Chris Matthews has a real problem with Democrats and Republicans not getting anything done. Can this famous senator set the record straight?
Many on the right are jumping at the chance to revisit Bill Clinton’s sex scandal ahead of 2016 — but others worry about repeating the GOP’s mistakes of the ’90s. “If they throw out a bad pitch and you swing at it, then you’re an idiot,” says Norquist.
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File
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Mike Theiler / Reuters
When Vanity Fair announced Tuesday that it would publish a 4,300-word, score-settling essay by Monica Lewinsky revisiting her affair with President Bill Clinton, some Republicans saw an opportunity — and others saw a trap.
The article will mark the first time in years that Lewinsky has publicly addressed the sex scandal that led to Clinton’s impeachment, and in a teaser released by the magazine, she accuses the administration, among others, of victimizing her in pursuit of power. “Sure, my boss took advantage of me, but I will always remain firm on this point: it was a consensual relationship,” she writes. “Any ‘abuse’ came in the aftermath, when I was made a scapegoat in order to protect his powerful position.”
To a certain contingent of combative conservatives, Lewinsky’s reemergence represents an irresistible temptation — a chance to revisit the most embarrassing episode of the Clinton presidency, to recast Bill as a sexual predator whose past behavior undermines his party’s “war on women” rhetoric, and to convince a new generation of voters ahead of the 2016 election that Hillary’s true, power-hungry nature was exposed during the affair’s fallout. They also believe — or at least, hope — that this is unlikely to be the last we hear from Lewinsky in the coming years.
Keith Appell, a Republican operative who worked with Swiftboat Veterans for Truth and more recently helped elect Florida Gov. Rick Scott, said Republicans looking to hobble Hillary Clinton’s prospective presidential candidacy should show how she took part in the humiliation of a young intern in order to preserve political power for herself and her husband. “This will always be a black mark on the Clinton presidency, which, from the beginning, was always both of them,” Appell said. “That was made clear from day one. So, Hillary’s appearance on the Today show, when she conjured up a vast right-wing conspiracy out to get the two of them, is a big part of this. Either she was delusional, or she was cynically trying to deflect and attack based on years of enabling him.”
Rick Wilson, a Florida-based media strategist widely known in conservative circles for producing a controversial 2008 ad tying Barack Obama to the extreme statements of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, said Republicans should avoid calling up the sordid details of the Lewinsky affair, but instead focus on how the Clinton White House responded to it. “It would be smarter to remind everyone of the massive, government-funded Clinton operation to destroy Monica, and oh so many bimbo eruptions that came before, and Hillary’s bloodless froideur when it came to keeping Bill in power,” he said.
Even before Lewinsky’s return to the spotlight, at least one high-profile Republican with his eye on the White House tried to make hay out of the 16-year-old sex scandal. In a series of interviews earlier this year, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul called Bill Clinton an “unsavory character” and a “sexual predator,” and said Democratic candidates campaigning on women’s issues should give back any money the former president helped them raise.
But while this kind of rhetoric delights right-wing activists and conservative media outlets, some Republicans believe reviving talk of the Lewinsky affair would be more about indulging the conservative id than following sound political strategy. They argue that in dredging up the sins of Clinton’s past, conservatives risk ignoring the lessons of their own party’s recent history.
In 1998, as revelations about Clinton’s affair dominated the headlines, Republicans were confident that the scandal would result in a midterm landslide for them. But their relentless focus on the president’s sex life — as well as allegations of perjury — looked obsessive and partisan to many voters. Democrats ultimately managed to stave off GOP gains in Congress by pointing to their opponents’ overreach (and to the booming U.S. economy). Today, some Republicans worry they are on course to repeat the same mistakes.
“I think a lot of Republicans view Hillary as calculating and manipulative, and that she went through that Lewinsky process and did everything she could to stay in power,” said Hogan Gidley, a GOP operative who has worked on the presidential campaigns of Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum. “That’s fine… but let’s not forget that the House impeached President Clinton and in fact Democrats then picked up seats in a midterm basically around this issue. So, let’s learn from history here and stick to policy.”
Gidley also noted that for all the fire and brimstone social conservatives rained down on Bill Clinton in the ’90s over his infidelity, Huckabee, who stands poised to be the religious right’s standard-bearer in 2016 if he decides to run again, has declined to join the Lewinsky pile-on. “Huckabee says all the time, ‘You say what you want to about the Clintons, but they stayed married.’ Here we are, the party that promotes marriage as a covenant between man, woman, and God… and there are a lot of Republicans who have gotten divorces since then, while Bill and Hillary have stayed together.”
Meanwhile, the influential conservative activist Grover Norquist cautioned his fellow Republicans against getting distracted from substantive critiques of Hillary Clinton’s record as secretary of state.
“This is the same trick the Clintons pulled on us back in ‘98,” he said. “We didn’t campaign against the massive overspending, or anything else. We were distracted by this bright, shiny object they handed out which was Monica Lewinsky… It will be the same thing this time: ‘Pay not attention to the reset of foreign policy with Russia, or Libya. Oh look, it’s Hillary the victim!’”
Norquist said Republicans will have to demonstrate restraint in avoiding the topic, especially because reporters will try to bait them into talking about it.
“What will happen is the press, if we let them do the debates, will ask questions about Monica, then some Republican will mention it, then the New York Times will say, ‘Oh, the Republicans are so obsessed with Monica!’” Norquist said.
“It’s a constant challenge,” he added. “But it’s like in baseball, if they throw out a bad pitch and you swing at it, then you’re an idiot.”
Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/republicans-torn-over-how-to-talk-about-monica-lewinsky
http://twitter.com/#!/FreedomBruce/status/517691932542128129
The College Republican National Committee is out with a new digital ad campaign spoofing “Say Yes to the Dress”:
BREAKING: The CRNC"s newest digital ad campaign across 16 states. #youthvote #redcampus
http://t.co/GsRDBdg4xx
— College Republicans (@CRNC) October 1, 2014
Here’s the one they made for the Florida gubernatorial race:
But would you believe it? Lefties have their panties in a twist!
@AndrewHClark @CRNC Women are so stupid that we need to reframe politics as a fake wedding for them to get it. You"re right. Amazing!
— Charlie Rybak (@charlierybak) October 2, 2014
Stupid? √ Sexist? √ Cheesy? √. Trifecta! College Republicans Say Yes To Rick Scott http://t.co/vWjG3h68DA
— Greg Pinelo (@gregpinelo) October 1, 2014
The #GOP"s Sexist Reality TV Spoofs Aren"t Going to Win Over #Female Voters
Women want more than husbands, believe it http://t.co/IyzvSCKywO
— L G J (@wcgirl1) October 2, 2014
And the award for the most #sexist political ad of the year goes to @CRNC! Congrats on belittling #FL women http://t.co/zslBanIruH #FLgov
— Travis Swanson (@TeeSwanJr) October 1, 2014
. @AlexandraCSmith @CRNC it was A. Not funny and B. Really, really offensive. But kudos for making Asa Hutchinson look sexist. well done.
— julie, just (@vintagegoddess) October 1, 2014
Still amazed that the @CRNC could release such a sexist and demeaning ad. Not one person raised opposition to this during production? #arpx
— ezra smith (@ezra_smith) October 1, 2014
Congrats @CRNC!
@TIME: "This is the most sexist Republican ad of the year."
https://t.co/MkWRWuWnBA
— Rob Flaherty (@Rob_Flaherty) October 1, 2014
Sexist & stupid RT @SaintPetersblog @TIME @CRNC ad for Rick Scott is “most sexist Republican ad of the year” https://t.co/WnAQGC58HQ #FlaPol
— AJDorsey (@AJDorsey) October 1, 2014
The College Republicans Put Out the Most Offensively Sexist Ad Ever for Rick Snyder http://t.co/ig98oJlRYh via @politicususa #p2 #p2b #ctl
— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) October 2, 2014
Bow before the genius of the @CRNC. "I KNOW: LET"S TARGET YOUNG WOMEN BY COMPARING CANDIDATES TO WEDDING DRESSES!" https://t.co/eCo8zohlm8
— Alexis Goldstein (@alexisgoldstein) October 2, 2014
.@CRNC you should probably just stick to paying call centers to make fundraising calls instead of making sexist ads. pic.twitter.com/bBukwm9Y4B
— Ben Sharpe (@iamsharpe) October 2, 2014
Srsly??? RT @RepublicanSwine: The College Republicans Put Out the Most Offensively Sexist Ad Ever for Rick Snyder http://t.co/fYDungqGjH
— Frank Maynard (@nf8m) October 2, 2014
.@CRNC "Say Yes To Rick Scott" ad targeting women voters is sexist, patronizing & just bizarre http://t.co/dNGyKuBAO8 #sayfie #FlaPol #flgov
— Justin Snyder (@JustinSnyderFL) October 1, 2014
.@cologop @CRNC @bobbeauprez Fun? or incredibly offensive/sexist/condescending and just shows how out of touch GOP are with women
— Sabrina Singh (@sabrinasingh24) October 1, 2014
@cassielee514 @CRNC Ha, GOP still classically clueless. Sexists gotta sexist, I guess.
— stardust (@ofthestardust) October 1, 2014
@AlexandraCSmith @CRNC Im sorry strong women don"t look at picking a candidate to vote for like buying a dress.
— lyric thompson (@lyric_thompson) October 2, 2014
With the NC CRs" strong stance against voter reg and the nat"l committee"s horribly sexist ads, this is really not a strong week for @CRNC.
— Evan Goldstein (@egoldstein93) October 2, 2014
The CRNC plans more sexist ads in Florida? What"s the next one going to say, "Jobless, no health insurance, barefoot and pregnant?" #flgov
— Beach Peanuts (@BeachPeanuts) October 2, 2014
The College Republican National Committee may have made "the Most Sexist Republican Ad of the Year" for Tom Corbett http://t.co/89DWnitOGX
— Philly Mag (@phillymag) October 2, 2014
Say “no” to sexist pandering: College Republicans release hilariously bad ad for Rick Scott, insult women [VIDEO]: http://t.co/cjRrhmwJxL
— Orlando Weekly (@OrlandoWeekly) October 2, 2014
Are College Republicans As Creepy As Their Stupid "Say Yes To The Dress" Ad? http://t.co/gejnyC7zxS
— Crooks and Liars (@crooksandliars) October 2, 2014
The GOP’s sad attempts to court women"s votes remind me of a love-struck guy who just can’t take the hint. http://t.co/Zxx8aG5OTj
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) October 2, 2014
"Voting is hard, right ladies?" That"s @estherbreger skewering new GOP ads targeting young women http://t.co/Zabsh47aWn
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) October 2, 2014
The College Republicans" "Say Yes to the Candidate" ads are probably the most embarrassing, demeaning & sexist political ads I"ve ever seen.
— Kyle Griffis (@JKGriff) October 2, 2014
Dumbsh*t college repub"s not be learning much. Amazingly terrible sexist add. And they"re the future of the GOP? http://t.co/XbmGFtDbUj
— KennethMontana (@KennethFurrow) October 2, 2014
Yeah, those College Republicans ads are, like, so sexist and degrading to women. Not like those empowering ones from liberals:
So amusing to see lib heads explode over @CRNC wedding dress ad targeting women. Same libs gushed over @lenadunham Obama/boyfriend ads.
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) October 2, 2014
@alexisgoldstein @CRNC Is it much worse than encouraging the loss of voting virginity to Obama as per @lenadunham ? https://t.co/TqSKQcXqwk
— Ken Monahan (@Foudroyant) October 2, 2014
Really? Lena Dunham compared it to losing your virginity @lyric_thompson @AlexandraCSmith @CRNC
— Think Freely (@BruceNV) October 2, 2014
The hypocrisy in the media over the @CRNC ad & @LeahDunham ad is astounding. Not a fan of either ad, but one is panned, other is celebrated.
— Matt Frendewey (@mattfrendewey) October 2, 2014
If you"re a journo criticizing @CRNC wedding dress ads now, but praised @lenadunham"s ad in 2012, you just might be a hack.
— Saat Alety (@SaatAlety) October 2, 2014
The hypocrisy. It scorches.
Democrats are allowed to use pop culture references in ads. Republicans can’t. That’s the media rule guys, @CRNC should know this.
— Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) October 1, 2014
OMG! Young GOP women are reaching millenials w/current pop culture analogies & humor. Femmes & Dems OUTRAGED!!! @crnc
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) October 2, 2014
The GOP is finding a way to connect with young people without resorting to creepy sex analogies? Sounds like they’re doing it right.
Oh, and for those who are wondering:
.@CRNC So.. about that sexist ad you folks put together… I imagine a bunch of white dudes thought this one up.. #OutOfTouch
— Justin Snyder (@JustinSnyderFL) October 1, 2014
Question for the @CRNC: Are all the young people featured in this ad actually Republicans? Serious Q.
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) October 1, 2014
Ahem:
And just so we"re clear, these are the strong, talented women who wrote the @CRNC"s "Say Yes" ads! pic.twitter.com/iQHusGJVp3
— Alex Smith (@AlexandraCSmith) October 1, 2014
Again, as I said yesterday, here are the sexists who wrote/produced the ad. @javallon @CRNC @charlierybak pic.twitter.com/ucoS9Lxzpn
— Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) October 2, 2014
http://twitter.com/#!/ThomasPaine5/status/476534018456842241
Fox News’ Brit Hume warned that tonight’s upset by David Brat will help the Democrats and hurt the GOP long-term “because immigration reform will never pass” and the Republicans “will have to proceed into the 2016 election without their name associated with immigration reform.”
Hume insisted that immigration reform is not amnesty, which surprised some of the other pundits on with him, including Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham.
http://twitter.com/#!/fishandgameman/status/476539416820088832
http://twitter.com/#!/Glaivester/status/476555006104334337
http://twitter.com/#!/Fairfax51/status/476553699423055873
http://twitter.com/#!/BarryRome/status/476552938677354496
http://twitter.com/#!/LoriKreitman/status/476549564628217856
http://twitter.com/#!/Junebug1952/status/476547622136987648
http://twitter.com/#!/glockster23/status/476545009404350464
http://twitter.com/#!/JOC213/status/476544640766984193
http://twitter.com/#!/redwings924/status/476544549242671104
http://twitter.com/#!/Smalltalkwitht/status/476544306657112064
http://twitter.com/#!/southernmaria1/status/476544232350425088
http://twitter.com/#!/Dudleyland/status/476534123142840321
http://twitter.com/#!/mtthwbrrn/status/476530848750391296
http://twitter.com/#!/PearsonSpr1nger/status/476529251978846209
Read more: http://twitchy.com/2014/06/10/brit-hume-says-dave-brat-win-will-hurt-gop-without-immigration-reform/
