My recollection is that the story for why Bill Clinton avoided the truth,

[RockCreek]

Got all technical about what sex was, etc, under oath was due to fear of Hilary's reaction.
I don't know if that was true.
I just wonder if Kavanaugh presented himself as a "choir boy" from the time he met his wife, and he is afraid of her reaction if she hears that he lied about that (from him, in a way she can't deny to herself).
No excuse for him, and probably minor in relation to all the crazy Trumpy dynamics and lying and deals going on.
But I wonder.
And for those who think he is no angel to her at home, that would get rid of his "you're driving me to it" etc excuses that he uses to blame and to say it is new.

[unblock]

1. There are texts he sent to buddies reminding them not to tell even spouses.

I have no doubt he's lied to her and has been keeping secrets from her.

Ethics aside, it means he's blackmailable.

[RockCreek]

7. So true.

I wonder if she realizes that. The predicament denial and lies puts them in. Not her direct fault.
I also see the virgin -whore complex in who he tried to be sexual with. Non-catholic, not upper class girls -- whores.

[greymattermom]

2. I remember a legal issue about the definition of sexual intercourse

that didn't include bjs.

[bobbieinok]

6. The SoBapt church when Bill was a teen taught only penetratuin was sex

There was a statement in Newsweek at the time by a man who had been a SoBapt leader when Bill was a teen who said that was the case. I don't remember the man's name now but did recognize it then because I attended a SoBapt church about the same time Bill did, he in Ark me in OK.

[Vinca]

3. There is one big difference in the 2 cases: consent.

Lewinski was a consenting adult.

[IluvPitties]

5. Winner!

[Hortensis]

4. Bill Clinton stumbled into that surprise perjury trap like the rawest idiot.

The Republicans' permanent "investigations" meant he'd been pulled away from his work, often during developing crises, to answer questions for many grand juries over the years, answering the same old questions with the same old answers, and he got careless.

Sure, protecting Hillary must have been part of what precipitated that knee-jerk denial, but he had to have realized he'd been suckered even while the words were leaving his mouth. But too late.

[TlalocW]

8. I have a different take on it

Being a slick lawyer, Bill asked for the definition of sexual intercourse knowing that they wouldn't put in oral sex because Newt at the time had bragged that he liked getting blowjobs from the women with whom he cheated on his wife because he could say he never slept with them/had sex with them, and the republicans went for it thus the, "never had sex," denial.

I could be misremembering though.

TlalocW

[DavidDvorkin]

9. That's how I remember it, too.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

10. The thing is, as much as it came off sounding like parsing word play, Bill had a real point....

....with his infamous "definition of the word is" answer once you consider the proper context.

He had stated that "There is no relationship" between him and Monica Lewinsky.

When he said that, the relationship had ended. As such, technically he was telling the truth.

Of course, that being said, it was all a bit cute and evasive on his part....but not necessarily wrong.

And I've found myself dealing with real life situations where language is ambiguous as to whether it is only referring to the present tense, or all encompassing both past and present, and I've thought of that exact quote.

[RockCreek]

11. Lots of language play and parsing

Going on with Kavanough. But it is such a different situation -- supreme court position, job interview - that I find I have no patience for it or sympathy. I don't think it is a partisan reaction.