A Presidential Father's Day

This wasn't the coziest Father's Day for President Clinton, but when world leaders are waiting, sometimes a dad has to prioritize. Father's Day for Mr. Clinton meant a quick morning lesson on art history and High Gothic architecture with his daughter, Chelsea.

After that, it was back to the grindstone with other world leaders wrapping up their three-day summit.

The president, Chelsea and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton began their Sunday an hour ahead of schedule in order to catch a lecture and musical presentation inside Cologne Dom, the massive and sooty cathedral dating to 1248 that dominates the skyline of this city along the Rhine.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and Russian first lady Naina Yeltsin were among those sitting in pews for the lecture, which was in German without translation. A brief prayer service before the golden shrine of the Three Magi ended the hourlong program.

While the president left for his summit meetings, Mrs. Clinton and Chelsea stayed behind to tour the cathedral's lower crypt.