Politics

Michelle Nunn To Campaign With Man Her Dad Thought Was A Bad Role Model

Chuck Ross Investigative Reporter
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Michelle Nunn, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Georgia, is campaigning on Friday with former President Bill Clinton, a man her father, former senator Sam Nunn, called a bad role model who possibly needed to resign from office for his dishonesty during the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

“It is now clear that President Clinton is primarily responsible for dragging this nation through seven months of preoccupation with the Monica Lewinsky story,” wrote Nunn in a Sept. 7, 1998 op-ed.

Several weeks before the op-ed, on Aug. 17, 1998, Clinton testified to a grand jury that he had had an “inappropriate” relationship with Lewinsky, who had worked as a White House intern. Clinton admitted to the affair later that night in a televised address.

The result of Clinton’s relationship and a subsequent cover-up, in which he publicly denied ever having a relationship with Lewinsky, “is a weakening of the office of president, a lowering of our moral discourse, the exposure of our children to a negative role model, increased public cynicism toward elected officials,” wrote Nunn, who left office in 1997.

“Can trust be re-established so that President Clinton can effectively govern?” Nunn asked.

He also called on Clinton to issue “a voluntary and complete disclosure of all relevant matters concerning alleged acts of illegality to the independent counsel, to the congressional leadership and to the American people.”

Failure to do so, “may even require his resignation” Nunn concluded.

Nunn’s thoughts on Clinton were not passed on to daughter Michelle. They will appear at Paschal’s Fine Southern Cuisine in Atlanta. Clinton also stumped for Nunn last month.

Nunn and Republican hopeful David Perdue are virtually deadlocked, according to polls.

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