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An hours-long interview in 1998 betweenBarbara WaltersandMonica Lewinskyturned into a longtime friendship between the two women.
Lewinsky – who first encountered Walters in 1998 during a20/20interview regarding her affair with PresidentBill Clintonwhile she was a White House intern – dropped multiple bombshells to Walters about the affair and issued a public apology toHillaryandChelsea Clinton.
Some of the memorable moments from that interview included Walters asking Lewinsky if she still was in love with Clinton; Lewinsky answered “No. Sometimes I have warm feelings. Sometimes I’m proud of him still, and sometimes I hate his guts. And, he makes me sick.”
At another time, Walters asked Lewsinky, “What will you tell your children, when you have them?,” to which Lewinsky replied, “Mommy made a big mistake.”
Referencing the months-long media firestorm around Lewinsky and Clinton’s affair, Walters joked in response: “And that is the understatement of the year.”
Lewinsky recalled on Twitter in a lengthy tribute to the late journalist how Walters made her feel comfortable during their first interview.
“I remarked that this was the first time I’d ever been in serious trouble,” Lewinskytweeted. “I’d basically been a good kid – got good grades, didn’t do drugs, never shoplifted etc. Without missing a beat, Barbara said: Monica, next time shoplift.”
“I would have tried to tell her that this was a relationship that had no future,” Walters said. “But have you ever tried to stop a daughter when she is in love from doing anything? It’s very hard.”
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Lewinsky also told PEOPLE in 2015 that if she ever got married, Walters would be on the guest list, saying, “I’ve promised Barbara Walters a dance at my wedding so I hope to make good on that promise some day!”
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The writer said the two “stayed in touch” over the past 25 years, and noted that the last time they saw each other was during a lunch a few years ago.
“Of course, she was charming, witty and some of her questions were still her signature interview style: ‘So tell me, Monica, how do you feel …etc etc.’ She was the very first person with whom I ever sat for a television interview… and will certainly be my most memorable,” Lewinskytweeted.
source: people.com
