Yes, that WAS odd. I was still living in Italy, and so didn't follow it as closely as you did. I suppose what was in play was largely the same kind of "boys will be boys" tolerance shown by some who supported Kavanaugh.
But I don't understand Hillary's attitude. I think back then, she'd talked herself into believing Bill's lies to her. Which probably evolved from "What?" to "Of course not!" to "Okay, so I flirted with her!" to "So maybe we kissed a few times; she wanted it!", till finally he had to 'fess up. I very much doubt she accepted his view that oral sex wasn't really sex.
Despite all the earlier "bimbo eruptions", I think Hillary was deeply hurt and humiliated. Some women are capable of ignoring that stuff, or even convincing themselves it isn't happening. But I don't know; I don't know her and can't speak for her.
Far as I'm concerned, all that should be their private business. More recently, there've been two real issues under discussion: inappropriate workplace behavior, in which powerful men demand sex from less powerful women, and sexual assault.
Hillary really ought to be prepared to address both.
