Vanity Fair backs its reporter, Clinton camp apologizes, Gina Gershon demands a retraction

Vanity Fair has fired back in response to former president Bill Clinton's criticism of the magazine's piece, which questions his lifestyle choices and association with Hollywood producer Steve Bing, quotes anonymous aides about his increased anger since heart surgery, discusses his financial relationship with billionaire Ron Burkle, and includes reports of concern among his aides about his seeing a lot of women on the road, including actress Gina Gershon.

"In a response of nearly 2,500 words -- a quarter the length of the actual story -- former president Bill Clinton's office fails to address a single factual mistake in Todd Purdum's Vanity Fair article. Purdum, who has covered President Clinton on and off for 16 years beginning with his 1992 presidential campaign when Purdum was with the New York Times, spoke with dozens of current and former senior Clinton aides during the course of his reporting. Purdum also contacted the Clinton office long before the article's completion and had several conversations with staff regarding the president's participation. Vanity Fair stands behind the article and Purdum's reporting."

And now Hillary's Clinton's campaign has apologized for Bill Clinton's remarks about the reporter, calling him a "scumbag and a real slimy guy."  Her people apologized for "inappropriate" language.

Jay Carson, a spokesman for Hillary Clinton's campaign, said late Monday that "President Clinton was understandably upset about an outrageously unfair article, but the language today was inappropriate and he wishes he had not used it."

Meanwhile, Gershon's representative has informed ET: "Todd Purdum's insinuation is a lie and it is irresponsible journalism. We are demanding a retraction."

Click here to go to TMZ who has posted a copy of the letter from Gershon's lawyers to Vanity Fair. Oooh, is she mad!

Fasten your seat belts, readers and voters!

Photo: WireImage

Comments

[Hillary All the Way]

Shut up Vanity Fair, anything for attention right? your just another media whore mag. Don't buy the magazine, that is all they are after.

[joel palmer]

Bill Clinton hitting on good looking women? Boy that's hard to believe. He has always had a famously short fuse and has always had staff to screen him. Now we get to see the unvarnished Bill and it's not pretty. He cost his wife the nomination and has tarnished his own legacy. Too bad! We were way better off under Bubba than the current doofus!

[the truth]

Sorry Bill You are a liar I" did not have sex with that girl" remember
You were impeached remember
You have committed adultry remember?
If anyway has a shot at the title Scumbag..you're getting my vote sir

[richard]

Is that just a bad photo or is Bill's nose really getting longer?

[Fresh Brains]

Well, well the kit gloves will be coming off. Hillbillary drama is about to get thick. If you think the media has been hard, bubba baby you ain't seen nothing yet!

[Bernard Berlin]

The thought of the Clinton's in the White House again made me cringe. If it happened, this and other stories would be a continuation of their previous stay. Hopefully, the primary will result in a more honest candidate.

[Sharon - NC]

I did not have sex with that woman. Never. Ever. (finger wagging). Anyone remember that?

[paul]

Who cares? What's the point of the article, other
than another article bashing the Clintons?
Haven't we had enough?

[Jack D.]

Why would Jay Carson write a 2500 word memo and not specify the factual errors in the VF article?

Clinton himself said there were at least 5 or 6 blatant lies in the article. Put them out there Bill and Jay.

[Michael]

Can you see the physical resemblance between Gina and the old past over Monica? People's desires and instincts don't change and Bill has shown his tastes.

[Bob]

Back in the days of Clinton friendly media, the Vanity Fair story would have been squashed before it made it to press!

My how things have changed for the Clintons!

That what goes around comes around!

http://klintons.com

[RuskinRules]

Always remember folks, a lie about consensual sex is immeasurably less egregious than lying into getting us into an illegal war resulting in 4,000 + American dead, as well as hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, and looting our treasury to funnel into the Bush, Cheney & Carlyle Group Shareholder/ Retirement Fund.

So what's gas now, $4.50 a gallon? And how much profit did the oil companies (and Bush contributors) make last year?

[Leroy]

Who is the liar? How in the world would Bill ever recognize a liar? Bill is the true liar!

[laughing in calif]

If Hillary goes on the ticket as VP, the Dems can expect headlines like this every day till November when Bill drags down the whole party.

[NinaK]

Bill Clinton calling Todd Purdum "sleezy", "dishonest", "slimy" and "a liar" is really, really funny. I wonder if Bill while shaving and seeing himself in the mirror privately acknowledges these very same "traits" in himself?? As so many of us know, that is how we have long viewed the Clintons. His behavior is nothing new; it is just that we have seen him more and more on TV and in actual person during this campaign and he has not been one bit shy about throwing tempertantrums, degrading and demeaning Senator Obama, lying, and behaving like a rabid pittfull with a severe case of diarrhea of the mouth, Last night was nothing different, except that he went on and on and on and blaming Senator Obama for the news media reporting, for the preaches in Obama's former church, for Hilliary losing, etc. My goodness, it appears he is blaming Senator Obama for Whitewather too!! Bill Clinton is suffering from great guilt except he does not recognize it, so he projects on whoever happens to be his target at any given time. Gee, I wonder if he and Hilliary exchange such rants and rages in their private moments when noone is watching or recording??? :) :)

[foo]

Come on Bill, this one is actually hot, unlike Paula, you shouldn't be embarrassed to admit it.

[NinaK]

Bill Clinton calling Todd Purdum "sleezy", "dishonest", "slimy" and "a liar" is really, really funny. I wonder if Bill while shaving and seeing himself in the mirror privately acknowledges these very same "traits" in himself?? As so many of us know, that is how we have long viewed the Clintons. His behavior is nothing new; it is just that we have seen him more and more on TV and in actual person during this campaign and he has not been one bit shy about throwing tempertantrums, degrading and demeaning Senator Obama, lying, and behaving like a rabid pittfull with a severe case of diarrhea of the mouth, Last night was nothing different, except that he went on and on and on and blaming Senator Obama for the news media reporting, for the preaches in Obama's former church, for Hilliary losing, etc. My goodness, it appears he is blaming Senator Obama for Whitewather too!! Bill Clinton is suffering from great guilt except he does not recognize it, so he projects on whoever happens to be his target at any given time. Gee, I wonder if he and Hilliary exchange such rants and rages in their private moments when noone is watching or recording??? :) :)

[NinaK]

nose is getting larger and more like the nose on a clown's mask, only a purplish-red....all those years of cocaine snorting and drinking. Looks like Hilliary, too, is a lush...judging from her latest shots of her drinking shots and beer.

[jay antony]

BUYING?
A JAGUAR/LANDOVER
IN THE USA
PLEASE DON'T BUY
GAS PRICES ARE
HEADED HIGHER

DON'T BUY THIS GAS GUZZZZZZZLER
BUY AMERICAN
DON'T BUY FROM AN INDIAN COMPANY
FORD SOLD TO AN INDIAN COMPANY
DON'T BUY

[sara]

What is going on here with all you hate mongers toward the Clintons.How quickly you forget during the Clinton Admin. we had jobs,gas was 1/2 the price it is now,and we could afford our homes.I for one miss those years,I&my spouse have lost our jobs,can't afford gas to look for a job,& will be losing our home. Obama is not the answer,no experience,just has the gift of GAB...........

[Peggy McGilligan]

I'm still beating the same drum. Maybe the message is getting through: http://theseedsof9-11.com

[Tim Davis]

Would Todd Purdum's article have been published in the NY Times, Washington Post or the Dallas Morning News? Does it meet acceptable journalistic standards? If it wins a Pulitzer Prize for political reporting, I'll start getting my political news from The View.

[Kathy]

What has happened to Vanity Fair? This is a tawdry article from a white trash bottom-feeder. Bill Clinton will never stop following the ladies - we know that about him. It is old news. Yes, ok, so he's flawed. And it is also known that the type of surgery he had is known to change people's behavior. It's weird, but it happens. So what? Big deal. Shame on you, Mr. Pardum. There are big problems in the world, and you think this is newsworthy? I will never, ever read Vanity Fair again.

[stompanato]

journalistic ``standards"?
a novel idea! standards like ny times's judith miller, who wrote bush administration's lies about saddam hussein and wmd? bill's conduct in boudoir is certainly as important as rev wright's at the pulpit, me thinks.

[JeffH7888]

I can't believe some of this bullsh*t! Bill Clinton is a sexist, lying, hypocritical piece of sh*t ass*h*le!!!!! When will America wake up to this nonsense?