Hillary Clinton asked about rape allegations against Bill

MANCHESTER, N.H., Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Hillary Clinton has put women's issues at the forefront of her campaign, which caused an audience member at a campaign event to ask her about the women who have accused Clinton's husband of rape.

At the Manchester, N.H., event on Thursday, Mediaite reported an audience member asked: "You say that all rape victims should be believed, but would you say that about Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey and/or Paula Jones? Should we believe them as well?" 

The Democratic front-runner responded: "Well, I would say that everybody should be believed at first until they are disbelieved on evidence."

Clinton received applause from the audience.

Juanita Broaddrick said in a 1999 interview with Dateline NBC she had been raped by President Bill Clinton. Broaddrick said he assaulted her during his 1978 gubernatorial election. Broaddrick was a volunteer with the campaign at the time.

When the 1999 interview aired, David Kendall -- Clinton's attorney at the time -- denied the allegations. Clinton did not comment.

Kathleen Willey was a White House volunteer aide who said Clinton assaulted her during his first term in 1993. Willey testified in the sexual harassment case brought by Paula Jones, an Arkansas state employee who also alleged Clinton assaulted her while he was governor of Arkansas in 1991.

The U.S. Office of the Independent Counsel's final report on Willey concluded there was "insufficient evidence" of Willey's case, citing Willey's admitted false statements to the counsel.

In 1998, Clinton agreed to a $850,000 settlement with Jones after more than four years of litigation. The Washington Post reported at the time that the agreement acknowledged no wrongdoing on Clinton's part.