A Troubled Marriage, A Non-Senate Race, Book Deals — The Year of Monica Lewinsky Lives On
Unexpected winter snow storm blanketed Washington this week creating unparalleled gridlock. It caused the federal government to close early and the House of Representatives to postpone floor votes. As the effects of the year of Monica linger, the winter chill has hit the Clinton marriage as well.
Too much campaigning for her non-Senate race in New York put so much strain on Hillary Clinton’s aching back that she wasn’t able to accompany the president on a goodwill visit to Central America. Washington’s self-anointed pundits speculate the launching of Monica Lewinsky’s book was really the stressor. The “First” marriage appears to be on shaky ground once again. In a break with tradition, Mrs. Clinton turned down an invitation from the Washington press corps to offer the Democratic response at the Gridiron dinner next Saturday. Mrs. Clinton, who is currently avoiding most media interaction, was a big hit at that same dinner a few years ago when she did a Forrest Gump video on health-care reform. Presidential hopeful Arizona Senator John McCain will give the Republican response.
Saturation media coverage also seems to have affected Ms. Lewinsky. Confronted by the paparazzi in London, she burst into tears and rushed out of a book signing for Monica’s Story at Harrod’s. But if her press junket to Europe was not all that relaxing, the Academy Awards beckon once she’s back home. Don’t be surprised to see her cropping up at the A-list Oscar parties .
All Too Human, the tell-almost-all book for which former Clinton advisor George Stephanopoulos got a $3-million (all figures in U.S. dollars) advance, is out. Media honchos Sam Donaldson and Cookie Roberts will host his book party Washington, D.C….Bob Torricelli, the senator from New Jersey who led the verbal charge on Mrs. Clinton’s Senate campaign, is now encouraging former New York governor Mario Cuomo to run for that seat. So much for loyalty .
Speaking of cashing in on fleeting fame, Retired General Colin Powell, who never even announced he was running for president, commands $70,000 a talk, plus another $10,000 to fly him there by private jet. The Clintons may discover that it pays to ride the talk circuit in their post-White House days.