WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, October 12) -- Though temporarily overshadowed by the federal budget brawl, the White House is continuing to work on its anti-impeachment strategy as the House Judiciary Committee plans its upcoming hearings into President Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky and his efforts to cover it up.

Clinton is resisting the possibility that upcoming election will be a referendum on his presidency. "First of all, I'm not running," Clinton said Sunday.

Chiding the Republican-controlled Congress for concentrating too much on him, the president said, "What I'd like to see is this election be about the American people and their future, not about Washington, D.C."

The public hearings into the perjury and obstruction of justice allegations against Clinton are slated to begin after the November 3 election. In preparation the committee's chairman, Rep. Henry Hyde, and investigators are deciding who will testify and what evidence lawmakers will consider.

White House Special Counsel Greg Craig

The president's attorneys are insisting on an active role as the impeachment inquiry proceeds and are scheduled to meet with GOP chief investigator David Schippers on Tuesday.

White House Special Counsel Greg Craig said, "We want to be at the table. We want to participate in the process. We want to be consulted."

In the meantime, Democrats are suggesting that Republicans might be willing to cut a deal with the White House after November and forego politically risky impeachment hearings. One of their proposals includes Clinton testifying.

Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Indiana), "I think then we have to focus on trying to get a deal to get away from the nightmare that we are confronting with a possible impeachment and an impeachment trial."

Rep. Lee Hamilton

Republicans indicate a deal is unlikely.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday the House must proceed with an inquiry into impeaching Clinton, even if most polls show that most Americans don't want it.

"This isn't a matter of the polls. It's a matter of doing your duty and doing what is right. And that includes looking at all aspects of this, not just impeachment," Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said on NBC's "Meet The Press."

Hatch acknowledged that right now there are not enough Senate votes -- 67, or two-thirds of the Senate -- to remove the president if the House were to approve articles of impeachment.

"I don't think there are, but I think this is way too early . We don't know all the facts; we don't know what's going to be brought out," he said.

But one Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee said there will never be enough Senate votes to remove Clinton and that will probably lead to a compromise.

Sen. Robert Torricelli

"There are not 67 votes in the United States Senate to remove Bill Clinton from office and unless there is some intervening event, there are not going to be 67 votes in the United States Senate," said Sen. Robert Torricelli (R-New Jersey), also appearing on NBC.

"At some point, either the House, after its inquiry begins, is going to move towards a censure, and if they don't, at some point, in my judgment, the Senate will," he said.

Torricelli confirmed that the Clinton Administration did consider getting 34 Democratic senators to go on record saying they would not vote to remove the president, but that idea was quickly dropped.

"There was discussion for putting 34 people on record, but many of us felt that that is not proper in our constitutional responsibilities in the Senate," he said.

"We do have the responsibility to receive the judgment of the House on the issue of impeachment, and then proceed with our own recommendations," said Torricelli.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, appearing on CBS' "Face The Nation,"said any such move by the administration would have been a serious mistake.

"I heard the rumor about the suggestion that they would get a letter that 34 senators would sign, saying that they oppose conviction if there is impeachment. That would clearly have been out of order. Thank goodness that was rebuffed," said Lott (R-Mississippi).

CNN's Kathleen Koch contributed to this report.

Monday, October 12, 1998

• Both parties firm up strategy for upcoming election
• Budget deal possible by mid-week
• Much high-profile legislation falls by wayside
• Preparation for impeachment inquiry continues in shadow of budget battle
• Consumer groups eye insurance video
• INS to charge more for green cards
• Nixon's polls fueled impeachment
• Poll compares Clinton, Nixon

Election '98:
• 'Bats' faces Newt in Georgia race
• Stadium vote may tilt New York Senate race
• South Dakota to vote on age provision

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