WASHINGTON – The prospect of an abbreviated, four-day impeachment trial for President Clinton grew dimmer yesterday, with senators far apart on critical details.
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott returned to Washington from Mississippi, determined to convince more GOP colleagues to rally behind his quick-trial proposal.
“We’ll do the best we can,” he said.
But Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), along with a handful of other Republican senators like Mike DeWine of Ohio, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and James Inhofe of Oklahoma, continued to insist that Lott allow a fuller trial that includes witnesses, cross-examinations and evidence.
“I think you need to have … witnesses,” Specter said upon leaving a ceremony on Clinton’s plan to provide tax credits for caregivers of the elderly.
The White House yesterday dismissed calls for President Clinton to delay his State of the Union speech to Congress if his Senate impeachment trial is still going on.
“The president’s working hard on the speech and plans to give it on the 19th” of January, White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said.
But the pressure intensified on Clinton to postpone the annual ritual – and one Democratic senator said the White House is thinking it over.
“If a trial is still in progress, the president should consider postponing the State of the Union until the trial is completed,” Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) said after visiting the White House yesterday.
Breaux said he believes a postponement is “under consideration by the White House,” adding that “all options are open.’
Breaux joined Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) who on Sunday warned it would be unseemly for Clinton to show up in mid-trial.
At the White House, Lockhart pooh-poohed such suggestions.
“The State of the Union address is as much for the American public to hear and see and to understand as it is for the members of Congress,” Lockhart said.
“One of the main reasons that he continues to enjoy support from the American public is he puts their interests first, he puts their business first and that’s what he’s going to continue doing,” Lockhart said.
Last year’s State of the Union speech went ahead as planned, just after the sex-and-lies scandal first erupted, and Clinton never mentioned Sexgate.
Specter agreed, saying: “I think that it’s very important that we conduct business as usual … I think we ought to keep the business of the country going … I would encourage him to hold the State of the Union, and let’s go ahead carrying out the country’s business.”