The left-leaning New York Times editorial board has made a full reckoning with the numerous accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior that have dogged former President Bill Clinton for decades.
In an editorial published Thursday night related to Democratic Sen. Al Franken and the raft of allegations against other political figures, the paper acknowledged Clinton’s own history of accusations.
“In demanding Mr. Franken’s resignation, the Democratic Party seized an opportunity to atone for its own bad history, including President Bill Clinton’s sexual misconduct …,” the Times said.
Until recently, the national media was largely hesitant to treat Clinton’s accusers, including Juanita Broaddrick, who has maintained for years that Clinton raped her, as legitimate.
Leading up to the presidential election in 1992, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times passed on publishing Broaddrick’s accusations against Clinton.
In 1998, the paper published a column by famed feminist Gloria Steinem defending Clinton amid the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
The paper ran an editorial ahead of George W. Bush’s inauguration in 2001 reflecting on Clinton’s two terms and only acknowledged his “sexual adventurism in the Oval Office,” without any reference to Broaddrick or other women who have accused Clinton of inappropriate or criminal behavior.
But after President Trump’s election 2016, the paper appears to have evolved.
With its editorial Thursday, it recognized the accusations against Clinton as more than just he said, she said allegations.
And in November, the Times ran an op-ed by its liberal columnist Michelle Goldberg headlined, “I believe Juanita.”
