In December 1997, Jake Tapper, then a budding journalist, had a casual dinner date with Monica Lewinsky, a 24-year-old former White House intern. Their encounter at a Tex-Mex restaurant was unremarkable, with conversations about their lives and ambitions, and the name of President Bill Clinton never came up. Tapper later described Lewinsky as friendly and genuinely interested, a stark contrast to other women he had dated in Washington.
Just weeks later, the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal broke, thrusting Lewinsky into the spotlight and subjecting her to intense media scrutiny. Tapper, who had recently shared a pleasant evening with her, watched as the story unfolded, leading to Clinton’s impeachment and dramatically changing Lewinsky’s life.
In response to the media frenzy, Tapper wrote an article in the *Washington City Paper*, humanizing Lewinsky and emphasizing her normalcy amid the sensational headlines. His portrayal offered a compassionate counterpoint to the often cruel narratives surrounding her.
After years of retreating from public life, Lewinsky eventually spoke out, advocating for anti-bullying and a kinder internet culture. Their paths crossed again in 2021 during a CNN segment, where they reminisced about their one date, reflecting on how media coverage of political scandals has evolved since then.