Bill Clinton, born William Jefferson Clinton, served as the 42nd president of America from 1993 to 2001. The democrat is known as the Explainer-in-Chief, and he stood out for his charisma, ability to connect to people, and deep understanding of policy, which earned him the nickname. Clinton presided over the second-longest period of peacetime economic expansion in American history.
Apart from the former president’s political achievements, he was also primarily talked about for his controversial personal life, most notably his highly publicized affair with American activist Monica Lewinsky. Bill and Monica’s affair started despite Clinton being married to Hillary Clinton, while Monica was single. The two met in 1995, when 21-year-old Monica was a White House intern.
The affair was out in the public after Linda Tripp recorded phone calls with Lewinsky. He denied the affair, but later was required to give his testimony in front of Congress when the details were out, which was nothing short of deception. This incident not only affected Bill Clinton but also fueled many rumors, some of which we are going to bust today.
As per the List, it’s widely believed that the affair led to his impeachment by the House of Representatives in 1998. He was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice. But that wasn’t true. In reality, prosecutors clarified that Bill Clinton was not being slammed with charges simply for having relations with Lewinsky.
17. Hillary Clinton listens intently as her husband denies having an affair with Monica Lewinsky, USA, 1998. pic.twitter.com/UUzvmBwC5Z
— Lost Temples™ (@LostTemple7) September 2, 2025
Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr said that he was under fire for using his power and position to hide the affair. He was ultimately impeached on charges of lying under oath and obstruction of justice, not solely for the affair.
Furthermore, another persistent rumor is that Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky had a traditional long-term affair. Over 18 months, they reportedly had only ten s—– encounters, including oral, and none involved full intercourse. While Bill Clinton said that he did not have s—– i——-rse with Monica, the couple did not have any intercourse at all.
Now might be a good time to recall that Clinton was impeached for obstruction by the House. Bases:
– encouraged Lewinsky to give false testimony
– attempted to secure a job for Lewinsky
– encouraged his lawyer to make false characterizations of her testimony
– witness tampering— feminist next door (@emrazz) March 24, 2019
While Monica worked at the White House, Hillary Clinton’s friend Diane Blair noted, Lewinsky described the relationship as consensual but “not sex within any real meaning… of the term. Meanwhile, many also believe that Hillary Clinton personally confronted Lewinsky. But that is false again. As per The List and several other media reports, the duo never met.
Shocking? Yes, but instead Monica Lewinsky apologized publicly in an interview with Barbara Walters, and Hillary Clinton has referred to Lewinsky as a “narcissistic loony toon” and firmly rejected the idea of any power abuse, stating Lewinsky “was an adult.” In addition, another rumor was that Monica received a heavy payoff from the Clintons for the shame it brought to everyone.
However, this is also not true. Monica Lewinsky revealed during her podcast “Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky” that she incurred more than $1 million in legal fees. For her, the consequences of this affair were quick and severe. She was characterized in the media as a “bimbo,” and it jeopardized her professional career.
Monica Lewinsky on Clinton affair: “I now see how problematic it was that the two of us even got to a place where there was a question of consent. Instead, the road that led there was littered with inappropriate abuse of authority, station, and privilege” https://t.co/lxalXeG360 pic.twitter.com/cBKr3Sj7I1
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2018
It was difficult for her to find work despite applying for 50 jobs and moving to London for a master’s in social psychology, seeking normalcy. The only offers she received came from media outlets focused on the scandal, which she refused. She also took a role in a Jenny Craig campaign in 2000 to support herself.
While she remained silent, she was suicidal and miserable. Many applauded her for dealing with the media backlash with grace. At the same time, some questioned her for not raising her voice against all the crap that was written about her. In 2104, she broke her silence, and in 2021, she spoke to People about her feelings at the time of the affair and its aftermath.
Monica Lewinsky talks about how she came very close to attempting suicide: “I remember looking out the window and thinking that the only way to fix this was to kill myself, I still was in love with Bill at the time so I felt really responsible”
Powerful and moving stuff. pic.twitter.com/E0BnDIOoI7— Rising serpent 🇺🇸 (@rising_serpent) November 18, 2018
“For me, at 22 there was this combination of the awe of being at the White House, the awe of the presidency, and the awe of this man who had an amazing energy and charisma was paying attention to me. I was enamored with him, like many others. He had a charisma to him and it was a lethal charm, and I was intoxicated,”
Today, she has emerged from the ashes and built her life again. Her work includes TED Talks and speaking engagements. Her podcast ‘Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky’ is about second chances in life, resilience, and dealing with shame as a woman in a man’s world.
