Conservative Blogger
Monday, April 4, 2016
Monica Lewinsky
Monica Lewinsky, now 40 and 17 years removed from her affair with then-President Bill Clinton, is speaking out -- offering what could be uncomfortable details as Hillary Clinton is thought to be preparing a White House run.
Lewinsky has penned an account for Vanity Fair, excerpts of which were published Tuesday. In it, she recalls the humiliation she endured and accuses the Clinton administration and others of making her a "scapegoat."
"The Clinton administration, the special prosecutor's minions, the political operatives on both sides of the aisle, and the media were able to brand me," she wrote. "And that brand stuck, in part because it was imbued with power."
Still, Lewinsky wrote that the affair was consensual.
"Sure, my boss took advantage of me, but I will always remain firm on this point: it was a consensual relationship. Any 'abuse' came in the aftermath, when I was made a scapegoat in order to protect his powerful position," she said.
Lewinsky said she "deeply" regrets what happened between her and the leader of the free world. As for her silence all these years, she acknowledged "buzz" that she was paid off but insisted "nothing could be further from the truth."
Lewinsky said her notoriety for years has hurt her ability to get the kind of job she wants. She said she interviewed for communications jobs but was often told she wasn't "quite right" for the position, or was courted just to help companies get media attention.
Lewinsky revealed that she was "suicidal" during the height of the Clinton administration scandal, though never actually tried to kill herself. As for why she's coming forward, she said she wants to "get involved with efforts on behalf of victims of online humiliation and harassment and to start speaking on this topic in public forums."
Candidates crisscross Wisconsin, where leaders Trump, Clinton stare down upsets
Presidential candidates crisscrossed Wisconsin on Sunday ahead of the state’s GOP and Democratic primaries in which upsets are looming -- while other, pressing campaign-season issues including debate challenges and convention rules unfolded off the campaign trail.
“I want it,” Democrat frontrunner Hillary Clinton told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” in response to suggestions that she is avoiding a debate with rival Sen. Bernie Sanders in her adopted home state of New York ahead of its April 19 primary.
Sanders, a Brooklynite who has won five of the last six primaries or caucuses, challenged Clinton to a debate.
The Clinton campaign has offered a few dates -- including a weekday morning and at the same time as Monday night’s NCAA men’s basketball champions -- that the Sanders campaign and others see as less than optimal for viewership.
Still, Clinton said she was “confident” about the debate happening.
Late Sunday, the Sanders campaign countered by saying the candidate is available to debate April 10, 11, 12 or 13.
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
"Let’s stop the silly political games,” Briggs said. “Let’s get on with debating the candidates’ stands on serious issues affecting New York and the United States.”
Briggs said in a statement late Sunday that Sanders accepted an invitation for a prime-time debate on April 10 on NBC News.
"We hope the Clinton campaign also accepts. The April 10 debate date is one of four dates that the Sanders campaign had proposed for a debate with Secretary Clinton before the New York primary election," he said.
Clinton has no public events Sunday in Wisconsin, where some polls show Sanders with a slight lead.
Though she has attempted to focus her resources of late on a general election race with GOP front-runner Donald Trump or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Clinton also made clear Sunday the Sanders remains a political threat.
“I certainly I haven't moved on,” she told NBC. “I know that I still have work to do to win the nomination.”
She also repeated her regret for using a private email server for official communications while secretary of state, amid nagging concerns about her trustworthiness and said the FBI had not contacted her about being interviewed regard its investigation of the email matter.
Sanders and the top two GOP presidential candidates, Trump and Cruz, were campaigning in Wisconsin.
The other Republican candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, told ABC’s “This Week” that the Republican convention -- which could happen in July without a clear nominee based on delegate wins -- could be a civics lesson for the country.
“Kids will spend less time focusing on Bieber and Kardashian and more time focusing on how we elect presidents," said Kasich, who has won only Ohio. "It will be so cool."
Trump on Sunday called for Kasich to drop out of the race, arguing he shouldn't be allowed to continue accumulating delegates if he has no chance of being the nominee.
Trump has 736 pledged delegates, followed by Cruz with 463, then Kasich with 143 -- with 1,237 needed to secure the nomination.
However, Trump, after a difficult week, now trails Cruz in Wisconsin, which holds its primary Tuesday, after some polls showed him leading by double-digits several weeks ago.
Trump said Sunday that Kasich could be considered as a nominee at the GOP convention in July even without competing in the remaining nominating contests.
Trump told reporters at a Milwaukee diner that he had relayed his concerns to Republican National Committee officials at a meeting in Washington this past week.
"He's taking my votes," Trump said about Kasich.
The Kasich campaign tried to flip the script, contending that neither Trump nor Cruz would have enough delegates to win the nomination outright going into the convention.
"Since he thinks it's such a good idea, we look forward to Trump dropping out before the convention," said Kasich spokesman Chris Schrimpf.
Trump's declaration came as Republican concerns grew about the prospect of convention chaos if Trump fails to lock up his party's nomination -- or even if he does.
Despite the bad week, Trump returned to the confident bravado his supporters have come to expect. Stopping for breakfast at Miss Katie's Diner on Sunday, Trump predicted he'd do "very well" on Tuesday.
"We're going to have a big surprise for you," he said. "We're going to have a big success."
He also had a town hall event in West Allis, Wis.
Cruz held rallies Sunday in Green Bay and Eau Claire, Wis.
In Green Bay, Cruz was joined by former GOP Gov. Scott Walker, former 2016 candidate Carly Fiorina, wife Heidi Cruz and Packer hall of famer Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila.
Cruz joked about Gbaja-Biamila sacking Trump.
“I’m just picturing the shy, retiring Donald Trump back in the pocket looking at Kabeer, jumping over the offensive line and coming in for a sack,” Cruz said. “I think Donald’s hair would stand on end.”
Sanders held a rally in Madison and a town hall event in Wausau, Wis.
Trump regrets Heidi Cruz retweet, digs in on NATO and Asia nukes
While admitting his controversial comments last week on women and
abortion -- and the subsequent back-tracking -- may have taken a toll on
his campaign going into Tuesday’s Wisconsin primary, Republican
presidential front-runner Donald Trump also took to the airwaves Sunday
to defend equally controversial statements that NATO was “obsolete” and
that South Korea and Japan “would be better off” if they had nuclear
weapons.
In recent days, the first-time candidate retweeted an unflattering picture of primary rival Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s wife and suggested NATO is obsolete and “some form of punishment” is needed for women who have abortions if the procedure were illegal.
“I could have done without the tweet,” Trump told “Fox News Sunday.”
Trump wouldn’t agree that he made a mistake on the abortion question, but said, “As a hypothetical question, I would have rather answered it in a different manner.”
He eventually issued two statements to clarify his comments.
Those mistakes appear to be hurting him in Wisconsin, which holds its primary on Tuesday, and with women voters, a key voting bloc in the general election.
Most polls show Trump trailing Cruz in Wisconsin,
after leading him by double-digits in late February. And a recent
WSJ/NBC poll shows 70 percent of women have an unfavorable view of him.
However, Trump on Sunday held firm on his position that NATO has become obsolete.
He said the international peacekeeping force doesn’t focus enough on stopping terrorism and that the United States pays too much for what it gets in return.
“It's obsolete,” Trump said. “We're not getting the benefits that we should be getting for the money. We're carrying a lot of countries. … What I said was exactly right. … I think NATO has to be readjusted.”
Trump also stuck by his suggestion that it’s perhaps time for the U.S. to stop paying most of the bill to defend Japan and South Korea against nuclear-armed North Korea, even if that means touching off a nuclear arms race in the Korean peninsula.
“You have Pakistan and you have North Korea. And you have China. And you have Russia. And you have India. And you have the United States and many other countries have nukes,” Trump said. “You already have a nuclear arms race.”
Trump has run his campaign since June in an unabashed style in which he has risen in the polls in part with unapologetic remarks about deporting roughly 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States and a call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants.
On Sunday, the New York real estate magnate still expressed confidence about doing well in Wisconsin and winning the party nomination. He acknowledged, however, being a politician for just eight months and having a “learning curve.”
He also remained defiant regarding his decision to defend campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who has been charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly grabbing the arm of a female reporter.
Trump said the reporter, Michelle Fields, originally and falsely claimed she was nearly knocked to the ground and that Lewandowski is a “good, honest man.”
“The easier thing would have been: ‘Corey, you're fired. You're not very good at that, OK?’ But I don't want to ruin him . . . I don't want to destroy him,” Trump said.
In recent days, the first-time candidate retweeted an unflattering picture of primary rival Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s wife and suggested NATO is obsolete and “some form of punishment” is needed for women who have abortions if the procedure were illegal.
“I could have done without the tweet,” Trump told “Fox News Sunday.”
Trump wouldn’t agree that he made a mistake on the abortion question, but said, “As a hypothetical question, I would have rather answered it in a different manner.”
He eventually issued two statements to clarify his comments.
Those mistakes appear to be hurting him in Wisconsin, which holds its primary on Tuesday, and with women voters, a key voting bloc in the general election.
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
However, Trump on Sunday held firm on his position that NATO has become obsolete.
He said the international peacekeeping force doesn’t focus enough on stopping terrorism and that the United States pays too much for what it gets in return.
“It's obsolete,” Trump said. “We're not getting the benefits that we should be getting for the money. We're carrying a lot of countries. … What I said was exactly right. … I think NATO has to be readjusted.”
Trump also stuck by his suggestion that it’s perhaps time for the U.S. to stop paying most of the bill to defend Japan and South Korea against nuclear-armed North Korea, even if that means touching off a nuclear arms race in the Korean peninsula.
“You have Pakistan and you have North Korea. And you have China. And you have Russia. And you have India. And you have the United States and many other countries have nukes,” Trump said. “You already have a nuclear arms race.”
Trump has run his campaign since June in an unabashed style in which he has risen in the polls in part with unapologetic remarks about deporting roughly 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States and a call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants.
On Sunday, the New York real estate magnate still expressed confidence about doing well in Wisconsin and winning the party nomination. He acknowledged, however, being a politician for just eight months and having a “learning curve.”
He also remained defiant regarding his decision to defend campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who has been charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly grabbing the arm of a female reporter.
Trump said the reporter, Michelle Fields, originally and falsely claimed she was nearly knocked to the ground and that Lewandowski is a “good, honest man.”
“The easier thing would have been: ‘Corey, you're fired. You're not very good at that, OK?’ But I don't want to ruin him . . . I don't want to destroy him,” Trump said.
Trump doubles-down on allies paying more for US protection, vows to repeal ObamaCare
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump doubled-down Sunday
night on his comments that the US should “do a better deal” with Japan,
South Korea and other allies, saying they should pay more for America’s
protection while taking a greater role in their defense — including
building their own nuclear weapons.
Responding to questions at a Fox News Channel “On the Record” town hall two days before the Wisconsin primary — where polls show he trails Ted Cruz — Trump also said that raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour wasn’t good for business or jobs creation.
"If you start raising that minimum wage, you're going to make a lot of our companies even more non-competitive," he said.
Trump also delved into his plans to change the nation's tax code by "simplifying" it.
"The very rich are probably going to end up paying more, but there's an incentive for them to invest and create jobs in the country," he said.
He also renewed his promise to repeal ObamaCare — though he again wouldn’t offer specifics about what would replace it.
Trump’s comments capped a full day of defending his
controversial statements on abortion, comments about rival Ted Cruz’s
wife and American’s continued participation in NATO.
Trump pointed to the deals to defend countries such as Japan, Germany, and South Korea as an example of how the U.S. is a "policemen to the world."
"We defend all these countries, we're not properly reimbursed for the kind of money that we're spending," he said.
"We cannot spend billions and billions and billions of dollars on defending all of these countries," he added.
In recent days, the first-time candidate retweeted an unflattering picture of primary rival Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s wife and suggested NATO is obsolete and “some form of punishment” is needed for women who have abortions if the procedure were illegal.
“I could have done without the tweet,” Trump said earlier in the day on “Fox News Sunday.”
Trump wouldn’t agree that he made a mistake on the abortion question, but said, “As a hypothetical question, I would have rather answered it in a different manner.”
He eventually issued two statements to clarify his comments.
Trump held firm on his position that NATO has become obsolete.
He said the international peacekeeping force doesn’t focus enough on stopping terrorism and that the United States pays too much for what it gets in return.
“It's obsolete,” Trump said. “We're not getting the benefits that we should be getting for the money. We're carrying a lot of countries. … What I said was exactly right. … I think NATO has to be readjusted.”
Trump also stuck by his suggestion that it’s perhaps time for the U.S. to stop paying most of the bill to defend Japan and South Korea against nuclear-armed North Korea, even if that means touching off a nuclear arms race in the Korean peninsula.
“You have Pakistan and you have North Korea. And you have China. And you have Russia. And you have India. And you have the United States and many other countries have nukes,” Trump said. “You already have a nuclear arms race.”
Trump has run his campaign since June in an unabashed style in which he has risen in the polls in part with unapologetic remarks about deporting roughly 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States and a call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants.
On Sunday, the New York real estate magnate still expressed confidence about doing well in Wisconsin and winning the party nomination. He acknowledged, however, being a politician for just eight months and having a “learning curve.”
Responding to questions at a Fox News Channel “On the Record” town hall two days before the Wisconsin primary — where polls show he trails Ted Cruz — Trump also said that raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour wasn’t good for business or jobs creation.
"If you start raising that minimum wage, you're going to make a lot of our companies even more non-competitive," he said.
Trump also delved into his plans to change the nation's tax code by "simplifying" it.
"The very rich are probably going to end up paying more, but there's an incentive for them to invest and create jobs in the country," he said.
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
Trump pointed to the deals to defend countries such as Japan, Germany, and South Korea as an example of how the U.S. is a "policemen to the world."
"We defend all these countries, we're not properly reimbursed for the kind of money that we're spending," he said.
"We cannot spend billions and billions and billions of dollars on defending all of these countries," he added.
In recent days, the first-time candidate retweeted an unflattering picture of primary rival Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s wife and suggested NATO is obsolete and “some form of punishment” is needed for women who have abortions if the procedure were illegal.
“I could have done without the tweet,” Trump said earlier in the day on “Fox News Sunday.”
Trump wouldn’t agree that he made a mistake on the abortion question, but said, “As a hypothetical question, I would have rather answered it in a different manner.”
He eventually issued two statements to clarify his comments.
Trump held firm on his position that NATO has become obsolete.
He said the international peacekeeping force doesn’t focus enough on stopping terrorism and that the United States pays too much for what it gets in return.
“It's obsolete,” Trump said. “We're not getting the benefits that we should be getting for the money. We're carrying a lot of countries. … What I said was exactly right. … I think NATO has to be readjusted.”
Trump also stuck by his suggestion that it’s perhaps time for the U.S. to stop paying most of the bill to defend Japan and South Korea against nuclear-armed North Korea, even if that means touching off a nuclear arms race in the Korean peninsula.
“You have Pakistan and you have North Korea. And you have China. And you have Russia. And you have India. And you have the United States and many other countries have nukes,” Trump said. “You already have a nuclear arms race.”
Trump has run his campaign since June in an unabashed style in which he has risen in the polls in part with unapologetic remarks about deporting roughly 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States and a call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants.
On Sunday, the New York real estate magnate still expressed confidence about doing well in Wisconsin and winning the party nomination. He acknowledged, however, being a politician for just eight months and having a “learning curve.”
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