TL;DR
Hillary Clinton maintains her commitment to Bill Clinton despite profound personal challenges, including past infidelity.
Key Points
She recalled in a 2020 documentary feeling personally devastated after the 42nd president disclosed his relationship with an intern.
Following the scandal, she and the president engaged in counseling to decide if the marriage was worth saving.
She cited their ability to maintain an ongoing conversation as a reason they are still together after fifty years.
Summary
Hillary Clinton addresses her marriage to the former president, particularly the fallout from his affair with Monica Lewinsky, with candor in public reflections, including in a 2020 documentary. She recalled the moment he confessed the affair and the devastation it caused her, stating she was "absolutely persuaded" by his initial claims that there was nothing to it. Despite the personal hurt, she discussed the difficult process of deciding whether to stay in the marriage, which involved seeing a counselor and having "painful, painful discussions."
Following the revelation and subsequent impeachment proceedings, she explained that she ultimately chose to remain married, a decision that drew both affirmation and criticism from the public. She has suggested that her decision was based on her love for him and her belief that the marriage was worth saving, though the political implications of divorce were also a factor cited by observers. In a later conversation, she emphasized that their ability to keep talking through good times and hard times is a key reason they remain together after more than fifty years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hillary Clinton has expressed that she was devastated and personally hurt by her husband's affair. She described the process of deciding whether to stay in the marriage as involving painful discussions and counseling sessions. While she decided to remain married, the experience was clearly a defining and difficult moment in their shared history.
While the initial shock and anger over the infidelity were evident, her current position is one of committed partnership, focusing on the longevity of their relationship. She and the former president have emphasized their ongoing conversation and mutual support as the foundation for staying together through difficult times.
She stated that she believed the impeachment vote against the president was wrong because the actions did not meet the established standards for a high crime or misdemeanor. While acknowledging he should not have done what he did or tried to hide it, she maintained it was not an impeachable offense.