Lewinsky Questions Shadow Chelsea Clinton

Former First Daughter Continues To Deflect Queries From College Students About Scandal

(AP)  Chelsea Clinton is spending long days on the campaign trail telling college crowds about her mother's positions on everything from health care and student-loan costs to the Darfur crisis and gay rights.

But there is one subject she will not discuss - "The Other Woman."

At least three times in the past two weeks, the former and possible future first daughter has been asked about the Monica Lewinsky scandal's influence on the presidential campaign of her mother, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The answer has evolved each time.

When a student at Butler University in Indianapolis first asked the question on March 25, she drew applause and gave a short response that ended with: "I do not think that is any of your business."

Clinton, 28, since has been less blunt, though the message is much the same.

"I think that is something that is personal to my family, I'm sure there are things that are personal to your family that you don't think are anyone else's business, either," she said last week when asked during a visit to North Carolina State University in Raleigh. "But also on a larger point, I don't think you should vote for or against my mother because of my father."

Many in the crowd at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., booed Monday when a question about the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton came up. Chelsea Clinton quickly summed up her position: "If that's what you want to vote on, that's what you should vote on. But I think there are other people (who are) going to vote on things like health care and economics," she said.

Amanda Morris, president of Purdue's Students for Hillary chapter, said Tuesday that she approved of the audience reaction and how Clinton is responding. She also expects the question might keep coming up.

"I really think it has gotten to the point where it is the attention thing," said Morris, a sophomore from Kokomo, Ind. "At first, maybe that student really wanted to know what she thought about it. But by now it's 'Oh, that person got attention for it, I'm going to keep asking."'

Philippe Reines, a Clinton campaign spokesman, said Chelsea Clinton has made 99 campus appearances through Tuesday, and typically has taken 10 to 20 questions at each stop. He said the Lewinsky matter was not a burning issue among the people who have attended.

"She has been asked less than a handful of times, and she has been clear on where her lines of privacy are," Reines said. "She has the right as everyone does to define their own zone of privacy."

Reines said her campaign stops would continue unchanged. She does not take questions from reporters, but devotes all but the first few minutes of her appearances to questions from the audience.

Strict in her ban on reporters' questions, Chelsea Clinton even rebuffed a 9-year-old "kid reporter" for Scholastic News, who tried to question her last December in Iowa.

"Do you think your dad would be a good 'first man' in the White House?" asked Sydney Rieckhoff.

"I'm sorry, I don't talk to the press and that applies to you, unfortunately. Even though I think you're cute," Clinton told the pint-sized journalist.

On Tuesday, Chelsea Clinton visited three more college campuses in Indiana, where her mother and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama are actively campaigning to win the May 6 presidential primary. She was wrapping up her second campaign swing across the state.

"She really has gotten more questions on whether or not her mother believes the U.S. dollar should be tied to the gold standard," Reines said. "That's a question she's gotten probably 10 times."

Morris, the Purdue student, said she doesn't think Chelsea Clinton should have to face Lewinsky questions.

"That is something that has to do with their family life," Morris said. "I don't think it is something that we as a nation need to know how they handled as a family."

[hotdog357]

If Chelsea can speak for her mother to America then she can answer questions to the media. She is not a little girl anymore. They just dress her up to look like the college students. BTW Chelsea, "Did the Monica Lewinski issue hurt your moms credabillity?" If she cant run her own house well, what is she going to do to our White house? More scandal?

[myshiba]

Go Hillary and Chelsea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[blackspirit3]

JUANITA BROADDRICK-- The interview, broadcast in February 1999, centered around Broaddrick''''''''s accusation that Bill Clinton had raped her on April 25, 1978 during his first campaign for the governorship of the U.S. state of Arkansas, at a time when Clinton was that state''''''''s Attorney General. In the interview, she declared that Clinton suddenly "turned me around and started kissing me, and that was a real shock. I first pushed him away. I just told him ''''''''no.''''''''... He tries to kiss me again. He starts biting on my lip... And then he forced me down on the bed. I just was very frightened. I tried to get away from him. I told him ''''''''no.''''''''... He wouldn''''''''t listen to me." In an interview for the Wall Street Journal editorial page, Broaddrick claimed that Clinton told her not to worry about pregnancy, because childhood mumps had left him sterile. WHY DIDNT HILLARY LEAVE BILL?

[vmcneal2]

The Clintons are allowed to make money the same as anyone else in America. I could care less about how much money they made as long as the didn''t steal it.

[glock4me]

Chelsea is not a bad looking girl. It doesn''t hurt that her family is Republican-rich either. On the negative side, she seems to see nothing wrong with her parents and the in-law situation would be a nightmare.

[jockh]

The Clintons are tight fisted money grabbers. Despite lining their pockets with 109 MILLION, Hillary merely LOANS her campaign 5 MILLION. Why doesnt she GIVE it to her campaign instead of LOANING and put her money where her mouth is? After all, other candidates like Mitt Romney put millions of their own money into their own campaigns.

That way she would be showing that she has complete confidence in her campaign and this in turn would encourage other donations.

However, she loans instead of gives to her own campaign because she knows she is going to lose so she would rather waste donors money in her futile campaign and keep all her millions nice and safe; so she can sleep in a solid gold bed with a mattress stuffed with 100 dollar bills. And solid gold pant suits for herself and Chelsea !!

[vmcneal2]

tulcak...You had a President who was getting BJs from a young Intern in the Oval Office. Morals do count for something. Some people just don''t want to see Bill anywhere near the White House again. But I think it''s unfair, mean, and in bad taste to question Chelsea about Lewinsky.

[tulcak]

lewinsky? that was 10 YEARS AGO... why is anyone still interested? we''ve got so many problems in this country because of bush and the GOP... what does this have to do with solving any of our serious problems?... unless you are the type that doesn''t care to fix anything - if you want the US to collapse into a nothing...

[erasmus6]

stn_sage

One last thing: You are a threatening and abusive person. You are the one that should be very careful.

[erasmus6]

Posted by stn_sage at 12:45 AM : Apr 10, 2008

First off, I am a girl, not a boy.

Secondly, the only one attacking is you.

I have read the posts and from what I see libra127 was merely responding calmly to your post. You are the one that is ATTACKING. Obviously no one can have a different opinion from you without you becoming a raving lunatic. No one is trying to pick a fight, we are all just stating our opinions. You need to take a pill.

I agree with libra127''s comments 100%.

"You wouldn''''t dare tell me to shut up to my face."

Wanna bet?

[stn_sage]

erasmus6 & tazmjam - Boys! I didn''t start it. Libra127 did! And when I or a post of mine is unfairly attacked, I defend myself. He needs
to do better things with his time than picking fights!

I suggest you read through the posts before you comment. If you have, than I conclude you likewise must use this forum to pick fights with others and therefore approve of his behavior! Or, you could just be acquantances or buddies of his, in any event be careful about defending the misactions of others it''s not wise to do.

You wouldn''t dare tell me to shut up to my face.

[kansas1946]

What is wrong with people. Why on earth would they be asking Chelsea about that mess. She was very young at the time and I am sure her parents didn''t discuss it over dinner with her. Although I am not a Hillary supporter, I don''t think Bill''s little indiscretions have anything to do with her campaign.

[croft777]

wow, I can finally get on a blog

[tazmjam]

I think it is you that needs to be treated for mental peculiarities. You need to shut the hell up, you are making yourself look like a raving lunatic.
Posted by erasmus6


I agree.

[jonesforch]

Wow sad story..Hmm say goes suffer the sins of thy father..BUT she is a pretty lady

[erasmus6]

"Have you been treated for any mental peculiarities?!" Posted by stn_sage

I think it is you that needs to be treated for mental peculiarities. You need to shut the hell up, you are making yourself look like a raving lunatic.

[stn_sage]

Calm down, stn_sage. It''''s not all about you. The second paragraph of my post that you are all upset about is simply a statement of what I believe to be true. It has nothing to do with you. I have every right to respond to your postings, or anyone else''''s, as I see fit.
Posted by libra127 at 07:03 PM : Apr 09, 2008
-------------------
First, apparently it''s ALL about you!

Second, ''what you believe to be true''is a mistatement of fact, Einstein! It''s a distortion of the situation.
Tell me, Einstein! Have you been treated for any mental peculiarities?!

Third,it has everything to do with me when you use it as argument against me, weasel!

Fourth, you claim the right to respond as you see fit---be careful,weasel---you don''t have the right to be libelous!

Finally weasel---I have the right to respond as I see fit, too! So don''t tell me to ''calm down'' idiot! You need to grow up if you want to play with the adults---later fool!

[libra127]

Also, STOP distorting my posts!

Posted by stn_sage at 05:53 PM : Apr 09, 2008

Calm down, stn_sage. It''s not all about you. The second paragraph of my post that you are all upset about is simply a statement of what I believe to be true. It has nothing to do with you. I have every right to respond to your postings, or anyone else''s, as I see fit. If it happens to not agree with your posts, well...that''s the chance you take by posting here. Some people will not agree with you. Quit the name-calling.

[enaudnella]

Chelsea why are you ugly..........UMM thats none of your bizness........

[stn_sage]

libra127 - You''re lecturing me on name-calling! YOU HYPOCRITE! I''ve seen more times than I can count on my fingers and toes, how you have attacked someone doing little else BUT name-calling and misstating what is at issue---as you''re doing now!

I repeat---she is NOT being questioned about the Lewinski affair, but if her mom''s credibility is affected by it!

Also, STOP distorting my posts! Consider this a warning!