Clinton Strategist Resigns

Morris Resigns

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CHICAGO (AllPolitics, Aug. 29) -- Dick Morris, the political consultant who reshaped President Bill Clinton's re-election campaign and moved the president to the center, abruptly resigned today.

Senior White House staff met this morning after learning of unsubtantiated reports in The New York Post and the tabloid newspaper, The Star, that claimed Morris let a $200-an-hour escort listen in on his private conversations with the president.

A senior White House official confronted Morris about the stories and allegations contained in the stories, and, without going into detail, a source told CNN, "We had to cut him loose."

Morris said in a prepared statement that he had submitted his resignation Wednesday night. "While I served I sought to avoid the limelight because I did not want to become the message. Now, I resign so I will not become the issue," he said.

"I will not subject my wife, family or friends to the sadistic vitriol of yellow journalism. I will not dignify such journalism with a reply or an answer. I never will," his statement said. (CNN's Jill Dougherty reads Morris' statement: 192K WAV sound)

President Clinton issued a written statement that also made no mention of the allegations against his advisor. "Dick Morris is my friend and a superb political strategist," the statement said. "I am and always will be grateful for the great contributions to my campaign and the invaluable work that he has done for me for the past two years." (Mike McCurry reads Clinton's statement: 192K WAV sound)

At a briefing this afternoon, White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry told reporters that Morris' role in the president's re-election camapign "was probably never as great as many of you believed it to be. But I would never diminish the contributions he's made, because they were absolutely invaluable." (288K WAV sound)

"Any campaign for president is ultimately what's in the heart and soul of the candidate and how he articulates that message to the country," McCurry added. "Now no staff person, no advisor, no guru, no Svengali...makes up for what's in the heart and soul of a candidate running for president." (192K WAV sound)

McCurry also provided some details about Morris' departure.

McCurry said Clinton told friend Erskine Bowles Wednesday night that there was apparently a story about Morris and asked him to see if he could find out more about it.

The president then went to bed, and when he got up this morning, he was briefed by chief of staff Leon Panetta and was told that Morris had submitted his resignation.

Morris was the key architect of Clinton's "triangulation" policy, in which he moved to the center of the political spectrum and drew distinctions not only between himself and Republicans but also with more liberal Democrats in Congress.

Democratic chair Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) had no comment on the reports. When he was asked about Morris' influence in shaping the Democratic convention, Dodd said, "Dick Morris has obviously been helpful in all this."

The resignation is a public relations disaster for the president. On a four-day train trip through the Midwest this week, Clinton was able to dominate news coverage and was set to deliver a triumphant acceptance speech tonight. Now he faces the prospect that coverage of Morris' resignation will overshadow his speech.

Rival Bob Dole commented only briefly, saying Morris had been trying to turn Clinton into a Republican. But some of Dole's campaign aides told CNN the Morris imbroglio raises anew the so-called "sleaze factor" that dogged Clinton in 1992.

In an interview on CNN, TIME's Eric Pooley, who wrote a major profile of Morris this week, said Morris has a reputation as a brilliant but erratic strategist, with three bad ideas for every stellar one. And while Morris stayed in the background and rarely gave interviews, he also suffered from a need for approval, Pooley said.

Morris headed home to West Redding, Conn., where he lives with his wife, attorney Eileen McGann. When he arrived, he smiled slightly at a crowd of 30 waiting reporters from the seat of his red Jeep Cherokee, but did not respond to questions shouted at him.

The press also staked out the suburban Washington, D.C. townhouse of Morris' alleged paramour, to no avail.

USA Today profiled Morris on Wednesday, saying, "He is a small man and a dapper dresser, openly devoted to his no-nonsense wife, enamored of all things French."

Some Democrats predicted the flap would blow over quickly and have no real effect on the election.

"Six weeks from now people will say when you say Dick Morris, they'll say who?," Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) said. "I think it'll be largely forgotten fairly quickly."

Simon called Morris' actions "a gross misuse of personal responsibility."

"There's no question he's had huge influence with the president," Simon said. "And in terms of tactics, political tactics, he is very capable. In terms of the issues, I think sometimes he's given the president bad advice."

The Rev. Jesse Jackson praised the White House for moving quickly. "In my judgment, it does not reflect upon the president, because once this news broke, he moved quickly and decisively," Jackson said. "It's the only thing he could do. And it was the right thing to do....I think that swiftness of judgment by the president shows decisive leadership."

TIME: Who Is Dick Morris? -- Sept. 2, 1996

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Clinton Strategist Resigns

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