Incontrovertible Evidence The Paula Jones diver-
sion loomed over Clinton as the Lewinsky scandal
began to unfold. When asked whether he had en-
gaged in sex with Lewinsky, Clinton denied, eventu-
ally under oath, that such a relationship ever existed.
Finally, however, Starr, with Tripp’s help, was able to
substantiate the existence of the sexual relationship
that Clinton had repeatedly denied. He tracked
down eleven people in whom Lewinsky had con-
fided that such an affair had occurred.
Tripp made available to the prosecutors record-
ings of her telephone conversations with Lewinsky.
She also revealed that Lewinsky had in her posses-
sion a blue dress with spots on it. The prosecution
obtained this dress, had DNA tests run on the stains,
and determined categorically that these stains were
semen that was identified unquestionably as the
president’s.
Impeachment Starr reported his findings to Con-
gress on September 9, 1998. The Judiciary Commit-
tee of the House of Representatives, after refusing a
Democratic request that the president merely be
censured, issued four articles of impeachment, of
which two, perjury and obstruction of justice, were
approved by the House.
Clinton’s impeachment trial began on January 7,
1999, and ended on February 12. Neither of the arti-
cles brought against Clinton received the requisite
majority vote that would have paved the way for his
removal from office, although the charge of obstruc-
tion of justice received a split 50-50 Senate vote.
Impact One cannot underestimate the impact of
the Monica Lewinsky scandal on American politics.
Although President Clinton was not convicted of the
charges lodged against him and removed from of-
fice, the scandal was largely responsible for the Re-
publican victories in the following presidential and
congressional elections.
Al Gore, in no way involved in the scandals, suf-
fered from the fallout they occasioned. The impeach-
ment and the subsequent hearings were a decisive
factor in George W. Bush’s winning the 2000 presi-
dential election against Gore. The Religious Right
and other conservative voting blocs reaped consider-
able political capital from the Lewinsky scandal.
Further Reading
Busby, Robert. Defending the American Presidency:
Clinton and the Lewinsky Scandal. New York: Pal-
grave, 2001. A thorough assessment of the Lewin-
sky scandal, with detailed information about the
impeachment and subsequent trial.
Clinton, Bill.My Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf,- Clinton reflects with considerable objectiv-
ity on the Lewinsky affair and its effects on his
presidency.
Good, Howard, ed.Desperately Seeking Ethics: A Guide
to Media Conduct. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, - In chapter 2, “Reporters or Peeping Toms?
Journalism Ethics and News Coverage in the
Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal,” Tanni Haas analyzes
the morality of how the press covered the Clinton-
Lewinsky scandal and the overall moral effects of
such coverage. In chapter 8, “A New Class of
Heroes: Fallout from the Clinton-Lewinsky Scan-
dal,” Clinton Collins considers the effects of the
scandal on public morality.
Sternberg, Robert J.Why Smart People Can Be So Stu-
pid. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, - Chapter 6 focuses clearly and concisely on
Clinton’s dalliance with Monica Lewinsky and its
aftermath, including Clinton’s trial and impeach-
ment.
R. Baird Shuman
See also Clinton, Bill; Clinton, Hillary Rodham;
Clinton’s impeachment; Clinton’s scandals; Elec-
tions in the United States, midterm; Elections in the
United States, 1996; Scandals; Starr Report; Troop-
ergate; Whitewater investigation. Liberalism in U.S. politics
Definition A political ideology that tends to
support progress, civil rights and liberties,
reform, social justice, and using the power of
the federal government to improve the general
welfare of the nation
During the 1990’s, liberalism experienced both successes
and defeats in elections, public opinion, and public policy.
In 1990, Republican president George H. W. Bush
asked a Democratic-controlled Congress to autho-
rize the use of military force against Iraq after that
country, led by President Saddam Hussein, began a
full-scale invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Anti-
war interest groups and most liberal Democrats in
Congress opposed Bush’s request, but enough Dem-The Nineties in America Liberalism in U.S. politics 513