Posted on 06/21/2004 1:35:17 PM PDT by marshmallow
LONDON (AFP) - Former US president Bill Clinton (news - web sites) lost his temper during a BBC interview after being repeatedly asked if he was genuine in voicing regret over his affair with Monica Lewinsky.
Clinton, revving up a publicity campaign ahead of the release Tuesday of his memoirs, bristled at relentless questioning about the affair with the White House intern by veteran BBC interviewer David Dimbleby, according to British newspapers.
The Times said Monday that Clinton, known for being media savvy and cheerful in public, let out a rant that lasted several minutes.
"As outbursts go, it is not just some flash that is over in an instant. It is something substantial and sustained," said a BBC executive who viewed the interview, according to the Sunday Telegraph.
The weekly said Clinton then branched out into an attack on media intrusion into the private lives of public figures.
Britain's public broadcaster will air the Clinton interview Tuesday, in step with the release of his much-awaited memoirs.
While the book recounts key global events of the charismatic Clinton's two-term presidency -- Kosovo, the Middle East, Somalia -- public interest in the 957-page tome has focused on the Lewinsky affair, one of the "old demons" that nearly brought down the world's most powerful man.
In leaked excerpts of the book and interviews ahead of its release, Clinton describes the Lewinsky affair as a moral failing, says he worried about losing the love of his daughter Chelsea and confesses that his marriage was salvaged by a year of intensive marital counseling.
I remember when Monicagate was going on, the Euros kept saying that it was just an affair and the we Yanks were too hung up on sex and "what was the big deal"? Now it seems the BBC is hung up on it. LOL
He was just tired. His momma told him not to do interviews after 7 P.M.
"I just want someone to tell me that there's a way that I can see or at least hear this."
Ditto.
LOL! George was a disgusting slob. In this case, I wouldn't blame bubba.
I wonder what the BBC is up to?
I almost fell off my chair laughing yesterday when Chris Wallace said on FNS.."In fairness we should report that the NYT reviewed the book on it's front page and called it sloppy, self serving and eyes crossedly dull"!
Even if we got to see it , it would be nothing compared to the video clips Rush showed on his show. One Rush showed was at the Clinton's first Easter party at the White House. It showed Clinton screaming obscenities at a minor aide for not having enough eggs. It is a video that would absolutely open eyes.
And of course, he then went into Court and lied about it under oath. The lying was the real issue... the idea that anyone (President or not) can just decide that a line of questioning in a legal proceeding is irrelevant, illegitimate, whatever and then lie about it as a result, sets a dangerous precedent. If I am not mistaken, the questioning in his case had been upheld by a Judge before Clinton had to answer it. You just can't have people deciding what rulings they will or will not obey. I also believe that Clinton signed some of the sexual harassment laws that require defendants to answer these types of questions in Court. So why is it his "private life" when he supports comparable inquiries into everyone else's life?
What is degrading and disgusting to Americans is considered the height of sophistication to Europeans. This is why old europe is a dead civilization. They expect depravity in their leaders.
Well, I know of one and Rush showed the video clip of it. It happened at the Clinton's first Easter Party.
Bill O'Reily is working on getting the tape of this interview for his radio broadcast; it might be aired tonight if they were able to secure it in time.
The judge and counsel carefully worked out a painstakingly specific definition of "sex," before Clinton was questioned. Clinton understood exactly what he was doing and lied repeatedly with Bob Bennett sitting right there. After Clinton was caught in his lies, Bennett affected an air of great indignation that his client would lie in his presence -- as though he didn't know his client was perjuring himself.
Hillary is especially mean. I know of one secret service agent on his first day that had been told not to even look at Hillary if she passed by. He said good morning to her in the hall anyway. Her reply was "f**k you!".
I think you're right... I had forgotten the details, but now that you recount them, I believe that is what happened. Just disgusting... and I hate all this "it's just about sex" nonsense. It was about Clinton lying under oath in a sexual harassment lawsuit (the latter, of course, being one of the sacred cows of the left). Either you respect the law or you don't. You can't say, I don't agree with this line of questioning, so I get to lie. The silver lining is that perhaps a re-examination of Clinton's entitlement/liar complex will hurt Kerry by making voters wince a bit more about his "nuanced" flip flops. Brings back bad memories...
My favorite is still the one right after inauguration where the lines between special guests and the people on the campaign trail Clinton invited to show up (who he never expected to actually show) got mixed up - and so the common people were getting the special tour, and the special guests were standing in line. Hillary is having a fit, completely abusing one of the White House employees, and then turns to Bill and inquires as to what he's going to do about it. Bill mumbles something about going to the bathroom and takes off.
I think the saddest one is the recording of Bill cheating Chelsea in a game of miniature golf.
One of them...there's also abuse of power, witness intimidation, using government positions to pay off his mistresses, using his Office to persecute women that turned him down...
Public corruption, not personal.
The Violence Against Women Act.
Clinton personally demonized those who protested against the specific provisions he later complained about.
Actually, they used the standard legal definition, except eliminated the clause pertaining to motive to humiliate or degrade. It is a very broad definition, which broadness Clinton made note of when he conceded to admitting to having sexual contact with Genifer Flowers, in implying that his "sex" with her, was just general groping. In any case, he knew clearly that he had acted in a manner described within the definition.
you forgot the rapes and strange 'suicides'
A year of legal couseling saved him... every one knows that Jessie Jackson was couseling him... probably telling him how lucky he was, not to have a kid hatching in the oven like he was having...
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