Bill Clinton's Book Tour Stop In NYC Hijacked By Questions About Apologies
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Former President Bill Clinton brought his book tour Tuesday to Manhattan, where aides went to great lengths to make sure it didn't turn into an "apology tour" for indiscretions that predated the #MeToo movement.
There was a click of flash bulbs as Clinton and co-author James Patterson entered a Barnes & Noble bookstore on Fifth Avenue to sign copies of their novel, "The President Is Missing."
Thus far, the tour has been dominated by questions about Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky, whether he apologized appropriately and the #MeToo movement. However, CBS2's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer wanted to know if he thought he needed to apologize to Juanita Broaddrick, Gennifer Flowers, Paula Jones -- the long list of woman he was reportedly involved with.
Kramer: "Mr. President, in light of the #MeToo movement is there anything you would like to say to the women who say they had affairs with you?"
It should come as no surprise that the president ignored Kramer's question. Aides had made it clear he didn't want to say anything more than he had already said in the past few days about a public, not a personal, apology to Lewinsky.
"I apologized to my family, to Monica Lewinsky and her family, and to the American people," Clinton said.
MORE: #MeToo Movement Hits The Streets Of Manhattan
The dozens who lined up to buy the book and get an autograph from both Clinton and Patterson had mixed feelings about whether Clinton, who says he supports the #MeToo movement, still needs to make amends.
"I think he's done that over and over throughout the years,' one person said.
"I think he should have done that 20 years ago, and I think anybody with a shred of common decency would have resigned the office at that time," added Ken Astarita of Southport, Connecticut.
"I think now would be a good time," another person said.
"Whatever he does, he's going to get in trouble for it. If I were he, I would say it was a long time ago, I'm an old man, whatever I did, I can't change," said Larry Levine of the Upper East Side. "Whatever he says, he's going to be wrong."
So whether he says sorry or doesn't say sorry, the bottom line is, well, the bottom line. It's really good for book sales, Kramer reported.
