A Damaging Narrative
Lewinsky recalled how the Clinton administration shaped a humiliating public image of her.
“They branded me a ‘bimbo,’” she said. “I wasn’t a dumb bimbo. I was portrayed to be—and that was a big struggle.”
Worse, she pointed out, many women picked up that narrative and amplified it.
“That mantle was picked up by a lot of women,” she noted. “Even though it was crafted and pushed by the White House.”
After denying the affair for months, Clinton finally admitted to it on August 17, 1998, accepting full responsibility. But by then, the damage had already consumed Lewinsky’s life and reputation.
