Jun 4, 2018

What we're watching: Bill Clinton confronted on #MeToo, Monica Lewinsky

Reflecting on his presidency in light of the #MeToo movement, former president Bill Clinton told NBC News' "Today" that he believes he did "the right thing" during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, adding that he wouldn't do anything differently if the facts were the same today.

The details: Clinton also admitted that he had never offered a private apology to Lewinsky, even after her admission that she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the intense media scrutiny during the scandal: "I have not talked to her. I did not — I never talked to her, but I did say publicly on more than one occasion that I was sorry. That's very different. The apology was public."

Clinton defended his record employing women — both as Arkansas governor and attorney general:

And things got heated near the end of the interview as Clinton invoked both JFK and LBJ, asking if they should have resigned:

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Alayna Treene, Hans Nichols
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

The apocalypse scenario

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Democratic lawyers are preparing to challenge any effort by President Trump to swap electors chosen by voters with electors selected by Republican-controlled legislatures. One state of particular concern: Pennsylvania, where the GOP controls the state house.

Why it matters: Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, together with a widely circulated article in The Atlantic about how bad the worst-case scenarios could get, is drawing new attention to the brutal fights that could jeopardize a final outcome.

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Axios
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Federal judge rules Trump administration can't end census early

Census workers outside Lincoln Center in New York. Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images

A federal judge ruled late Thursday that the Trump administration could not end the 2020 census a month early.

Why it matters: The decision states that an early end — on Sept. 30, instead of Oct. 31 — would likely produce inaccuracies and thus impact political representation and government funding around the country.

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Caitlin Owens, author of Vitals
2 hours ago - Health

Where bringing students back to school is most risky

Data: Coders Against COVID; Note: Rhode Island and Puerto Rico did not meet minimum testing thresholds for analysis. Values may not add to 100% due to rounding; Cartogram: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

Schools in Southern and Midwestern states are most at risk of coronavirus transmission, according to an analysis by Coders Against COVID that uses risk indicators developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The big picture: Thankfully, schools have not yet become coronavirus hotspots, the Washington Post reported this week, and rates of infection are lower than in the surrounding communities. But that doesn't mean schools are in the clear, especially heading into winter.

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