Former President Bill Clinton said it was a “grievous” mistake for former Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., to resign last year amid mounting sexual misconduct allegations, while comparing that situation to his affair with Monica Lewinsky two decades ago.
“I think that, I will be honest, the Franken case for me, was a difficult case, a hard case. There may be things I don’t know. But I, maybe I’m just an old-fashioned person, but it seemed to me that there were 29 women on ‘Saturday Night Live’ that put out a statement for him, and that the first and most fantastic story was called, I believe, into question,” Clinton said in an interview conducted last week.
“Too late to wade into it now. I mean, I think it’s a grievous thing to take away from the people a decision they have made, especially when there is an election coming up again. But it’s done now,” he added. “And I think that all of us should just be focusing on how to do better and how to go forward.”
The remarks came in response to questioning from “PBS NewsHour’s” Judy Woodruff about the severity of the allegations against Franken, compared to Clinton’s actions in the 1990s with Lewinsky, who had been a White House intern.
Clinton argued that the standards regarding “what you can do to somebody against their will” have changed.
“I think its a good thing that we should all have higher standards. I think the norms have really changed in terms of what you can do to somebody against their will, how much you can crowd their space, make them miserable at work,” Clinton said.
“You don’t have to physically assault somebody to make them, you know, uncomfortable at work or at home or in their other, just walking around. That, I think is good,” Clinton added.
Clinton faced intense scrutiny last week due to his responses questions in other interviews last week, as he embarks on a book tour, regarding the #MeToo movement and the scandal which ultimately led to his impeachment.
Last week, Clinton spoke with NBC’s “Today” show, saying he wouldn’t handle the situation any differently.
Following the defensive interview, the former president publicly apologized to Lewinsky and the American people.
“I meant it then and I meant it now. I apologize to my family, to Monica Lewinsky and her family, and the American people,” Clinton said at the New York Public Library.
