Slow Burn: The Clinton Impeachment

A fresh reexamination of the scandals that nearly destroyed the 42nd president and forever changed the life of a former White House intern.

About the Show

The saga of Bill Clinton’s impeachment is rich with forgotten characters, surprising subplots, and opportunities to reflect on just how much America has changed over the past 20 years. Whether you’re well-versed in the tale of Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, or you’re fuzzy on the details, this season of Slow Burn will take you further into the story than you’ve ever been.

From its origins in the Whitewater real estate controversy, the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit, and the suicide of Vince Foster, Clinton’s near-removal from office was the culmination of a process that remains poorly understood—and continues to reverberate through our political system today.

While Season I of Slow Burn captured what it was like to live through Watergate, Season II offers a fresh reexamination of the choices, circumstances, and manipulations that nearly destroyed the 42nd president and forever changed the life of a former White House intern.

Read Leon Neyfakh’s introduction to Season 2.

Read the announcement on Season 3.

Host

Season 2: Episode 1

Deal or No Deal

For 11 hours, Monica Lewinsky faced off against federal prosecutors who wanted her to help them take down the president and threatened her with decades in jail.
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How Monica Got Her Life Back

On resilience and reinvention.
Season 2: Episode 2

There There

The Clinton administration was mired in scandal from its very first days.
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Ahead of Her Time

In conversation with former Surgeon General Dr. Jocelyn Elders.
Season 2: Episode 3

Cred

Bill Clinton faced a lot of accusations. Only some of them stuck.
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Clinton v. Jones

When the President gets sued.
Season 2: Episode 4

Alone, Together

What happened between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky?
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Cold Lump of Metal

Dick Morris talks about his experience for Bill Clinton.
Season 2: Episode 5

Tell-All

Linda Tripp exposed Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky. What was she thinking?
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Where Linda Tripp Is Coming From

On the Bushes, Clintons, SNL, and more.
Season 2: Episode 6

God Mode

The Clinton-Lewinsky scandal sent the religious right into paroxysms of outrage. The rest of the country wasn’t convinced.
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Former Kids

Leon’s full-length interview with Ken Starr, and a look back at what teens learned from reading the Starr report.
Season 2: Episode 7

Bedfellows

Clinton’s enemies said his affair made him unfit to govern. What did his friends think?
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Exit Through the Rose Garden

One of strangest summer jobs you could have in 1998? Being an intern in the independent counsel’s office.
Season 2: Episode 8

Move On

In 1998, Congress weighed whether Juanita Broaddrick’s rape accusation against Bill Clinton was grounds for impeachment.
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Flytrap

Revisting Slate’s coverage of the Clinton-era.