It really feels like there’s been a perpetual wave of sexual assault, harassment and misconduct allegations these past couple of months — and rightfully so. From Harvey Weinstein to Al Franken, from Louis C.K to Ryan Seacrest, America is only just beginning to reckon with goings-on that have been around since our founding (and probably before that, too).
Certainly — and I’m sure Louis C.K., Al Franken and Anthony Weiner serve as apt evidence for this — sexual misconduct isn’t just a Republican phenomenon. It’s men from all walks of life with some semblance of authority, power and control. Having come of age in a tightly controlled patriarchal system that awards this kind of behavior on the part of men, or at the very least keeps it under wraps, probably doesn’t help either.
Thinking about the months to come, there are probably infinitely more tough conversations we’re going to have to have, and so many prominent male politicians, entertainers, athletes and so on who will come under fire for some sort of sexual misconduct, ranging from harassment to assault. But before we start pontificating about the future, let’s take a good hard look at a man we all know has been accused time and time again of predatory behavior. A man who, despite this, has gotten pass after pass after pass, and a man who continues persisting in public life regardless.
No, not Donald Trump — though I can write a novel about his criminal past, about which there is plenty to say.
I’m talking about Bill Clinton.
This is probably one of the only times I’m ever going to agree with Fox News, but, yes: The left should talk about Bill Clinton. And by talk, I don’t just mean talk more, or talk about — I mean talk meaningfully and reflectively. Talk about what ought to be done — because something really, really ought to done.
During the 2016 election, as we all begrudgingly remember, Bill Clinton’s accusers came and went with the newscycle; Trump only brought them up to embarrass Hillary, to remind people of the legal and media circus that ensued in the 1990s and to draw attention away from the infamous “Trump tapes.” And liberal talked their heads off about all that stuff.
But Clinton’s alleged crimes shouldn’t exist in the shadow of a rough and tumble political campaign. They don’t start and end in the ‘90s, never to be inquired into again. They don’t exist whenever it’s convenient for them to on Fox News. They exist within themselves, over and above all those petty things a ton of people — both Democrat and Republican — spend their time working them into. And we tend to forget that.
Three women have accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault, one of whom went so far as to accuse him of rape. There are plenty of other accounts of Clinton exposing himself to women or unfairly pursuing women who weren’t interested. Even Monica Lewinsky, who was a consenting adult, probably didn’t want to nor did she feel like she could say no to a man in the highest political office in America.
Despite all this, Clinton was sheltered by democratic women — including Gloria Steinem, his own wife and others — simply because he was a liberal and because he was “good for America.” But if he’s constantly devaluing women in his personal life — and devaluing them to the point of assaulting and abusing them — then forgive me if I’m wrong, but he can’t be that good for America.
One of Clinton’s accusers, Juanita Broaddrick said: “All victims matter. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican … We all have the right to be believed.” And I believe her. In fact, I believe all these women. And I believe we have to do something about Bill. What exactly we should do, I’m not sure, but phasing him out of public life would definitely be a step in the right direction.
