Transcript: The Flowers/Clinton Tapes

by Accuracy in Media

The Star, a tabloid newspaper, published some 2,000 words of transcripts of telephone conversations between Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton and Gennifer Flowers, a woman who asserts she had a 12-year sexual affair with the ex-President. Our media decided you didn't have the right to read these transcripts. The Washington Post published a meager 59 words. The Associated Press, the wire service which supplies news to most American dailies, transmitted only 24 words. The New York Times, arguably the most influential paper in the country, ran two sentences, both pertaining to derogatory remarks Clinton was heard making about Gov. Mario Cuomo. (The Washington Times and the New York Post are the only papers we've seen that published sizable portions of the transcripts; neither paper, unfortunately, has mass circulation in national terms.)

Why the media censorship? Eleanor Clift, who covers politics for Newsweek, wrote in that magazine on Feb. 10, 1992, after the Flowers revelations, "Gary Hart would have given anything for the support Clinton got last week. Truth is, the press is willing to cut Clinton some slack because they like him -- and what he has to say." Steven Stark, a columnist for the liberal Boston Globe, wrote on March 16 that "the question is whether the coverage, as a whole, has become so one-sided that the mainstream press is not giving the public the whole truth. That has clearly happenly. Why have so many baby-boom reporters boosted Clinton? In part, it's because they identify strongly with a liberal, semi-hip contemporary who seems to share their values." Let us give liberals Clift and Stark credit for honesty: at least they are up front about their shameless admiration for Bill Clinton.

Accuracy in Media feels the American public has a right to know what was said between Gennifer Flowers and Bill Clinton during their several telephone conversations. Are they authentic? Read them and decide for yourselves. In the interest of full disclosure, we also urge that you copy this bulletin and pass it along to any other computer bulletin board of which you are a member (download a copy of FLOWERS.TXT from section #1 in the FILE area). We don't believe the media have the right to decide unilaterally what the public should know about a possible future President of the United States.

-- Joe Goulden, AIM 20 March 1992

Extracts of telephone conversations betweeen Gov. Bill Clinton and Ms. Gennifer Flowers between September and December 1991, as released by the Star at a New York press conference in January 1992.

FLOWERS. Are you there? Sorry about that. Mother was...wanted me to get her a glass of water. See that was another thing. See, my parents are here, and I'll tell you what, the last thing I needed was to....

CLINTON. Have that happen....

FLOWERS. .....have that happen cause my mother would get very concerned and worried and so far you know.....

CLINTON [garbled] If they ever hit you with it just say 'no' and go on, there's nothing they can do.

FLOWERS. Well I will, but I mean...I....you know...she's my mother and you know how mothers can be.

CLINTON. They don't want to hear it at all.

FLOWERS. Well, she would just get all in a tizzy about....about it and uh, so I thought 'Good God, that's all I need.' Cause they're, uh, they're gonna be here...well they're leaving Wednesday morning and they were at the club tonight and they'll be here tomorrow night, which, you know, parents do. And I thought, 'Oh, please Jesus, don't let those people be out there.'

CLINTON. I'm just sorry that you ever had to put up with that [next word is garbled].

FLOWERS. Well, you know, to be real honest with you, I'm not completely surprised. I didn't think it would start this quickly. But I think, Bill, you're being naive if you think that these other shows like 'Current Affair' and, oh, what are some of the others, uh...

CLINTON. Well, I thought they....

FLOWERS. 'Hard Copy.'

CLINTON. I thought they'd look into it. But, you know, I just think a crazy person like Larry Nichols is not enough to get a story on the television with names in it.

FLOWERS. Right. Well, he better not get on there and start naming names.

CLINTON. Well, that's what I mean. You know, if all the people who are named....deny it...That's all, I mean, I expect them to come look into it and interview you and everything, uh, but I just think that if everybody's on record denying it you've got no problem.

FLOWERS. Well, I don't think...I don't think it...I don't....Well, why would they waste their money and time coming down here unless someone showed 'em some interest? See, they weren't here tonight and they're not going to be there.

CLINTON. No, no. See, that's it. I mean, they're gonna run this Larry Nichols thing down, they're gonna try to goad people up, you know, but if everybody kinda hangs tough, they're just not going to do anything. They can't.

FLOWERS. No. They can't.

CLINTON. They can't run a story like this unless somebody said, 'Yeah, I did it with him.'

[apparent end of first segment]

CLINTON. I'll tell you what, it would be extremely valuable if they ever do run anybody by me, you know. If they ever get anybody to do this, just to have, like I told you before when I called you, is to have an on-file affidavit explaining that, you know, you were approached by a Republican and asked to do that.

FLOWERS. Mm hmm. Well....

CLINTON. [garbled] ...the more I think about it, you should call him back....[garbled]....just don't know.

FLOWERS. Well, I think that...Well, are you going to run? [laughs] Can you tell me that?

CLINTON. I want to. I wonder if I'm going to be blown out of the water with this. I don't see how they can [garbled word] so far.

FLOWERS. I don't think they can....

CLINTON. If they don't, if they don't have pictures....

FLOWERS. Mh hmm.

CLINTON. ....which they [garbled]...anybody and no one says anything then they don't have anything and arguably if someone says something, they don't have much.

FLOWERS. If they could blow you out of the water they would have already blown you. I really believe that because I believe that there are various ones that have been trying hard lately. See, like that 'Inside Edition.' Uh, there've probably been other sources too. [Pause] So...I don't think so. I honestly don't. That's my gut feeling. I would tell you if I did. [pause] But...you may know more about....

CLINTON. How do you like holding [garbled word....future in....[garbled word] hands? ...Do you like that?

FLOWERS. Yeah. [laughs] No. Well, if it's positive I do, you know. I mean cause I want you to...I would love to see you go....Oh, I'd love to see you be President. I think that would be wonderful. I think you'd make a, a damn good one. I don't like Bush. I think he's a sneaky bastard. [laughs] [garbled] He's two-faced. I'd just love to see somebody get in there for a change, really make a difference. But uh...It's like I told you before, whatever you need me to do, just let me know.

CLINTON. I will.

[Apparent end of tape two]

FLOWERS. ....remember a long time ago when you called me and said that if you announced for, well, it was back the first time you were going to announce for, uh.....

CLINTON. Governor?

FLOWERS. No. President [laughs] [garbled] And you said [garble] 'Gennifer, just wanted you to know that there might be some reporters or something out there' and you said, 'Now, uh, you be sure to [garbled words] [both laugh] say 'there's nothing to the rumor,' and I said, O. K., I, well I shouldn't even say this to you, probably embarrass you. Do you remember what I said to you?

CLINTON. No. What'd you say?

FLOWERS. I said, ' Well, at the time you eat good pussy.' [laughs]

CLINTON. What?

FLOWERS. I said I had to tell them that you ate good pussy and you said, 'Well you can tell them that if I don't run for President [laughs]. I've got to keep my voice down, my parents are in the other....[laughs] [garbled]

CLINTON. [garbled]

FLOWERS. And I thought, you know that's not real funny right now. But anyway I try to find the humor in things.

CLINTON. Don't I know it. [garbled] [garbled]

FLOWERS. Well, I can guarantee you that's not something I've thought about [laughs], that's not the first thing on my mind when I think about those reporters being down there.

CLINTON. God.

FLOWERS. Oh, Lord.

CLINTON. [garbled]

FLOWERS. But, anyway, I think we're o. k. for now.

CLINTON. [garbled]....we have to watch as we go along.

FLOWERS. Well, you're uh, you know, from the feedback I'm getting around me about various things that are going on with what you're doing, I'm getting very positive feedback.

CLINTON. Yeah, there's no negative except this.

FLOWERS. This is the only thing.

CLINTON. And there's no negative to me running except this and even if I win...as a matter of fact it might be better for me to lose the primary, I might lose the nomination to Bob Kerrey because he's um...got all the Gary Hart/Hollywood money and because he's single, looks like a movie star, won the Medal of Honor, and since he's single, nobody cares if he's screwing. [laughs]

[apparent end of tape three]

[Dial tone]

[Dialing sounds]

[Ringing]

VOICE. Governor's mansion, Roger Creek.

FLOWERS. Is Bill Clinton in please?

VOICE. M'am, he's with some people right now. May I ask who's calling?

FLOWERS. This is Gennifer Flowers, I'm returning his call.

VOICE. Gennifer Fowler?

FLOWERS. Flowers.

VOICE. O.K. Hang on just a second.

FLOWERS. All right.

[long pause]

CLINTON. Hello?

FLOWERS. Bill?

CLINTON. Hey.

FLOWERS. It's Gennifer.

CLINTON. How ya doin?

FLOWERS. Well, I'm fine, it hardly sounds like you.

CLINTON. Oh, I'm having terrible throat problems.

FLOWERS. [cough] You're making me want to clear my throat. Can you talk? Can you talk a second?

CLINTON. Yes.

FLOWERS. Uh, I'm sorry I had missed your call. I went up to see my mother for a few days.

CLINTON. That's what I figured. How's she doin?

FLOWERS. Well, she's, she's doing o. k. physically....

[apparent end of tape four]]

FLOWERS. Hello?

CLINTON. Gennifer?

FLOWERS. Yes.

CLINTON. It's Bill Clinton.

FLOWERS. Hi Bill.

CLINTON. Hey I tried to call ya. I can't believe I got ya.

FLOWERS. Well whendya try to call me?

CLINTON. Last night. Late.

FLOWERS. Well I was here.

CLINTON. Did you take your phone off the hook?

FLOWERS. Well, I did, I ....Well, I've been getting these hang-up calls...

CLINTON. Oh.

FLOWERS. ....and at one point I took my phone...I, well, I didn't take it off the hook, I just, uh....

CLINTON. Turned it off?

FLOWERS. Yeah.

CLINTON. Oh that's what it was. I called...I started calling soon as I got home last night and I called for a couple of hours.

FLOWERS. Well, sorry I missed you.

CLINTON. [garbled]...I was afraid I screwed up the number or something, and I kept calling.

FLOWERS. Well are you....you got a cold?

CLINTON. Yeah. Oh it's just my...every year about this time I...My sinuses go bananas.

FLOWERS. Yeah, me too.

CLINTON. And I've been in this stupid airplane too much, but I'm o. k.

FLOWERS. Well, good. Good. The reason I was calling was to tell you that, uh, well, a couple things. Uh, this last Wednesday, someone got into my apartment.

CLINTON. Hold on a minute.

FLOWERS. O. K.

[long pause]

CLINTON. O. k., I got it.

FLOWERS. Are you in Little Rock?

CLINTON. No....

FLOWERS. No.

CLINTON. I am going to be there tonight late. I'm in, uh, Washington now and....

FLOWERS. Well....

CLINTON. I'm going to Dallas, and then I'm coming to Little Rock.

FLOWERS. Uh, well....

CLINTON. So somebody broke in your apartment?

FLOWERS. Well, yeah, well...There wasn't any sign of a break-in, uh, but the drawers and things...There wasn't anything missing that I can tell but somebody had...

CLINTON. Somebody had gone through all your stuff?

FLOWERS. ....And gone through my stuff.

CLINTON. You think they were...But they didn't steal anything?

FLOWERS. No. No, my jewelry...I had jewelry here and everything, it was still here.

CLINTON. You think they were trying to look for something on us?

FLOWERS. I think so. Well, I mean...why, why else? Ummm...

CLINTON. You weren't missing any, any kind of papers or anything?

FLOWERS. Well, like what kind of papers?

CLINTON. Well I mean did...any kind of personal records or checkbooks or anything like that?....Phone records?

FLOWERS. Do I have any?

CLINTON. Yeah.

FLOWERS. Unh unh. I mean, why would I?

CLINTON. I don't know I just....

FLOWERS. You....you usually call me, for that matter. And besides, who would know?

CLINTON. Isn't that amazing?

FLOWERS. Even if I had it on my phone record... Oh, well, I guess they might be able to say 'Oh well, you were in Washington on this date and maybe at that number and connect that but....

CLINTON. Well....

FLOWERS. See, you've always called me. So that's not a....

CLINTON. I wouldn't care if they....you know, I, I...They may have my phone records on this computer here, but I don't think it....That doesn't prove anything.

FLOWERS. Well, that....that's true. But I just want to tell you about that.

CLINTON. Wow.

FLOWERS. Let me tell you something positive.

CLINTON. What?

FLOWERS. Uh, I heard, uh....I've heard a couple of people say...one had been to San Antonio, the other had been to Los Angeles....and they both said that they were, uh, that all they heard out there was 'Clinton, Clinton, Clinton,' so....

CLINTON. Really?

FLOWERS. Yeah. So I thought that was exciting.

CLINTON. We've worked so hard.

FLOWERS. I know you have, but I...That may not be a lot, but I mean, that's a...I think that's a good indication.

CLINTON. Well, no...Most people think, you know, that, except for Cuomo, I'm doing the best right now and uh....We're leading in the polls in Florida;...without Cuomo in there, but Cuomo's at 87 percent name recognition, and I have 54 percent so....I mean...I'm at a terrrible disadvantage in name recognition still, but we're coming up, and...so I...We're moving pretty well, I'm really pleased about it.

FLOWERS. Well, I don't particularly care for Cuomo's uh, demeanor.

CLINTON. Boy, he is so aggressive.

FLOWERS. Well, he seems like he could get real mean [laughs]

CLINTON. [garbled]

FLOWERS. Yeah....I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have some mafioso major connections.

CLINTON. Well he acts like one [laughs]

FLOWERS. Yeah.

[apparent end of tape five]

FLOWERS. The only thing that concerns me, where I'm, I'm concerned at this point is the state job.

CLINTON. Yeah, I never thought about that. but a long as you say you've just been looking for one, you'da check on it. If they ever ask you if you've talked to me about it, you can say no.

[apparent end of tape six]

FLOWERS. Alright, darling, well you hang in there. I don't mean to worry you. I just....

CLINTON. [garbled] ....I just want to know these things and....if I can help you, you let me know [garbled]

FLOWERS. Well, when you can help me is if I decide I want to get the heck out of here.

CLINTON. All you need to do is let me know....

FLOWERS. Because I don't know...I don't know where to turn. I really don't. I mean my contacts have just sort of fizzled in Nashville, it's been a long time and, I don't know, I don't know anybody.

CLINTON. [garbled words] ....I'll help you.

FLOWERS. O. K. Well, I'll, I'll be back in touch, and, uh, you will let me know if you know anything I need to know about.

CLINTON. I will.

FLOWERS. O. K? [laugh]

CLINTON. Goodbye, baby.

FLOWERS. Talk to you later. Bye.

END OF TRANSCRIPTS -- Gennifer Flowers/ Bill Clinton