Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), the former Speaker of the House, expressed that the impeachment of Bill Clinton was a 'mistake' during a recent podcast appearance. He emphasized that the core issue was not Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky, but rather his perjury related to a sexual harassment case involving Paula Jones. Gingrich pointed out that Clinton's attempts to cover up the affair during a deposition led to his impeachment by the House in 1998, although he was acquitted by the Senate. He noted that Clinton lost his law license in Arkansas due to his felony conviction for perjury. Reflecting on the cultural impact of the impeachment, Gingrich recalled a conversation with his daughters, who expressed frustration that their friends' financial losses were trivialized by the scandal. He also mentioned that Al Gore's distancing from Clinton during the 2000 election was detrimental, as Gore was not popular enough to succeed without Clinton's backing.