Yesterday Chelsea Clinton visited Ball State University and Butler University. Based on the current reports from the media, her visit to Butler proved to be more memorable than her visit to Ball State…and not for the right reasons.
A student at Butler University asked Ms. Clinton about the Monica Lewinsky scandal while her father was in office, and her retort was simple, yet effective, “None of your business.” Before giving this simple answer Chelsea said that in the eighty-plus schools she’s visited so far, no one had the gull to ask her such a personal question. So of course, this infringement on her personal life and the personal life of her family has now hit every major TV station locally and made national news. Channel 8 News has a public poll today online about what happened, and the guy who asked the question was already on a national morning television show today! This whole “ordeal” leaves me wondering, “Is it really that big of an issue?”
I agree that the personal lives of the Clinton family, especially when talking about an affair, should stay personal. However, this scandal was already made public when it happened, and Chelsea (as well as her family) should know that questions such as the one the Butler student asked are going to arise. Not to mention, the question wasn’t asked to be spiteful. He said that he was a strong supporter of the Clinton campaign and planned on voting for her in the upcoming election. The question was asked in order to gage how the former First Lady and upcoming presidential hopeful would handle tough situations that would be brought to the light of the media if she won.
Personally, I think this is just another example of the media taking what may deserve to be a five o’clock news story and turning it into a week-long, drug out, unnecessary mess. The Clintons have been in the media for long enough now to know that unwanted questions may arise, but they are going to get asked and often. I guess a good way to look at it is that at least the question wasn’t asked here at Ball State.
-Cassie Derado
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March 27, 2008 at 1:25 pm
ballstateaa
I agree with you here on this. I think it’s a great opportunity to have political figure and representatives come to Ball State to encourage our students and faculty to get involved in our government and vote. The media often has way too much fun carrying out negative issues. It would be nice once-in-awhile to hear good things on the news.
Allison Stepp
March 28, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Jason Stoe
All democrats interested in changing this country’s leadership should be interested in this. Richard Belzer has stated publically on Bill Maher HBO Show that Rupert Murdoch has been amassing a file of women involved with Bill Clinton since he has left the white house. I’m not sure if it is true, but we should all take a moment and ponder the potential effect that Bill’s character (past, present and future) might potentially have on Hillary’s candidacy in November. Any possibility that we’ll essentially get another term of the Bush Presidency (McCain), means that these questions should be asked and more importantly should be answered before we are “locked” into Hillary as a candidate. I would not have been ashamed of a Ball State student asking the same question. Chelsea needs to toughen up if she’s going to be a surrogate. Politics is a contact sport!