A Tough Tuesday For Clinton

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

September 8, 1998 / 7:51 PM EDT / CBS

The President is meeting Wednesday morning with Congressional Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt and other top Democrats in the House, reports CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer.

They expect the president to offer an additional apology for his behavior.

Mr. Clinton wants to talk privately with House Democrats before Gephardt meets later Wednesday with Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich to discuss how to handle Ken Starr's report.

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CBS News is told Starr could formally notify Congress as early as Wednesday that the report is completed and on its way. The report itself could arrive before the week is out.

Until Congress decides what to do with it, the report will be kept under armed guard in a government building at the foot of Capitol Hill.

Some Republicans, however, already want to make it public immediately.

"...We're going to have people selectively leaking it on both sides. I don't think it serves the process," said Republican Senator Phil Gramm.

The President also got more criticism from Democrats.

California Senator Barbara Boxer, who is in a tough fight for re-election, is family to the Clintons. Her daughter is married to Hillary Clinton's brother, but on Tuesday she unloaded.

"The relationship was immoral," said Boxer. "The president has now agreed with that assessment. I fervently wish he had seen it that way before the relationship started and in any case, he should have taken the responsibility much earlier."

South Carolina's Democratic Senator Fritz Hollings, who also faces a tough re-election fight, was even harsher. On the campaign trail he said, "We're fed up. The behavior, the dishonesty of the President is unacceptable. We'll see with the report what course Congress will take."