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Bill Clinton says no private apology to Monica Lewinsky necessary

  (Agence France-Presse)
Washington, United States
Mon, June 4, 2018 Published on Jun. 4, 2018 Published on 2018-06-04T21:42:40+07:00

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Former US president Bill Clinton gives a speech before welcoming members of the band Fleetwood Mac on stage at the 2018 MusiCares Person Of The Year gala at Radio City Music Hall in New York on January 26, 2018. The 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year award was presented to Fleetwood Mac at the 28th annual MusiCares Gala Tribute dinner and concert ahead of Sunday's 60th GRAMMY Awards, marking the first time the benefit has honored a band. Proceeds from the event go towards MusiCares. Former US president Bill Clinton gives a speech before welcoming members of the band Fleetwood Mac on stage at the 2018 MusiCares Person Of The Year gala at Radio City Music Hall in New York on January 26, 2018. The 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year award was presented to Fleetwood Mac at the 28th annual MusiCares Gala Tribute dinner and concert ahead of Sunday's 60th GRAMMY Awards, marking the first time the benefit has honored a band. Proceeds from the event go towards MusiCares. (AFP/Angela Weiss)

F

ormer US president Bill Clinton said he has not spoken to Monica Lewinsky since the revelation of their affair and that while he has apologized to her publicly he does not think a private apology is necessary at this point.

In a testy interview with NBC's "Today" show aired on Monday, the 71-year-old Clinton was also asked for his thoughts on the #MeToo movement.

The former US president is on a book tour to promote his new book, "The President Is Missing," co-written with best-selling author James Patterson.

But it's his time in the Oval Office -- specifically his affair with Lewinsky -- that is drawing scrutiny.

"I apologized to everybody in the world," Clinton said when asked if he had apologized to Lewinsky for his affair with the then 22-year-old White House intern.

"I have not talked to her," Clinton said. "I have never talked to her."

Asked if he felt he should apologize privately to Lewinsky, Clinton said "No, I do not."

"But I did say publicly on more than one occasion that I was sorry," he said. "That's very different. The apology was public."

Asked about the #MeToo movement, Clinton said "I like the #MeToo movement.

"It's way overdue," he said. "It doesn't mean I agree with everything.

"I still have some questions about some of the decisions which have been made," he said without elaborating.

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