What the Meaning of “IS” Is

August 17, 1998

U.S. President Bill Clinton admits that he had had an “inappropriate” relationship with Monica Lewinsky. He also made his famous “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is” defense of his previous statement, “there is not a sexual relationship, an improper sexual relationship or any other kind of improper relationship” because “is” means currently and he was not, at the time he made that statement, still in a sexual relationship with Lewinsky. Clinton claimed that because certain acts were performed on him, not by him, and he was passive during the acts, he did not “engage in sexual relations.” He also denied that oral sex constituted a sexual relation. This statement was issued after the FBI announced that Clinton was the source of the semen on Lewinsky’s blue dress.