Former Democratic Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Sunday he believed the way Monica Lewinsky was treated by the Clintons after former President Bill Clinton’s affair with her became public would not be condoned today.
“No, I don’t. And I think it was a horrible thing 25 years ago,” McAuliffe, a Clinton ally, said during an interview on MSNBC’s “Kasie DC” when asked by host Kasie Hunt whether Bill Clinton and wife Hillary Clinton’s behavior would be “tolerable today.”
“As you know, we’re very good friends. I told the president back then it was a horrible thing. I wrote about it in my book. But he did, I would say this Kasie, he paid a horrible price, he paid a horrible personal price, he paid a horrible political price,” he continued.
.@kasie: “Do you think that the Clintons victimized @MonicaLewinsky? Do you think the way they dealt with her would be tolerated today?”@TerryMcAuliffe: “No, I don’t. And I thought it was a horrible thing 25 years ago.” pic.twitter.com/BVz5bPY8zt
— Kasie DC (@KasieDC) June 3, 2018
Clinton’s relationship with Lewinsky began in 1995 when she was a 22-year-old intern during his administration’s first term. It culminated in Clinton’s impeachment by the House of Representatives before the Senate acquitted him of perjury and obstruction of justice charges.
In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and growing awareness regarding sexual misconduct, the Clintons have been criticized for the heavy-handed tactics they employed to discredit Lewinsky’s claims.
McAuliffe did not respond directly to questions about whether he agreed with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who in 2017 suggested Clinton should have resigned due to his infidelity with Lewinsky.
[Related: Bill Clinton: I donât owe Monica Lewinksy a private apology]
“I think if it happened today, I think we’d be having the same argument that would go on today with anybody involved in the #MeToo movement. But 25 years ago, as I say, it was a different standard,” he added.
McAuliffe also did not entertain inquiries in relation to his own possible presidential ambitions, only saying that Democrats should focus on telling Americans how they can best serve them rather than trying to impeach President Trump.
McAuliffe, who served as Virginia’s governor from 2014 to 2018, co-chaired Clinton’s 1996 re-election campaign in addition to chairing Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid.
