Monday, August 10, 1998

Clinton's testimony could affect rest of term

Monica Lewinsky has testified, and pretty soon it will be President Clinton's turn.

Will he now alter what he said in a deposition in the Paula Jones case and agree with what Lewinsky reportedly told a grand jury, namely, that the two did have a sexual relationship and discussed how to keep it secret? The word from the White House is that he has been telling the truth all along and will stick to his story.

If that's the case -- if the president has given honest answers up to now -- he obviously should continue to insist on his version of events. But if he has been lying and tells those lies again in a video to a grand jury, he could be in deep trouble.

This is no longer a deposition in a dismissed civil suit. This is grand jury testimony in a criminal proceeding. The speculation is physical evidence could contradict him. Will he continue to get public support if that should happen?

Perhaps for self-serving reasons, the Republicans had seemed willing to give Clinton a bye on the matter if he would make a public confession. They may not have stuck to that, of course, if the public had grown suddenly angry, and Clinton, relying on political instincts that have been proven sound, may not have trusted these Republicans or felt that an admission of guilt would work in his behalf.

There's nevertheless a sense in Washington he might be on the way to passing up an opportunity that could have gotten him and the nation past this question and on to nonpersonal issues.

The mistake in all of this has been the feeling by many that the real culprits are independent counsel Kenneth Starr and the media.

The fact is, President Clinton could have made all the commotion pass more quickly through greater cooperation. If wholly innocent, he could have told his story a long time ago without fear.

About all he has said to date is that he did not have an improper relationship with Lewinsky. What he says next about that relationship could have a crucial impact on the remaining course of his presidency.