U.S.

Is It Over For Clinton-Gore?

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

August 30, 1998 / 8:29 PM EDT / CBS

As an embarrassed and wounded President Clinton heads off to Russia Monday, the country's vice president is back from his Hawaii paradise to reality. CBS News Correspondent Phil Jones reports.

While independent counsel Kenneth Starr wraps up the obstruction of justice investigation of Mr. Clinton, Gore himself is under investigation for his campaign fundraising activities.

The last time the nation had a president and vice president in legal trouble at the same time was when Richard Nixon was under the gun for Watergate.

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"Your president is not a crook," Nixon told the nation.

Vice President Spiro Agnew was forced out after accepting personal cash gifts in his office.

"It is extraordinary to have the president and vice president under serious investigation at the same time," said Alan Lichtman, a presidential historian who says the ramifications are twofold. First, for the country.

"The ramifications are that this country may be severely wounded in its ability to conduct domestic policy, foreign policy, and even to deal with foreign crises if we have a weakened president and a weakened vice president," Lichtman says.

Lichtman says the Democrats will have to face the fire taken by Mr. Clinton.

"I don't think the party has remotely come to deal with the problems posed by at the minimal weakened president, perhaps terminal Clinton presidency and the possible investigations of Al Gore."

Democrats fear Clinton-Gore investigations could lead to Republicans recapturing the White House the year 2000.

Republican strategists like Frank Luntz look into their crystal ball and see great things ahead for them as a result of the Clinton-Gore problems.

"In terms of moral authority, its gone for both," Luntz says. "In terms of ability to set a course for the future, it's gone for both. In terms of legacy of accomplishment rather than scandal, I believe it's gone for both."

This is not the legacy that Bill Clinton and Al Gore had in mind. They arrived in town promising the most ethical government in the history of the republic.

Reported by Phil Jones