to have Bill Clinton back in the white house… And I couldn’t care less about his personal life. We’ve had nothing but cr@p in there since he left.

Posted by: Kristi | February 13, 2012, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm

We have a “Human Trafficking” Problem,Across America.

Posted by: Donna Marn | February 13, 2012, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm

Good gracious! Are we still talking about this? It is a pimple on the face of America. Pop it and let it dry up!

Posted by: Pat Bealin | February 13, 2012, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm

At the end of the Clinton administration Bill Clinton was forced to sign a bill gutting Glass-Steagall which enabled Wall Street to run amok and nearly destroy the economy. I believe this is evidence that Tim Geithner and/or Larry Summers and/or Phil Graam had something on Clinton that went way beyond Monica’s blue dress.

Posted by: X.S.Charm | February 13, 2012, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm

Why is it Bill Clinton was impeached for not telling the truth about his sex life which I didn’t really want to know about, frankly; but Obama hasn’t been impeached for violating our most sacred document – the Constitution of the United States?

Posted by: MickeyMikado | February 13, 2012, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm

Clinton deserves no sympathy whatsoever. He and his organization destroyed the reputation of every woman he had sex with. Flowers and Lewinsky were two of many. He lied to a grand jury which is why he was impeached. Facts need to be set straight.

Posted by: Joe D | February 13, 2012, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm

Give me a president who can do the job. That’s all America needs to thrive. Clinton was the last one who was up to the task.

Posted by: hopesprings52 | February 13, 2012, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm

any man that you cant leave alone with your daughter doesnt deserve to be a leader of anything let alone a president. he was a foul and disgusting human being regardless of his alleged intellect.i have learned in business that character does matter. in corporate america mr clinton would have been fired. those who think otherwise really have never been in management of a real business.i also voted for him twice.

Posted by: catman | February 13, 2012, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm

Bill Clinton is responsible for what Bill Clinton did, end of story. He has no character or integrity and lied about it to everyone. Only when he thought about how the general public would perceive him did he decide to tell the truth. Not because he has any integrity on his own. And Hillary staying with him just makes me wonder what is wrong with her.

Posted by: Seriously | February 13, 2012, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm

Why is it Bill Clinton was impeached for not telling the truth about his sex life which I didn’t really want to know about, frankly; but Obama hasn’t been impeached for violating our most sacred document – the Constitution of the United States?

Posted by: MickeyMikado
_______________
Impeachments usually come in a President’s second term. If Obama gets re-elected he may very well BE impeached.

Posted by: ivan | February 13, 2012, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm

I’d give my left pinky toe to have Bill Clinton back in the white house… And I couldn’t care less about his personal life. We’ve had nothing but cr@p in there since he left.

Posted by: Kristi
____________
The President you have now is from YOUR party and adopts Clinton’s policies. YOU should be jumping for joy.

Posted by: ivan | February 13, 2012, 5:00 pm 5:00 pm

I think Hillary is attractive.

Posted by: smoochie | February 13, 2012, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm

I met someone that worked as an investigater for Ken Star. He told me a lot of stuff that the general public has never heard. I was profoundly shocked at what lengths that investigation went to to get the real dirt on both of the Clintons. I hope my friend will write a book someday about what he learned. It would be a best seller.

Posted by: Janie Wilkey | February 13, 2012, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm

Bull! He didn’t shut down sexually. Remember Kathleen Willey? He’s a serial skirt chaser. It was well known before he ever became president.

Posted by: newcountryman | February 13, 2012, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm

so it never did depend on what the meaning of “is” is… When’s the next film about the global expansion of the failed NAFTA policy that led to this ruinous global (lack of) economy due?

Posted by: leslippe | February 13, 2012, 7:12 pm 7:12 pm

I think it is sad that an effective president’s record will be forever tarnished because of a personal failing. Any fool knows what is right or wrong when it comes to this stuff — I am not blaming him for being a victim of his personal failings — we’ve all been there. But couldn’t he have put off his philandering for awhile? You only have 8 years to be president — he could’ve had the rest of his life for the fooling around. You would think that a person who has the drive to get to the White House as top dog could control himself for the duration, exercise a little self-control. I guess not.

Posted by: Uncle Bob | February 13, 2012, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm

So, I ask myself, how many people who commented ever commited sexual acts outside of marriage. I know of at least four major evangelist who had taste of the forbidden fruit not to mention Christian councelors. So, what does that make Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson just to name a few. I will not go beyond that point, but while serving with the State Department, I have seen my fair share of our public servants fall out of grace. Yes, I agree, he should have not done what he has done. To those who call him a pervert, I wish you knew what I know as fact. However, since you don’t know me, I will keep my mouth shut from here on out.

Posted by: oldfossile | February 13, 2012, 7:44 pm 7:44 pm

what happened had nothing to do with his job as as President he had consenual oral sex done on him and it was consenual by both adults. GOOLE how many politions have been involved in affairs
Eisenhower had a mistress they werent playing chess there were many rebublicans involved in scandels Not one republican was facing impeachment or recalled or ask to resign by the rebublicans.
I would love to have him back as President I just wouldn’t let him give my wife a ride home.

Posted by: senior citizen | February 13, 2012, 9:24 pm 9:24 pm

Senior Citizen ~~ I don’t know if you really are a senior citizen or not, but I really am. And I agree with you wholeheartedly. The funny thing is that I remember thinking at the time that he didn’t actually “lie” when he said he ‘never had sexual relations with that woman’. Back then, sexual relations meant sexual intercourse. Oral sex was a whole different category. At least it was to all high school, college age and pretty much every other adult in the country at the time. Interesting how it came to suddenly include pretty much everything including holding hands! And Monica, in her testimony which was published and available at any public library, admitted readily that she pursued him relentlessly with the wink of some of the Secret Service people at the time. She said that he really wanted nothing to do with her and that after the one incident he really made quite clear that he never wanted to see her or hear from her again. I’d vote for him again too. In a nanosecond!

Posted by: Joyce | February 13, 2012, 10:32 pm 10:32 pm

That’s old news, he’s not the first and he won’t be the last, so leave him alone. Nobody’s perfect, Try to concentrate on the poor, sick, and jobless people in this world. Also the children that need a warm place to sleep, and something to eat. GET A LIFE!!!!

Posted by: gerri dickens | February 13, 2012, 10:41 pm 10:41 pm

My toast to Hilary for being a forgiving Wife. she had every right to divorce him but she chose the higher ground. it takes more fortitude than most could understand –to forgive such a betrayal. He should thank GOD she was able to go beyond his indiscretions. I commend this woman!! I believe the young woman should have been tending to her job rather than trying to get a piece of white house action. shame on YOU –Monica!!!

Posted by: jewl heinlen | February 14, 2012, 2:04 am 2:04 am

Why are they so hard on Clinton and his interner. Well you go back in your arcives you will see that
JFK had it with his intern to she traveled with him and he always called her and the whole bit. So you tell me why you are so hard on Clinton. Plus JFK”s intern is writing a book on it to. So look for the book and you will see why.

Posted by: Loretta | February 14, 2012, 7:33 am 7:33 am

Still trying to present this as only an isolated affair when it was actually the latest in a pattern of sexual affairs with younger staff. He got in trouble by committing perjury and getting Lewinsky to perjur herself, so it wouldn’t hurt him in the Paula Jones sexual harrassment case.

Posted by: Echo Sierra | February 14, 2012, 9:49 am 9:49 am

Bill Clinton was a good president, but he’s a big womanizer. They stated he had been set up, so what. He has a voice, he had a choice, if he had any character he could have said no. Men of character and morals would have walked away from any kind of come on from a woman. The other issue is there have been other instances of infidelity If I was Hilary I would have kicked his ass to the curb. Smooth mouth men are a dime a dozen.

Posted by: Robin | February 14, 2012, 10:57 am 10:57 am

Another media outlet putting out another puff piece on Bill Clinton. I guess PBS feels that it didn’t do enough on him when he was president.

Posted by: dwstick | February 14, 2012, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm

Tell me please, other than the proported lying (not so sure it was actually a lie) what Bill Clinton did that many, many powerful men do regularly. Seems many are willing to overlook Newt’s affairs and are even willing to have on of his trophy’s as first lady. The difference here is that Democratic men don’t hold themselves out to be the standard bearers of virtue. While the right is all about do as I say not as I do. I dislike hypocrites more than fillanderers. I was married to teh later one once for a long time and I can tell you they usually have a disconnect between love and sex. They are able to love a wife and family while at the same time behaving like a hound dog. They fail to see the relevance. Not taking up for them, just offering some insight. It’s too bad a lot of very capable, dynamic men can’t keep it zipped up.

Posted by: Ginger | February 14, 2012, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm

Bill Clinton may be a flawed man, but he was a good president and is a great former president. He, his wife and their staffs were persecuted for 5 years by a special prosecutor bent on their personal destruction. And what did Starr find after all those years? That Clinton had a fling with a more than willing intern. Think how much more Clinton could have accomplished if he hadn’t been hounded for 5 years.

It’s ironic that Bill and Hillary are now the most popular politicians in the nation. The average American would probably give anything to have the peace and economy that we enjoyed in the 90s.

Posted by: Bea | February 14, 2012, 2:56 pm 2:56 pm

Well people ur responses varie – so here is how i see it; He was the President, he did his job as such, Mrs. President did not make a public issue of it, the job as president never went lacking – it shows how women (especially those of lighter color) deem to be destroyers of men (black and white), and have no respect of themselves by bragging on such adultrious situations – she should have waited as did the lady with the Kennedy affair, fifty years who cares – they did the job and less get on already – So stop the madness and let this country be free of petty bull – unless ur God there has always been and will always be serpent in the tree it could be you and could be me so less not throw rocks and hide our hands, less just don’t throw rocks and PRAY FOR LOVE PEACE AND HAPPINESS

Posted by: Alice | February 14, 2012, 2:59 pm 2:59 pm

But, of course, it turned out that he had done EXACTLY what “they said” he did…and then lied about it under oath.

Posted by: Lakeisha Jackson | February 16, 2012, 12:07 am 12:07 am

By the way, it wasn’t just about sex. Clinton backers always say it is just about sex, but this is clearly a lie. Clinton was sued for sexual harrassment by Paula Jones while he was governor of Arkansas. It seemed like a typical he-said she-said case. But to make her version more reliable she would have to show that Clinton was a typical womanizer and serial groper. It doesn’t matter whether you think she was a liar and home-wrecker or whatever, the President was called to defend himself against these allegations and he lied about those sexual situations UNDER OATH. Think of the alternative. He could have said he was kind of a hound dog, but nothing serious happened. He could have said he was innocent. He could have said he had a sexual problem and beg forgiveness. But he didn’t do any of that. He chose to lie, wait it out until he got caught red-handed and then he begged forgiveness. Would that defense work for an average worker? Congressman/woman? Banker? Would any of these people be let off scot free after testifying UNDER OATH? If he hadn’t made those statements under oath, it is still suspect but maybe not impeachable. But he intentionally lied under oath to the American people. Clinton’s approval rating was high, so why did he lie about it? I don’t agree with it, but if he would have admitted everything with Lewinsky, Flowers, Willey, Jones, etc. he probably would have been forgiven. So why lie and risk it all?

Posted by: Charlie | February 18, 2012, 11:59 pm 11:59 pm

I beleive that monica knew exactly what she had planned to do and old enough to know better and how it would have hurt the rest of the united staes with this horrific deal with th president of the united states if she already knew he had a wife why did she continue if her interest wasn’t to hurt hie presidency especially when she SAVED her dress and other items to use to decept our president and his family everyone knows that men are weak when any woman throws herself at his weakess points and times?

Posted by: emily | February 19, 2012, 11:47 am 11:47 am

Nothing new here for Clinton watchers. Madame Harriman who introduced him around and raised lots of cash for him said that Clinton was wonderful and would be a great president but that he “has a zipper problem”.

>>Well hold on Mue. This “problem” as you say, dealt with a specific harrassment case that dealt with Clinton’s “zipper problem”.He potentially defamed a government employee so to prove her case, she cited past behavior. To prove her case, she had to show that a “zipper problem” exiosted among other state and federal employees, which she did.

He was infamous in political circles for his womanizing.

>>Again, another notch for Paula Jones.

I’ve also heard that he was wrestling with whether to come clean about Lewinsky during that period from January thru August 1998. I’m personally surprised that was the only thing Republicans could nail him on.

>> This is one thing that bothers me. Why would you need to “think to come clean” on it? He appeared under oath and lied about it. Name another citizen that can lie under oath and not be prosecuted for it. Opponents say it can be about sex but if behavior is similar, then that shows that Jones had a case. Her point is that it is possible, given Clinton’s womanizing nature. Clinton’s helpers say it’s about sex and it doesn’t matter.Let any current citizen use that excuse under oath (it’s about sex) and see if they get away with it. If they get thrown in jail, then so should Clinton. Just because you vote Democrat doesn’t mean you should support lying.

They created a separate agency and spent $65 million to investigate whitewater, the travel office and anything else they could dig up – but the only thing they could find was his affair with Lewinsky. Spend that kind of money to investigate others in D.C. and you’ll find this kind of thing going on with an overwhelming majority of them, and probably much, much worse. Fact is, he was a very good president who did the job well and people are already longing for the days of his leadership.

>>An affair lied about UNDER OATH. Whitewater also led to criminal convictions. You assume that because Clinton wasn’t convicted that it was a witch hunt.

Posted by: Chuck | February 21, 2012, 12:14 am 12:14 am

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