Posted on 11/21/2017 1:54:19 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The journalist Joe Klein, a leading Bill Clinton chronicler in the 1990s, said Tuesday that he was an “enabler” for defending the then-president.
Klein said in an interview with the NPR show On Point that he didn’t think Democrats today would stand by Clinton the way they did in the 1990s as the cultural landscape has shifted on sexual misconduct.
“I must confess to having been a Clinton enabler during that time,” Klein told guest host Jane Clayson. “In that I defended him, and we all knew that he was a cad. There's no question about that. But it was the beginning of a period of real viciousness in American politics.”
Klein’s 1996 roman a clef, “Primary Colors,” featured a presidential candidate who — like Clinton — was dogged by a sex scandal. He also wrote “The Natural: The misunderstood Presidency Of Bill Clinton.”
Klein joined On Point, along with Atlantic writer Caitlin Flanagan and Weekly Standard writer Michael Warren, to discuss a new reckoning with Bill Clinton’s legacy.
Clinton was impeached for lying about his sexual relationship with a young White House intern. He was also accused of improper advances on other women, and, in the 1978 case of Juanita Broaddrick, violent rape.
The president was not, however, removed from office — no Democratic senator voted to remove him — and did not step aside.
Klein said Tuesday that whether Clinton should have remained in office was a “difficult question.”
“With Bill Clinton, it’s never easy,” Klein said.
Clinton’s impeachment and sex scandals from two decades ago are relevant again amid broader cultural changes surrounding sexual harassment, assault and violence: Powerful men in the media, in Hollywood and in Washington have been accused of wrongdoing.
The current president, Donald Trump, is among; according to the New Yorker, 20 women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct, from groping to unwanted kissing to unwanted advances.
Trump himself was caught on tape saying that he grabbed women by the genitals and kissed them without asking; even after the "Access Hollywood" tape, he won the presidency, defeating Hillary Clinton.
You can listen to the whole show here.
It reads like the writer did the Joe Klien piece for the sole purpose of teeing up a swipe at Trump.
Amazing how many libs are turning on the Clintons now that they’re out of power.
If the dirt splashes up on you, you deserve it!
No S___, Sherlock!
Klein has always been a dirtbag democrat propagandist.
Looks like the Dems are letting the Clintons know that it’s time to go.
>>“I must confess to having been a Clinton enabler during that time,” Klein told guest host Jane Clayson. “In that I defended him, and we all knew that he was a cad. There’s no question about that. But it was the beginning of a period of real viciousness in American politics.”
Vicious because the sitting president lied under oath, weaponized the IRS, had the first lady threaten, intimidate, and slutshame his victims, on and on from the Red Diaper Doper Baby Boomer co-presidents one of whom studied under and may even have had an affair with Saul Alinsky.
But keep making excuses, Joe Cad.
Klein admits he knew Clinton was a “cad” but “...it was the beginning of a period of real viciousness in American politics.”
What a pathetic justification of cowardice and perfidy. Klein covered up for Bill because he cared more for a democrat being in office than for women being raped. It’s as simple as that. “Viciousness” meant accusing poor innocent Bill and coverup Queen Hillary of the misconduct Klein now admits he knew about the whole time.
And now we see why the Bushes were so cozy with Bill — gropers of a feather molest together.
Day late and a dollar short.
Bogus story misquotes Trump’s kitty grab yarn. Typical MSM horsefeathers.
Ah those halcyon days, when the libs all decried “the politics of personal destruction” - while engaging in it for all they were worth.
Oh, I agree. The Dems were fools not to rid themselves of the Clintons when Hillary lost the nomination to Zero in 2008.
It was a private locker room conversation.
I'll take, "What's Black and White and Red All Over," for $500, Alex.
I just love this, all those Liberals who were big Clinton supporters now having buyers remorse and now distancing themselves from The Clinton’s. Who would have thought this would happen???????????
The viciousness occurred because the Media went full in on Bill Clinton. They may have been Dem oriented in the past but they didn’t fully protect LBJ or Carter. However, the further it went, they were not going to allow Clinton to lose. And one reason is because they are committing the same acts.
We will go through this again when it finally comes out Obama is not a citizen. Oh, we should have looked deeper or some other bilge.
All I can say is MAGA, go Trump, and go Bannon.
You will recall another character in Primary Colors with a serious drug history. It's been many years since I read the book, but iirc, the character is somewhat extraneous and the drug stuff is forced. I've always suspected Klein was using the character to signal on Clinton's drug use -- i.e., there were actually two Clinton surrogates in the book.
“we all knew that he was a cad”
“Perhaps it’s just me, but that phrasing seems to smack of: “Oh, that Bill! He’s just a lovable rogue!””
I agree with you, and it’s ridiculous. I don’t want to hear from these people. If Hillary had won, their consciences would have not bothered them and you wouldn’t have heard anything from them about Bill. This is CYA hypocrisy.
Soooo,democrats,liberals and feminists are saying they had no idea raping women was wrong back in the 1990s,but they know it now????
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