December 12, 1906: President Theodore Roosevelt received the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War.
Clinton's impeachment and Senate trial was the culmination of a four-year investigation into Clinton and his wife Hillary's alleged involvement in several scandals in both Arkansas and the White House. Over the course of the investigation, the independent prosecutor assigned to the case, Kenneth Starr, was informed of an extramarital affair between Clinton and a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky. Clinton denied the affair as part of another lawsuit (the Paula Jones case), but when questioned by Starr, Clinton tried to invoke executive privilege to avoid responding. An undeterred Starr then charged the president with obstruction of justice, which forced the president to testify before a grand jury in August 1998.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In his grand jury testimony, the President admitted to an inappropriate relationship with Lewinsky and that he regretted misleading his wife and the American people when he denied the affair earlier. He insisted that his answers were "legally accurate" and "at no time" did he ask anyone to "lie, hide or destroy evidence or to take any unlawful action."
December 12, 2000: In a landmark Supreme Court decision, George W. Bush was declared the winner of the 2000 presidential election. Ending a five-week standoff, the Court's 5-4 ruling blocked further recounts in Florida, thus awarding the state's 25 electoral votes — and the presidency — to Bush. Controversial as 2000 was, it doesn't even crack the top three on WWR's list of the most controversial presidential elections! Ranking ahead of it: 1800, 1824 and 1876.
Quote of the Day
"This young century will be liberty's century." — George W. Bush
More from West Wing Reports...
-
Confessions of a Brain Surgeon: an 'exceptional' documentaryThe Week Recommends Retired neurosurgeon Henry Marsh reflects on his pioneering work with exquisitely 'raw honesty'
-
A new subtype of diabetes was found and it may require different treatmentUnder the radar It is prevalent in Black Africans and Americans
-
Crossword: August 20, 2025The Week's daily crossword
