Monica Lewinsky thanked former New York Times public editor Daniel Okrent on Monday after he suggested the scandal involving her and former President Bill Clinton should be named after Clinton and not Lewinsky.
Okrent wrote Friday in a New York Times letter to the editor that Lewinksy's mother made a "good point" when she called him in 2004 and asked why the scandal was named after a "college-age intern" rather than "the most powerful man in the world" at the time, Bill Clinton, Mediaite reported.
The former Times editor was referencing a book written by Michael Tomasky on Clinton that was reviewed by Jim Kelly and defended by Sean Wilentz. Okrent took issue with Wilentz's use of the term "Lewinsky Scandal" in his defense.
Mother Knows Best
To the Editor:
Sean Wilentz's defense (Letters, Feb. 12) of Michael Tomasky's "Bill Clinton" is persuasive, as was Jim Kelly's fine review (Jan. 22). But I'm struck by Wilentz's use of the term "Lewinsky scandal." When I was public editor of the Times in 2004, I received a call from Ms. Lewinsky's mother, who asked: "She was a college-age intern. He was the most powerful man in the world. Why is the scandal named after her?" It was a good point then, and remains one today.
DANIEL OKRENT
NEW YORK
Lewinsky, who often speaks out against bullying, responded to Okrent by thanking him on Twitter.
thx daniel okrent for ur ltr to the editor + @nytimesbooks @nytimes 4 publishing. v. appreciated by my family + me. https://t.co/KHOQDKyi6J
— Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) February 27, 2017