On the other hand, I think the media saturation the story received wore on the public's interest and patience and may have contributed to the country's desire to move on. As I see it, feminists also suffered damage. Those who spoke out forcefully against Clarence Thomas and Bob Packwood were nearly silent on Bill Clinton, even as the President's legal team attacked his female accusers with the worst kind of character assassination. I fear that this silence sends the message that if you do good things for women as a group, it doesn't matter how you treat women as individuals. You have to be consistent in condemning patterns of behavior that demean women.
Feminists have a challenge in regaining a sense of consistency.
And it seems feminist leaders are starting to get tough on the President. Clearly, like many of us, feminists are still grappling with how to move on. She is enjoying more public adulation than ever - and has been virtually crowned the winner of a race she hasn't entered in a state in which she's never lived. His approval ratings are phenomenal, and they have been throughout the past several months - even while most Americans believe he lied to us and to the grand jury. I don't know what this suggests we teach our kids about personal responsibility, other than that a really good, artfully worded apology can help you avoid suffering the consequences of your actions every time.