CNN host Jake Tapper took issue Friday with the characterization that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) saying Bill Clinton should have resigned the presidency wasn't politically risky, but two analysts disagreed.
Gillibrand, a longtime Clinton ally, said Thursday that Clinton should have resigned from the White House over his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
"Bill and Hillary Clinton remain incredibly popular with the Democratic Party, voters and fundraisers. They're still going to raise a ton of money for Democrats in 2018 and 2020," Tapper said, adding that he thinks there is a price for breaking away from them.
"I'm not really sure. I don't know—I mean, if you look at 2018 for instance, how many people are going to want to have Bill Clinton out on the stump for them?" Nia-Malika Henderson said.
Former Clinton White House staffer and CNN analyst Kirsten Powers also brushed off the consequences of Gillibrand's move.
"I think she's speaking for a lot of Democrats who have long had anger towards the Clintons for having to basically stay silent or, you know, not be critical of this kind of behavior and look like hypocrites," Powers said.
The damage of Bill Clinton is vast even without the sexual misconduct allegations against him, she argued.
"This has been something that has been hanging over the Democratic Party for the last 20-plus years. And honestly, Bill Clinton should also have to come out and apologize and have some sort of reckoning at some point, you know, for the accusations against him," Powers said.