Mo’ Monica: Former Intern Is Far and Wide on the Web
Still hungry for more news relating to the alleged affair between President Clinton and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky? Or has the media frenzy left you unable to sort out the accusations, rumors and denials that have been swirling around Washington and the country these last two weeks?
Either way, the World Wide Web can be a valuable resource for learning more about the controversy.
Of course, the Web is littered with plenty of unsubstantiated information regarding Clinton, Lewinsky and other key players, such as independent counsel Kenneth Starr, tape-recording-Lewinsky-pal Linda Tripp and Washington power broker Vernon Jordan. There are also many sites whose main purpose is to be humorous, not accurate.
As is always the case with the Web (and with print and broadcast media), be sure to take into account the source of any information when making a judgment about its veracity. Partisans and fanatics on all sides have embraced the global computer network and are openly using it to promote their political agendas.
To get started, check out one of several sites that provide a thorough background on how all the major figures fit together and how the controversy has unfolded up to this point. Most big newspaper sites, including The Times’ (https://www.latimes.com/HOME/NEWS/REPORTS/SCANDAL/STORIES), cover this ground, and two sites also wrap in the role of the Internet in bringing this story to light. They are Slate magazine’s https://www.slate.com/TangledWeb/98-01-22/TangledWeb.asp and an independent British site at https://www.wisecat.co.uk/monica2.html.
Unfortunately, there are no sites called www.TheTruth.gov or www.WhatReallyHappened.com to provide quick, reliable answers. But the Web does make it possible to read some of the original documents at the heart of the controversy.
The spark for the allegations that Clinton lied about an affair with Lewinsky--and that he and Jordan encouraged her to do the same--came from a series of tape-recorded conversations between Lewinsky and Tripp, who worked together at the Pentagon. Tripp secretly recorded her phone calls with Lewinsky and turned the tapes over to Starr. Some transcripts of their talks were published by Newsweek magazine and can be viewed at
https://wp1.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/
newsweek012498b.htm
Tripp also said Lewinsky gave her a set of “talking points” suggesting that she change her testimony regarding White House volunteer Kathleen Willey in an affidavit for the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. ABC News has posted that paper at https://www.abcnews.com/sections/us/affidavit
Statements from some of the key players are also available online. A collection of Clinton’s remarks concerning the case is available at
https://wp1.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/
clintonquotes.htm,
and the text of Lewinsky’s sworn statement about her relationship with the president can be found at https://www.theeunderground.net/Features/features162statement.shtml
Lewinsky had her own Web site, but it was taken down last week after newspapers published the address. However, a mirror site of the hot-pink home page is up at https://www.safari.net/~nicks/ml/ml.html and contains links to the White House, Greenpeace and MTV. When and if she’s ready to return to the Net, https://www.monicalewinsky.com has been reserved for her by a domain name registrar.
A “very unofficial” Web site for Lewinsky’s confidant is at https://www.lindatripp.com. It accuses Tripp of betraying Lewinsky’s friendship and trust for personal gain, an opinion shared by nearly three-quarters of visitors who participated in an online survey.
For online news, start with the Drudge Report (https://www.drudgereport.com), which is delivered to hundreds of the media elite each day. Those who believe a picture is worth a thousand words can check out a routinely updated collection of editorial cartoons from major newspapers at https://www.cagle.com/scandal.
Squire Magazine (https://www.squiremag.com), which bills itself as “the magazine for Washington’s water carriers,” offers a fresh perspective on the whole affair. An open letter to Lewinsky chastises her--presuming the allegations are true--but says the bigger issue is Clinton’s behavior. The magazine also examines improper relationships (or “IRs”) and includes a primer on impeachment for readers looking for something intelligent to say at cocktail parties.
An Internet consulting firm in Tennessee has a site (https://www.btlarkin.com/monica/theories.htm) offering nine potential conspiracy theories relating to Lewinsky and the president. One theory holds that the press is publishing the allegations against Clinton to make up for the positive puff pieces they wrote about Buddy, the adorable first puppy. Another suggests the incident is related to the shooting deaths of three Starbucks employees in the District of Columbia last year.
If the mainstream media coverage leaves you wondering what the difference is between journalism and gossip, you’re not alone. Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism held a symposium on that topic last week, and a summary of the event is available at https://www.salonmagazine.com/media/1998/01/29media.html.
But if you’re convinced the media blew it, go straight to https://www.annoy.com/cda/pointing_fingers/february98.html for a lambasting of pack journalism.
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Karen Kaplan covers technology and can be reached at Karen.Kaplan@latimes.com
