White House Business As Usual?

To hear the White House staff tell it, nobody around here is paying much attention to what's going on down at the federal courthouse, reports CBS News White House Correspondent Bill Plante. It's just business as usual.

All they will say is that maybe Monica Lewinsky's testimony means their nightmare is nearly over.

"If this means that we're coming to the end of this four year, over 40 million dollar investigation, then that would be a good thing," said White House spokesman Barry Toiv.

Meanwhile, no one here wants to talk about the president's problems - certainly not Mr. Clinton himself, who is walled off from all contact with the press.

As he finished up a gun-control event today, Mr. Clinton looked over and seemed to signal the Marine band to lay down some musical cover. Reporters are kept far away. The president's supporters think he's doing just fine.

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Mr. Clinton is already spending a large block of time every day with his private attorneys, preparing for his testimony. Only the lawyers know what he'll say. The rest of the White House staff can only wait.

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