Hillary Clinton has carved out a place for herself in the political landscape outside her husband’s shadow.
But despite her many achievements, the former Secretary of State is still plagued by one topic: the Monica Lewinsky affair.
When speaking to “Woman’s Hour” host Jenni Murray on BBC 4 radio last week, Clinton was once again asked to elaborate on the 1998 scandal.
“I hate to mention this, but Monica Lewinsky’s presence in London has been widely reported recently and she’s described herself very openly as ‘the most humiliated woman in the world’. How do you perceive her and your husband’s role in all of that?” Murray asked.
“Well that is something we have certainly moved beyond and our country has moved beyond. I have wished her well but it’s important to stay focused on what’s happening in the here and now,” Clinton said.
“For us back in the United States, we still have a lot of work to do. Our people are not recovered from the great recession, there’s enormous about of anxiety and insecurity, our politics is dysfunctional, as you can see from over here. So I am looking at the here and now. “
Murray pushed further: “Just one more question about the private life, what is it about Bill that has enabled you to forgive his infidelity?”
“Forgiveness is a choice. And I fully respect those who don’t make that choice, for whatever reason, in their personal or their professional lives but for me it was absolutely the right choice,” Clinton responded. “For me, it is something that is incredibly difficult but I am grateful everyday that that’s the choice that I made and I’ve counseled others to see if in their own hearts they can also do that.”
“But it’s not by accident the great religions, the great writers talk about how the person who forgives is liberated, maybe even more than the person who is forgiven,” she continued.
As for her rumored presidential run, Clinton kept it vague: “I have not decided yet … I am not going to make that decision until I am ready to make it. It’s a profoundly important decision.”
To hear the full interview with Clinton, head over to BBC 4.
