Monica Lewinsky the former White House intern whose name became synonymous with one of the most explosive political scandals in American history, is now 51 and reflecting on the affair that made her a household name in the late ’90s.
Lewinskey’s secret relationship with then-President of the United States Bill Clinton rocked the nation and nearly upended his presidency. Clinton’s presidency was thrown into turmoil when it was revealed that the married commander in chief had an intimate relationship with Lewinsky, who was in her early 20 at the time.
She pushed back recently on the longtime narrative about her time in the White House during a chat on Elizabeth Day’s “How To Fail” podcast.
After being asked if she had feelings for Clinton during their fling, Lewinsky admitted to having a “young woman’s love” with Bill during their time together before explaining she later saw the affair as an “abuse of power.”
Lewinsky began her White House career as a 21-year-old unpaid intern for Chief of Staff Leon Panetta in June 1995 — the same year she began her relationship with Clinton in November.
Clinton’s false statements under oath about his relationship with Lewinsky led the Republican-controlled House to impeach him in December 1998 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
Monica Lewinsky believes Bill Clinton should have resigned instead of ‘throwing her under the bus’ pic.twitter.com/We8VkVd5Wp
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The U.S. Senate acquitted President Clinton in January 1999, allowing him to serve out the remainder of his second term through 2001. Shortly after, he backed his wife Hillary Clinton’s successful 2000 U.S. Senate campaign in New York.
While Bill and Hillary, 77, were able to maintain significant political power in Washington, D.C., for another two decades, Lewinsky was severely hounded by the public for years and accused of lacking intelligence.
“I’m by no means a genius, by no means going to be the cream of the crop, but I wasn’t a bimbo. I wasn’t a dumb bimbo so like I was portrayed to be,” Lewinsky told Day around the 30:00 time mark of the June 24 YouTube video clip of the sit-down.
The Alt Ending Productions founder resumed, “That was a big struggle for me to deal with that.” Day then said, “And you were often portrayed as that by other women.”
Lewinsky responded, “Often by other women, but I think that that was a narrative that was crafted and put out by the White House, so I think that mantle was picked up by a lot of women.”
She admitted to making bad choices in her younger years, but also reflected on how the fallout from the calamity with Clinton continuously impacted her life.
She said she struggled to find work after 1998, as her name became synonymous with the White House scandal.
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1. Bill Clinton–Monica Lewinsky scandal. pic.twitter.com/hOYeueZrJx
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More than 25 years after dominating headlines, the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal remains a divisive topic. On Instagram, users keep cracking jokes and debate details around the affair, especially following Lewinsky’s recent comments about her infamous relationship with Clinton.
“For someone who hates being reminded about the situation, why do you keep bringing it up?” one Jasmine Brand follower wondered.
A second stated, “It’s been nearly 30 years, Monica. Move on!”
In contrast, Lewinsky received support when one person expressed, “She did get the ‘villain’ edit, that she never was able to recover from. I feel bad for her. She is a cautionary tale.”
Similarly, someone commented, “Y’all people won’t let this woman forget. Just because you don’t hear about it, doesn’t mean that she isn’t reminded every day of her life.”
Lewinsky sought to rehabilitate her image by focusing on activism and public speaking. She became an advocate against cyberbullying and a proponent of mental health awareness. She even launched a podcast titled, “Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky” for “unfiltered conversations that go unchartered places.”
In addition, the Fox network hired Lewinsky to host the “Mr. Personality” reality competition television series. The five-episode program only aired for one season in 2003.
She currently serves as a contributing editor for Vanity Fair. She has written essays for the magazine covering issues such as national politics, the #MeToo Movement, and the Johnny Depp–Amber Heard trial.
Even though the Clinton affair ultimately made her a household name, Lewinsky insisted she would prefer not to have been in the spotlight. She said, “I love and appreciate who I am now, but I think for so many different reasons, I would have liked a more normal life.”
‘I Wasn’t a Dumb Bimbo Like I Was Portrayed’: Monica Lewinsky Slams White House’s Unflattering Narrative After Bill Clinton Affair and the ‘Young’ Love They Shared