WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Aug. 17) -- Breaking seven months of near silence, President Bill Clinton admitted Monday night that he did, in fact, have an inappropriate and "wrong" relationship with ex-White House intern Monica Lewinsky, but insisted he did nothing illegal. (512K wav sound)
"I know that my public comments and my silence about this matter gave a false impression. I misled people, including even my wife," Clinton said, his voice breaking slightly. "I deeply regret that." (320K wavsound)
Clinton's four-minute address to the nation followed an afternoon of closed-door testimony for a federal grand jury looking into how Clinton answered questions about his relationship with Lewinsky in a deposition in the Paula Jones sexual-harassment case last January.
"While legally accurate, I did not volunteer information," Clinton said.
 Watch Clinton's speech in its entirety in: Real: Windows Media 28K | 56K or read a complete transcript |
| Clinton Deposition In Jones Case: 'I've Never Had An Affair With Her' |
"Indeed I did have a relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. It constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely and completely responsible," he said.
The president gave his televised address from the Map Room in the private residence of the White House, where he had faced prosecutors from Independent Counsel Ken Starr's office for more than four hours earlier in the day. During his testimony, sources tell CNN the president did admit to having sex with Lewinsky.
"But I told the grand jury today, and I say to you now, that at no time did I ask anyone to lie, to hide or destroy evidence or to take any other unlawful action," Clinton said.
In Clinton's public comments, the word "sex" was never spoken and the word "regret" was only used in reference to his admission that he misled the public and his family over the last seven months about his relationship with the former White House intern.
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