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THIS WEEK WITH SAM DONALDSON & COKIE ROBERTS: CRISIS IN THE WHITE HOUSE (TV)

Summary

One in this series of weekly public affairs programs hosted by Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts. This program focuses on Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr's investigation into the alleged sexual relationship between President Bill Clinton and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. First, Jackie Judd reports that eyewitnesses caught the President and Lewinsky in an intimate moment in the White House. Donaldson and Roberts interview Clinton advisor Paul Begala, who proclaims his total support of President Clinton and answers all questions by reiterating the President's statements that he neither engaged in sexual activity with Lewinsky nor induced anyone to lie about the case. Begala also suggests that Starr's team has created evidence. Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) then joins Donaldson and Roberts and discusses the following topics: the Senate's focus on issues such as education and foreign policy rather than on the current investigations; how the investigation is distracting the President from pressing matters such as the situation with Iraq; and the upcoming State of the Union address. The next guest, Lewinsky's attorney William Ginsburg, comments on the following topics: Judd's report about eyewitnesses and possible repercussions; the FBI's examination of Lewinsky's clothes for DNA evidence; and the goal of getting total immunity for Lewinsky. The last guest, House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), comments on the possibility of impeachment depending on the outcome of the investigations, and the probable reaction of Congress to a State of the Union address which does not respond in any way to Lewinsky's allegations. The program ends with a roundtable discussion between Donaldson, Roberts, George Will, George Stephanopoulos, and Bill Kristol, in which they examine the following topics: whether Clinton is telling the truth, and whether he will withstand this scandal; the connection between the Gennifer Flowers affair and this case; the probability that Clinton will be forced to resign and that Vice President Al Gore will step up; and the effects of the scandal on the Presidency and on the Democratic and Republican parties. Includes commercials and promos. This program is closed-captioned.

Cataloging of this program was made possible by The Marc Haas and Helen Hotze Haas Foundation, 1998.

Details

  • NETWORK: ABC
  • DATE: January 25, 1998 Sunday 10:30 AM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:58:52
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T:52266
  • GENRE: Public Affairs
  • SUBJECT HEADING: She Made It Collection (Cokie Roberts); U S - Presidency
  • SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1981-
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - ADM "Supermarket to the World"
    • TV - Commercials - Buick automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - G.E. technologies
    • TV - Commercials - Green Giant Harvest Burgers
    • TV - Commercials - Merrill Lynch financial planning
    • TV - Commercials - Texaco fuels
    • TV - Commercials - Tylenol pain reliever
    • TV - Promos - "Love Affair" (telecast of a feature film)
    • TV - Promos - "PrimeTime Live"
    • TV - Promos - "The 25th Annual American Music Awards"
    • TV - Promos - "The Senior Skins Game"
    • TV - Promos - "World News Tonight With Peter Jennings"

CREDITS

  • Dorrance Smith … Executive Producer
  • Virginia Moseley … Senior Producer
  • Dennis O'Brien … Producer
  • Emily Miller … Associate Producer
  • Rocci Fisch … Operations Producer
  • John D'Incecco … Director
  • Unice Lieberman … Researcher
  • Sam Donaldson … Host
  • Cokie Roberts … Host
  • Jackie Judd … Reporter
  • George Will … Panelist
  • George Stephanopoulos … Panelist
  • Bill Kristol … Panelist
  • Paul Begala … Guest
  • William Ginsburg … Guest
  • Henry Hyde … Guest
  • Trent Lott … Guest
  • Bill Clinton
  • Gennifer Flowers
  • Al Gore
  • Monica Lewinsky
  • Kenneth Starr