October 19, 1998
Of Course, It All Depends On
What You Mean by 'Clintonesque'
By JOSHUA HARRIS PRAGER
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Over the years, journalists have used the adjective "Clintonesque" to mean many things, from draft-dodging to baby-boomer liberal to philandering.
But in deference to the president's handling of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, the world's press has assigned it a new meaning. Some recent examples:
The Yomiuri Shimbun/Daily Yomiuri, Oct. 15
"At the risk of sounding Clintonesque, I suppose it all depends on how one defines the term violent."
The Independent -- London, Oct. 13
"This Clintonesque usage will come as a shock to those of us who use the English language in a straightforward manner, in order to communicate and inform, rather than to obfuscate."
Forbes, Oct. 12
"North Korea claims it was only launching a satellite, but this Clintonesque hairsplitting provides little comfort."
The Irish Times, Oct. 7
"But with the conference due to debate Europe today, Lord Lamont, the former chancellor, accused pro-Europeans of "Clintonesque ambiguities" and challenged them to "come out of the closet" over their intentions toward a federal Europe."
The Hindu, Oct. 6
"For that reason, despite harsh demands in public, for the moment Mr. Kim is likely to forgive Mr. Obuchi for being somewhat Clintonesque in his parsing of the phraseology of an expected apology."
Richmond Times-Dispatch, Sept. 29
"Perhaps it will find a Clintonesque way to explain why a raise isn't a raise isn't a raise."
Saturday State Times/Morning Advocate, (Baton Rouge, La.), Sept. 26
"That sounds so Clintonesque in definition as to be absurd."
Houston Chronicle, Sept. 24
"The object of the whole, Clintonesque endeavor remains the same: to lie without exactly, legally, technically lying."
Asked to comment on the term "Clintonesque," a White House spokeswoman responded: "Whatever the term, the American people understand that President Clinton is doing their work."
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