How To Survive The Scandal

By John Cloud

I wish this was over," the President said. "after I leave this place, I never want to see it again." Bill Clinton on Monday night, after his sorta culpa? No. President Ulysses Grant in 1875, after scandals had smudged his Civil War gloss. Clinton has been reading about Grant, who he believes got a "bum rap." Both men were subjected to all manner of low-grade calumny: mostly financial scandals for Grant, mostly Monica for Clinton. For both, the accusations were constant, painful and irrelevant to a majority of the public. Grant remained the nation's most popular politician even postscandal. Ditto Clinton. But today Grant is considered an utter failure. Can Clinton avoid that fate? "He's probably going to be driving himself even more, because he will want more than ever for history not to carry this as the headline," says Clinton's former chief of staff Leon Panetta. Some of the President's options:

THE REAGAN RECIPE Following the Iran-contra debacle in 1986, Ronald Reagan steered deliberately to the center, hoping to end his presidency on a good note. He made sure to pass a couple of solidly popular domestic measures with bipartisan support. For Clinton, that could be rewriting the managed-care files and saving Social Security from bankruptcy. Overseas he needs one clear win. Reagan had a Soviet arms-control deal; Clinton could try for progress in the Middle East peace talks.

THE HOUSECLEANING FORMULA The idea here is to set a new tone as quickly as possible. Clinton might announce that he will immediately drop all appeals of the various legal privileges and answer any questions Kenneth Starr cares to ask. Clinton could also release his grand jury testimony. He might even ask for the resignation of anyone who tried to help Monica Lewinsky find work, such as Energy Secretary Bill Richardson or deputy chief of staff John Podesta, no matter who asked them to do so. Problem: that could leave people wondering why Clinton is still there.

THE COMEBACK-KID STRATEGY It's Clinton's tried and true way. Keep campaigning. Hit the road, and let the pictures tell the story. Go overseas. When you come home, tout those transportation-bill projects. Raise money for the Democrats now and through 2000. Pray for Al Gore.

--By John Cloud. Reported by Michael Duffy and Karen Tumulty/Washington

With reporting by MICHAEL DUFFY AND KAREN TUMULTY/WASHINGTON