On 17 August 1998 Bill Clinton delivered this address to the nation, that for many came to define the second term of his presidency. Clinton was and is electrifying speaker, his feats with a microphone are legendary, but this is a different kind of speech — the speech of the wrongdoer, the apologiser, the under siege, the repentant.
My own view is that it’s a good mea culpa speech, although speaking well is almost counterproductive when the public perception is one of being too slick, or slippery, or untrustworthy, or abusive.
In terms of choosing the right words, Clinton accepts responsibility, (although some might argue that he fudges with ‘my answers were legally accurate’. Ate least he doesn’t shape shift with the most famous few lines:
Indeed, I did have a relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. It constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely and completely responsible.
It’s not a happy anniversary. Clinton was a hero for many, including me, and it’s impossible to know the Lewinsky story and not feel duped, or disgusted, or just plain sad. The podcast that really clinched it for me was Slate’s Slow Burn Series 2 which is one of the best series ever made.
I’ll copy the transcript below.
A note on the Speakola podcast
My apologies, particularly to paid subscribers, for a lack of output on Speakola podcast. I have a great episode recorded which I will edit this week, with the colourful and witty former UK HighCourt judge (Family Division) Sir Nicholas Moysten. His feature speech for the episode is the beauty he recorded on retirement from the bench as a result of his Parkinsons, and he’s now part of the brilliant Movers and Shakers podcast which discusses all matters relating to Parkinsons.
Do Meet Your Heroes
On the subject of disability adjacent podcasts, my son Jack is fifteen and has cerebral palsy. He’s starting a podcast (with me guiding) called ‘Do Meet Your Heroes’, in which he chats to sports stars, musicians, comedians, and others who make his list of heroes. Episode one is out. He also gives me shit here for not doing enough episodes of Speakola!
But the full first episode is really cute. You should give it a listen and a subscribe!
I promise to start chasing more Speakola guests now! I’ve been overwhelmed, and a little broadsided, by the many solo years I’ve had on this Speakola project. It’s difficult to chase guests, to find times for records, to do the edits, to publish, when it’s not really a financially viable proposition. I will, however, get back to it, because it’s a great podcast and I enjoy the end result.
What about the nerves in the seconds before he starts here! Amazing.
Bill Clinton: - “Indeed I did have a relationship with Ms Lewinsky that was not appropriate”, Address to nation - 1998
17 August 1998, Washington DC, USA
Good evening.
This afternoon in this room, from this chair, I testified before the Office of Independent Counsel and the grand jury.
I answered their questions truthfully, including questions about my private life, questions no American citizen would ever want to answer.
Still, I must take complete responsibility for all my actions, both public and private. And that is why I am speaking to you tonight.
As you know, in a deposition in January, I was asked questions about my relationship with Monica Lewinsky. While my answers were legally accurate, I did not volunteer information.
Indeed, I did have a relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. It constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely and completely responsible.
But I told the grand jury today and I say to you now that at no time did I ask anyone to lie, to hide or destroy evidence or to take any other unlawful action.
I know that my public comments and my silence about this matter gave a false impression. I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that.
I can only tell you I was motivated by many factors. First, by a desire to protect myself from the embarrassment of my own conduct.
I was also very concerned about protecting my family. The fact that these questions were being asked in a politically inspired lawsuit, which has since been dismissed, was a consideration, too.
In addition, I had real and serious concerns about an independent counsel investigation that began with private business dealings 20 years ago - dealings, I might add, about which an independent federal agency found no evidence of any wrongdoing by me or my wife over two years ago.
The independent counsel investigation moved on to my staff and friends, then into my private life. And now the investigation itself is under investigation.
This has gone on too long, cost too much and hurt too many innocent people.
Now, this matter is between me, the two people I love most - my wife and our daughter - and our God. I must put it right, and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to do so.
Nothing is more important to me personally. But it is private, and I intend to reclaim my family life for my family. It’s nobody’s business but ours.
Even presidents have private lives. It is time to stop the pursuit of personal destruction and the prying into private lives and get on with our national life.
Our country has been distracted by this matter for too long, and I take my responsibility for my part in all of this. That is all I can do.
Now it is time - in fact, it is past time - to move on.
We have important work to do - real opportunities to seize, real problems to solve, real security matters to face.
And so tonight, I ask you to turn away from the spectacle of the past seven months, to repair the fabric of our national discourse, and to return our attention to all the challenges and all the promise of the next American century.
Thank you for watching. And good night.
The Elephant in the Room
If you’d like to help Speakola, but don’t like memberships because of recurring payments, you could either make a straight donation or put your name down for two copies of my new hardback picture book, which will be out at Christmas. It’s a beauty, with the world’s biggest idiom stomping its way into a family’s hectic life and another hidden idiom drawn into each illustration. If you register for two hardback copies by the end of this week I’ll add your kids (or grandkids’) names to a list on the back page! They’ll love seeing their names in print in their new favourite book!
Laura and I won CBCA Honour Book for The Cow Tripped Over the Moon and Hickory Dickory Dash was National Simultaneous Storytime title 2017. Get two for the present drawer! (pay when the books come in)
If it's eighteen* years since Bill's address then, as a Bulldogs' fan, I'm about to experience the greatest month of my life! Looking forward to it.
*Sorry for being a pedant.