The Clintons Off the Record During the Lewinsky Scandal

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/10/05/Taylor_Branch_The_Clinton_Tapes

Taylor Branch, author of The Clinton Tapes, recounts the Clinton family's behavior behind the scenes during the Lewinsky scandal and impeachment trial. "Hillary felt more strongly against impeachment than the President did," says Branch.

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Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Taylor Branch discusses his account of President Clinton's confidential diary project, a unique collaboration, aimed to preserve the fullest record of a pivotal president. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Harold Jackson moderates. - National Constitution Center

Taylor Branch is the bestselling author of Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-63 (which won the Pulitzer Prize), Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963-65, and At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-1968.

The author of several other books, Branch began his career as a magazine journalist for The Washington Monthly, Harper's, and Esquire. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

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[mrx0066600]

Clinton getting his weed wacked not an abuse of presidential power.

Bush using people's fears from 9/11to do what ever he wanted and invading Iraq. An abhorrent abuse of power.

[BigPurple121]

The Clintons are political animals (period)

Cold, calculated, political animals

[DorianGrayism]

I wasn't saying it was something to be bragged about.

I am saying that most people don't care about Charles. The fact that he married the person he had an affair with is an indication of the importance that people place upon the affair he had.

[Re5Publica]

Because the younger generation is debauched, which is not something to be bragged about, but lamented.

[DorianGrayism]

Sure, that was due to public sympathy for Diana( even thought she had her own affair), particularly after the Bashir interview. Not due to moral outrage at Charles' actions.

The monarchy had been going through a decline for a while anyway.

If it was to happen again today, no one would really care, particularly amongst the younger generation.

[Re5Publica]

That's funny since the whole affair with Princess Diana actually caused public support for the monarchy to drop.

[DorianGrayism]

By the way, sitting in the house of Lords has no real political clout. At most you can delay legislation.

That doesn't make you a politician.

[DorianGrayism]

No one cares about Charles. He sounds more like a crackpot these days as he gets older.

If he gets a BJ off someone else and he lied, I doubt anyone would care. No one would suggest that he should give up his claim to the throne.

They would only be interested as it would be a gossip piece on a British Tabloid.

[Gimeolots]

In retrospect it's not about fidelity, decency of character, slandering the poor young skank, or any of that. It is about RESULTs. Peace, prosperity, economic expansion, the birth of the internet. The longest period of economic expansion in American History. Yeah... That would be what they call Results.

[Re5Publica]

He lied under oath about his relationship with Monica, and he slandered her. If you don't think this, in anyway, makes him unfit for the presidency than that is your view. Some hold the president, the commander-in-chief, the highest political office, to a justifiably high standard, and if his "best of my ability" is getting blowjobs by an intern in the same house Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln lived in, and where his children live and play, than that's a depressing sign of the times.

[frankroto]

@Re5Publica: Infidelity to his oath as president? You mean "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."?

He received a BJ and when asked if he had sex with Monica, said he didn't. How is that "infidelity...to his oath as president"? Or did I miss the "I swear (or affirm) that I will receive no extramarital BJs" amendment?

[Re5Publica]

I'm independent, but to act as though the matter is simply about fellatio, and not about infidelity, to both his wife, and to his oath as president, and to his personal character over the allegations he made against Lewinsky I think highlights that you're partisan, or at the very least, debauched.