Reprinted from The Washington Times, March 17, 1998
This one is different, prominent women say
By Warren P. Strobel and Nancy E. Roman
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Prominent women who have long formed the core of President Clinton's political support broke their silence yesterday to say that Kathleen Willey's accusations that he kissed and groped her are serious and troubling.
From Democrats on Capitol Hill to leading feminist organizations, female leaders said they found the former White House aide's description of the incident compelling. They cautioned, however, that the charges are unproven.
"All of the allegations against the president are extremely serious and should not be taken lightly. If what Mrs. Willey claims is true, sexual harassment occurred and sexual harassment at any level is inexcusable," said Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat.
"If it were my marriage, I'd kill him," said Amy Isaacs, national director of Americans for Democratic Action, likewise cautioning that the charges are just that.
"If he has broken the law, then I'll stand at the head of the line to get rid of him. But that's a big, big 'if,'" she said.
Rep. Nita Lowey, New York Democrat, said Mrs. Willey's charges were "serious and troubling for those of us who have fought so hard against sexual harassment."
The comments underscore how the charges by Mrs. Willey wield a potential political impact that those by other Clinton accusers -- including Paula Jones and Gennifer Flowers -- have not.
Mrs. Willey's interview Sunday night on CBS' "60 Minutes" invited comparison with the televised testimony of Anita Hill, whose 1991 accusations against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas raised the debate on sexual harassment to a new height.
Like Miss Hill, Mrs. Willey is a reluctant witness who waited several years to go public with her charges.
Leaders of feminist organizations, who have taken heat for backing Justice Thomas' accuser but failing to come to the aid of Mrs. Jones, reacted quickly and loudly to Mrs. Willey's description of her 1993 encounter with the president.
"Perhaps we need to redefine what a good president is, what a good man is -- because this is beyond the idea of being the likable rogue or the womanizer and really on into sexual assault, sexual abuse," said National Organization for Women President Patricia Ireland, referring to Mr. Clinton's high poll numbers. "It's not verbal harassment. This was an unwanted touching."
It is "a very serious allegation against the president, along with the allegations of covering that up," she said in a morning television appearance.
On Capitol Hill, the mood among Democrats plummeted yesterday as most aides conceded privately that their bosses are wrestling with how to deal with the story that most of them find compelling, disturbing and damaging to Mr. Clinton.
"It was brutal," said one aide to a Senate Democrat. Of Mrs. Willey, the aide said: "This is a woman whom you cannot tie to any kind of organized Bill Clinton hate club."
Analysts elsewhere pointed out that this is the first time Mr. Clinton has been accused of making unwanted sexual overtures while in the White House.
They also said that, while it may be unfair, Mrs. Willey's allegations have more credibility because she came across as better-bred and more mature than previous Clinton accusers.
"There's a class thing at work here," said one administration official watching the spectacle from afar. "She's convincing because she's middle-class and she's articulate and she doesn't have big hair."
Mr. Clinton has long counted on female voters for much of his political support. He wooed them during the 1996 campaign with family-friendly policy proposals and won 54 percent of the women's vote, compared with 37 for GOP nominee Bob Dole.
Some observers questioned whether feminist groups would make anything more than a brief break with a president who has backed their positions on abortion and other key issues.
"Clinton has a lot of chits in with the feminist community," said American University history professor Allan Lichtman. Asked if the remarks would do serious damage to Mr. Clinton, he said, "If it's just an isolated statement, no."
Mr. Clinton has denied he made advances toward Mrs. Willey at their meeting in 1993, a denial he repeated yesterday.
Not all prominent female lawmakers were critical of Mr. Clinton. Both senators from California, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, each a close ally of the White House, said they would withhold judgment.
"The president has denied any impropriety with Monica Lewinsky and now Kathleen Willey. I am not in a position to know the facts in either case and am not going to make a judgment until I do," Mrs. Feinstein said.
Mrs. Boxer went further, saying that Mrs. Willey "has made serious charges and they deserve to be thoroughly investigated. It should also be noted that the president has unequivocally denied these charges."
Female Republican lawmakers, who are not natural Clinton supporters but have largely held their fire until now, also spoke up yesterday.
Rep. Constance A. Morella, Maryland Republican, said someone committed perjury.
"There are serious allegations and somebody is lying, which means there's perjury involved and I don't know which one it is," she said. "But she comes off as rather credible."
Mary Ann Akers and Donald Lambro contributed to this report.
Copyright 1998 News World Communications, Inc.
Reprinted with permission of
The Washington Times.
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