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Willey, Kathleen

Clinton's Counterattack: Smearing the Women Who Dared to Accuse Him

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

President Clinton's allies have orchestrated a vicious counterattack against the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, with devastating consequences for the witnesses and a significant impact on public opinion. As Clinton embarks on a 13-day tour of Africa, his damage controllers seem to have succeeded in keeping his accusers at bay, with opinion polls suggesting that the president's standing remains largely unshaken by the recent allegations.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Clinton administration has a long history of employing a "smear squad" to discredit potential accusers, with tactics including gathering dirt on their personal lives and releasing damaging information to the media.
  • This week, the White House's counterattack focused on three key witnesses: Kathleen Willey, Linda Tripp, and Paula Jones.
  • Willey, who had alleged that Clinton had groped her in the Oval Office, was subjected to a particularly vicious smear campaign, with the White House releasing documents that suggested she had been negotiating to sell her story for $300,000.
  • Tripp, a Pentagon aide and friend of Monica Lewinsky, was revealed to have been arrested as a teenager for theft, with a grim police mugshot reprinted across the country.
  • Jones, who claims that Clinton's advances in a Little Rock hotel room in 1991 caused her a lasting aversion to sex, was threatened with the release of "sensitive information of a sexual nature" about her past.
  • The White House's tactics have had a significant impact on public opinion, with 48% of Americans now believing that Willey was motivated by personal gain.

Statistics:

  • 48% of Americans believe that Kathleen Willey was motivated by personal gain.
  • $300,000: the amount Kathleen Willey was reportedly negotiating to sell her story for.
  • 13 days: the length of Clinton's visit to Africa.
  • 1993: the year in which Kathleen Willey alleges that Clinton groped her in the Oval Office.
  • 1991: the year in which Paula Jones claims that Clinton made advances to her in a Little Rock hotel room.

Sources:

  • "The Sunday Times", 1998
  • CBS's "60 Minutes"
  • The New Yorker magazine
  • The Pentagon officials cited in the article
  • Robert Bennett, Clinton's lawyer
  • Kathleen Willey's statement to the CBS show "60 Minutes"

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