By Eileen O'Connor/CNN

WASHINGTON (October 2) -- Betty Currie, President Bill Clinton's personal secretary, thought of herself as a friend, almost a mother, to Monica Lewinsky, discussing families, travels, girl talk.

She says she could see that Monica was infatuated with the president, who she called "Handsome," even in front of Currie.

But she was also the president's secretary, telling the grand jury, "You do what's to be done. I have complained bitterly about that, but no one listens and no one cares."

Among her other duties she testified, "I handle his gifts."

That duty, and her sense of duty, ultimately catches Currie between her friend -- Lewinsky, and her employer, the president.

In her first grand jury appearance the prosecutors confirm that Currie has told them from the beginning: that Lewinsky asked her to pick up gifts the president had given her to hold.

The prosecutors ask: "Did Ms. Lewinsky tell you why she wanted to give you this box of gifts?"

Currie says: "I think she was just getting concerned, I think people were asking questions about stuff she had gotten."

As concern grows over press reports about possible obstruction of justice charges against the president because of Currie's handling of the gifts, his loyal secretary's memory wanes.

At a later grand jury appearance on July 22, Currie says she never knew the box contained gifts from the president -- just "stuff" is what she now says.

"I remembered more back then, I think, than I do today," Currie testified.

Clinton's secretary testified she knew that White House staffers Nancy Hernreich and Steve Goodin didn't want Lewinsky hanging around the president, having labeled her "bad news."

But despite her standing as a church-going, truth-telling friend, she admits bringing Lewinsky in a back way or on Saturday.

"More times than not, sir ... it would be after hours or on Saturday so there would be no need to sneak," she told the grand jury on May 6.

Previously Currie was the only sympathetic character in this national tragedy, yet now some White House aides see her as part of the problem, enabling a president and a young woman hell bent on self-destruction.

Friday, October 2, 1998

• Latest mountain of Starr material provides new details
• Jordan's testimony on job search conflicts with Lewinsky
• Currie's testimony shows her to a be friend and enabler
• Lewinsky's mother worried Clinton was 'using' her daughter
• Lewinsky-Tripp tapes paint a muddled picture
• Tripp audio tapes excerpts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13
• Clinton attorneys raise settlement offer in Jones suit
• Democrats announce alternative proposal for impeachment proceedings
• McCurry's last briefing
• Next at bat: Joe Lockhart
• Florida candidate calls opponent fake
• Senate defeats Internet sales tax
• Senate panel OKs online privacy law
• Clinton hits fund-raising trail
• Roseanne offers at least $1 million for Monica appearance
• In search of a Monica-free zone

Election '98
• Poll: Race for South Carolina governor tightening
• Oregon faces 14 ballot proposals

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