Long before there was Stormy Daniels, there was Monica Lewinsky. Save for the fact that the former is a porn star and the latter, a once White House intern, the two have a lot in common. In fact, Monica and Stormy are associated with two of the biggest political affairs this country has ever seen.

While Stormy is still very much in the throes of the public eye, it’s been 20 years since Monica Lewinsky’s name was plastered alongside Bill Clinton’s on every major news publication in the world. That said, it doesn’t make her story any less relevant to today’s cultural climate.

monica lewinsky bill clinton

In light of the #MeToo movement, many people have criticized Bill Clinton’s affair with a young Monica Lewinsky as no better than the acts of sexual misconduct — and even the more serious allegations — that President Donald Trump has faced.

However, Bill fiercely defended how he handled things in 1998, specifically his decision to remain in office. “A lot of the facts have been conveniently omitted to make the story work, I think partly because they’re frustrated that they got all these serious allegations against the current occupant of the Oval Office and his voters don’t seem to care,” the former president told Today on June 4. “I think I did the right thing. I defended the Constitution.”

In addition to being adamant that he did the right thing, the father-of-one continued that he doesn’t believe that he owes Ms. Lewinsky an apology. “No, I do not — I have never talked to her,” the 71-year-old explained. “But I did say publicly on more than one occasion that I was sorry. That’s very different. The apology was public.”

In March 2018, Monica penned an essay for Vanity Fair marking the 20-year-anniversary of her affair with Bill Clinton. In it, she reflected on a number of different aspects of their time together, including whether or not it was consensual.

“Now, at 44, I’m beginning (just beginning) to consider the implications of power differentials that were so vast between a president and a White House intern,” she wrote. “I’m beginning to entertain the notion that in such a circumstance the idea of consent might well be rendered moot.” On June 4, Monica shared the essay on Twitter, citing that it “was worth reposting.”

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