Clinton delivers his strongest denial of allegations that he had an affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. His later revelation to the contrary resulted in lengthy impeachment proceedings that nearly cost him the presidency.
Posted on 10/12/2003 3:24:41 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
FRESH allegations of sexual assaults by the young Bill Clinton have emerged in the wake of last week's televised claim by Juanita Broaddrick that he raped her in her hotel bedroom in 1978.
At least two more women, one of them English, may have been his victims on earlier occasions, according to an Internet website that claims to have spoken to both in the past few days. The new charges, which have not been independently confirmed, are signals that the controversy over President Clinton's sexual conduct is far from over.
Ms Broaddrick's sometimes tearful account of Mr Clinton's alleged assault was watched in 23 million American homes and had a profound effect on many who saw it. According to an opinion poll, published by Fox News yesterday, 54 per cent of Americans believe Ms Broaddrick's version of events - which is denied by the President's lawyers - and half say her claim represents a "pattern of behaviour" by Mr Clinton. Some believe that Ms Broaddrick's interview may encourage other women to come forward.
Lucianne Goldberg, the literary agent who encouraged Linda Tripp to record her telephone conversations with Miss Lewinsky, has been hinting to friends that she has someone lined up to go public within a month.
Capitol Hill Blue, a conservative-leaning website, claims that a 19-year-old Englishwoman complained of being sexually assaulted by Mr Clinton at a pub near Oxford in 1969, when he was a Rhodes Scholar. It claims to have confirmation from a former State Department official. The alleged victim's family is said to have decided against pursuing the case.
According to Capitol Hill Blue, the woman - who it says is now married and lives near London - confirmed that there had been an incident when contacted last week but refused to go public. It said she had since changed her telephone number.
The same website also claims to have spoken to an unnamed woman who was sexually assaulted by Mr Clinton, then a Yale law student, in 1972. She was 22 at the time. According to the report, the woman confirmed the incident but declined to discuss it further. The Internet magazine said the incident was also confirmed by a retired campus policeman.
The website, run from suburban Virginia, is regarded by Washington insiders as significantly less reliable than rivals such as the Drudge Report, which was the first to reveal that the President had had an affair with Monica Lewinsky but which itself has not always proved correct.
Capitol Hill Blue's slogan, "Because nobody's life, liberty or property is safe while Congress is in session", suggests that its political leanings are well to the Right, qualifying it as part of what Clinton defenders regard as a "vast Right-wing conspiracy". Its report admits that a request for any records of the Oxford incident, filed under freedom of information legislation, failed to turn up anything.
The allegations are being made amid signs that women's organisations, whose support for Mr Clinton has been vital to his survival, are beginning to desert him. Patricia Ireland, president of the National Organisation for Women, said: "The story was devastating because she doesn't have an apparent political motivation and she doesn't seem to be in it for the money."
She urged people to treat Ms Broaddrick "fairly and respectfully" and, in a devastating sideswipe at the White House, called on Mr Clinton "to denounce this 'nuts or sluts' defence, the argument that she either made it up or asked for it".
Miss Ireland's intervention marks a significant shift in the position of one of America's most influential feminist groups, which earlier staunchly opposed impeachment. Republicans are calling on so-called "ethical Democrats" - senators such as Joseph Lieberman and Daniel Patrick Moynihan who took a moral stance on the President's behaviour after he admitted his affair with Miss Lewinsky - to confront Mr Clinton on Ms Broaddrick's allegations.
How likely they are to do so is another matter. Senator Lieberman did not even watch the NBC broadcast - "it was his birthday", said a spokesman. Another Democrat said: "People are disturbed by the possibility that the President behaved like that. But will anyone who matters press him on it? They didn't do so before and I would be very surprised if they do so now."
She doesn't like the answers.
It's that they didn't follow like sheep, that's sticking in her craw.
The Left is just flat out shocked that their last minute dirty tricks didn't peal off enough voters to keep Davis in office.
Isn't this the woman who was connected to "Code Pink" here on FR?
Or maybe they saw the smear campaign for what it was?
Jeez, no on on earth should be surprised Arnold flirted as a young man. All men tried it, just not as sucessfully as Arnold. He's now clearly a devoted family man.
The libs really are fun to watch as their power base continues to crumble.
Arnold is a hunk while Gray Davis looks like a caring, feeling wimp.
Hasn't Ms. Melone heard of Juanita Brodderick? "Go put some ice on it, Mary Jo!"
Bolshevik. Clinton's wife don't even want him.
She want's his wimmin...
They certainly came forward too late ---- like a week before the election when the democrats saw from their real polling data (not what they were reporting of course) that Schwatzenegger was going to win.
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