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Clinton White House debated how to reply to Keith Olbermann’s apology for Lewinsky coverage

WASHINGTON – Television sports and news personality Keith Olbermann publicly accused his news organization and others of going overboard in covering President Bill Clinton’s affair with intern Monica Lewinsky in 1998.

A newly released White House memo says Olbermann also apologized in writing to Clinton for “whatever part I may have played in perpetuating this ceaseless coverage.” Olbermann’s letter said he soon would switch from news back to sports reporting.

The October 1998 memo, whose author is unclear, cited news accounts of Olbermann’s complaints to his then-employer, NBC News, about its Lewinsky coverage.

The memo discussed whether Clinton’s reply to Olbermann should be a standard “generic text for support letters” or something “a bit warmer.”

It’s unclear what response was sent.

The National Archives released the memo was released on Friday.

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