--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What Clinton did with Lewinsky was…" description: "\"What Clinton did with Lewinsky was despicable but was no threat to the nation. That he lied about it repeatedly and to the public is a reason for us to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/donella-meadows-9060_cease_what-clinton-did-with-lewinsky-was-despi_173563.png" --- # What Clinton did with Lewinsky was despicable but was no… ![“What Clinton did with Lewinsky was despicable but was no threat to the nation. That he lied about it repeatedly and to the public is a reason for us to cease to trust him and for him to resign.” quote by Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/donella-meadows-9060_cease_what-clinton-did-with-lewinsky-was-despi_173563.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/donella-meadows-9060_cease_what-clinton-did-with-lewinsky-was-despi_173563.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/donella-meadows-9060_cease_what-clinton-did-with-lewinsky-was-despi_173563.png) > “What Clinton did with Lewinsky was despicable but was no threat to the nation. That he lied about it repeatedly and to the public is a reason for us to cease to trust him and for him to resign.” [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Repeated lies erode public trust, making leadership untenable regardless of other actions. **In simple terms:** Lying destroys trust, leading to resignation. Key Takeaway Demand honesty to maintain trust. Themes trust leadership integrity Mood critical skeptical Type political analytical When to use this quote - government - media scrutiny - public opinion Key Concepts public accountability political ethics Questions to Reflect On - What are the limits of forgiveness for leaders? - How does repeated deception affect societal trust? A Different Perspective People may still support despite lies; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a former federal prosecutor, a former associate attorney general. If I had done that, I'd have been prosecuted. It's a clear violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-m-a-former-federal-prosecutor-a-former-associate-attorney-general/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [“If you were Bill Clinton, how did you justify Monica Lewinsky to Chelsea? What did you say about the cigar and the beret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/if-you-were-bill-clinton-how-did-you-justify-monica-lewinsky-to/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [Bill Clinton did midnight basketball. He is not looked at by this current generation of Democrats as anywhere near the hero he was back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/bill-clinton-did-midnight-basketball-he-is-not-looked-at-by-this/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ I would just say Hillary \[Clinton\] did win the popular vote. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-would-just-say-hillary-clinton-did-win-the-popular-vote/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Bill Clinton was a brilliant politician. If President Obama was a brilliant politician he would have come out before the election and said 'Hey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bongino/bill-clinton-was-a-brilliant-politician-if-president-obama-was-a/) [Dan Bongino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bongino/) > [You know, I look at Vladimir Putin as somebody who is an eye-for-an-eye kind of person. We questioned the legitimacy of his election in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-know-i-look-at-vladimir-putin-as-somebody-who-is-an-eye-for-an/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [There were a couple of occasions when it was passed around - and, unlike President Clinton, I did inhale!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cowen/there-were-a-couple-of-occasions-when-it-was-passed-around-and-unlike/) [Brian Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cowen/) > [Hillary Clinton did not represent, on a lot of policy matters, what the American public perceived to be as a change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sirota/hillary-clinton-did-not-represent-on-a-lot-of-policy-matters-what-the/) [David Sirota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sirota/) > [Everything Bill Clinton has done is fair game. He's a former president. I just don't think that is the most effective way to beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/everything-bill-clinton-has-done-is-fair-game-he-s-a-former-president/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [If Hillary Clinton did nothing, America'd be in much better shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-hillary-clinton-did-nothing-america-d-be-in-much-better-shape/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Bill Clinton did everything in opposition to Black Lives Matter and the things that animate the existence of the Democrat Party today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/bill-clinton-did-everything-in-opposition-to-black-lives-matter-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It's extraordinary to me - you cannot name a presidential candidate in history who has singlehandedly, through bad trade deals, destroyed more American jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/it-s-extraordinary-to-me-you-cannot-name-a-presidential-candidate-in/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [What Bill Clinton did to us was cruel. The White House gave my attorneys indications that there was a good chance for my clemency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/what-bill-clinton-did-to-us-was-cruel-the-white-house-gave-my/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [If my son or your son handled classified information the way that Hillary Clinton did, they'd be court marshaled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/if-my-son-or-your-son-handled-classified-information-the-way-that/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Hillary Clinton did better among working-class whites when she's running against Barack Hussein Obama. How is she doing now against an older, a professor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/hillary-clinton-did-better-among-working-class-whites-when-she-s/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) ## More by Donella Meadows > [Ending poverty calls for humility, honesty, freedom from ideology and refusal to accept cruel simplicities about anyone's human potential. It requires listening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/ending-poverty-calls-for-humility-honesty-freedom-from-ideology-and/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany have detailed plans to cut their greenhouse emissions by 20 to 50 percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/denmark-the-netherlands-and-germany-have-detailed-plans-to-cut-their/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [A grand jury hears only one side - that of the prosecutor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/a-grand-jury-hears-only-one-side-that-of-the-prosecutor/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Why is our (US) government the only one in the civilized world with a stupid, short-term energy policy? Why do our elected officials consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/why-is-our-us-government-the-only-one-in-the-civilized-world-with-a/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Before they got vengeful, conservatives had some useful points to make about welfare. Government 'help' is too often guilt-assuaging gesture. It creates layers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/before-they-got-vengeful-conservatives-had-some-useful-points-to-make/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Social services, not wealth per se, seem to be the key to lower birth rates. The Chinese, although among the poorest peoples of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/social-services-not-wealth-per-se-seem-to-be-the-key-to-lower-birth/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [You should issue demerits for tree cutting or the destruction of humus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/you-should-issue-demerits-for-tree-cutting-or-the-destruction-of-humus/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [A good leader sets the right goals, gets things moving, and helps us to discover that we already know what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/a-good-leader-sets-the-right-goals-gets-things-moving-and-helps-us-to/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [The latest scientific assessment has almost doubled the predicted rate of warming if no changes are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/the-latest-scientific-assessment-has-almost-doubled-the-predicted/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Some call-in moderators are neutral and courteous. Then there's Rush Limbaugh, who is funny and pompous and a scapegoater and hatemonger. His popularity could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/some-call-in-moderators-are-neutral-and-courteous-then-there-s-rush/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Smart development builds on a region's own skills, resources and local businesses. Dumb growth invites a big corporation in, surrenders control and profits to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/smart-development-builds-on-a-region-s-own-skills-resources-and-local/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Glaciers are almost gone from Glacier National Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/glaciers-are-almost-gone-from-glacier-national-park/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [I call the transformed world toward which we can move ‘sustainable,’ by which I mean a great deal more than a world that merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/i-call-the-transformed-world-toward-which-we-can-move-sustainable-by/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [We can't control systems or figure them out. But we can dance with them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/we-can-t-control-systems-or-figure-them-out-but-we-can-dance-with-them/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Mesarovic and Pestel are critical of the Forrester-Meadows world view, which is that of a homogeneous system with a fully predetermined evolution in time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/mesarovic-and-pestel-are-critical-of-the-forrester-meadows-world-view/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) [Explore all 75 Donella Meadows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) ## More Cease quotes > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In the name of Jerusalem. If I forget the extermination of the Jews, may my right hand wither, may my tongue stick to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/in-the-name-of-jerusalem-if-i-forget-the-extermination-of-the-jews/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) Nicholas Roerich > [Without a function, we cease to be. So, I will write till I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-mowat/without-a-function-we-cease-to-be-so-i-will-write-till-i-die/) [Farley Mowat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-mowat/) > [We have won an armistice on a single battlefield, not peace in our world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/we-have-won-an-armistice-on-a-single-battlefield-not-peace-in-our/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [My child, seek those things which make for peace. Cease to stir up the King against the Church, and urge upon him a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-child-seek-those-things-which-make-for-peace-cease-to-stir-up-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To write is to make oneself the echo of what cannot cease speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/to-write-is-to-make-oneself-the-echo-of-what-cannot-cease-speaking/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [When fear ceases to scare you, it cannot stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/when-fear-ceases-to-scare-you-it-cannot-stay/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [He who ceases to pray ceases to prosper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurney-benham/he-who-ceases-to-pray-ceases-to-prosper/) [William Gurney Benham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurney-benham/) > [For we must share, if we would keep, that blessing from above; ceasing to give, we cease to have; such is the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-chenevix-trench/for-we-must-share-if-we-would-keep-that-blessing-from-above-ceasing/) [Richard Chenevix Trench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-chenevix-trench/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) Browse all 1,358 Cease quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What Clinton did with Lewinsky was despicable but was no threat to the nation. 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