Clinton’s annus horribilis

JAN 17: Testifying in the Jones’ sexual harassment suit, Clinton denies under oath he had an affair with Lewinsky.

JAN 26: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, I never told anybody to lie,” Clinton says.

JAN 27: Starr opens a grand jury inquiry into Lewinsky’s allegations.

APRIL 1: In Arkansas, US District Judge Susan Webber Wright dismisses the Paula Jones’ lawsuit.

JULY 17: Starr subpoenas Clinton to testify before his grand jury.

JULY 27: Lewinsky meets in New York with Starr’s prosecutors for the first time, admittingshe and Clinton had an affair.

JULY 28: Lewinsky gets a broad immunity from prosecution deal from Starr.

JULY 29: Clinton announces he will testify August 17 from the White House.

AUG 6: Lewinsky testifies before the grand jury.

AUG 17: Clinton testifies. Later, in a televised address, Clinton admits to a relationship with Lewinsky that was “not appropriate”. He also admits to misleading people including First Lady Hillary Clinton, but denies perjury.

AUG 20: US cruise missiles hit terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan.

AUG 21: Lewinsky appears before the grand jury a second time.

SEPT 2: With pressure mounting for him to express more contrition for misleading the public, Clinton says in Moscow he believes he has adequately expressed “my profound regret to all who were hurt” .

SEPT 4: In Dublin, Clinton uses the word “sorry” for the first time.

SEPT 9: Starr delivers his report to Congress, claiming evidence that Clinton committed impeachable offenses.

SEPT 10: Clinton againapologises in a meeting with Senate Democratic leaders. The House Rules Committee votes to recommend that the full House of Representatives make the 445-page report public.

SEPT 11: At a prayer breakfast, a tearful Clinton asks forgiveness from Lewinsky and her family while vowing to mount a “vigorous defence” against efforts to impeach him. The House of Representatives votes 363-63 to release the entire Starr report.

SEPT 12: Clinton’s lawyers issue a 42-page legal counter attack charging that Starr’s report is “part of a hit-and-run smear campaign”.

SEPT 18: The House Judiciary Committee votes to release to the public Clinton’s August 17 videotaped grand jury testimony and 2,800 pages of other documents received from Starr.

SEPT 19: The Judiciary Committee prepares 2,800 pages of accompanying information for release.

SEPT 20: White House officials and Clinton supporters take the offensive on US airwaves to back the President and fight increasing talk of impeachment or resignation.

SEPT 21:Clinton’s videotaped testimony is broadcast on television.

OCT 8: The House of Representatives votes along party lines to launch an open-ended impeachment inquiry.

NOV 3: Republicans suffer a setback in US elections, losing seats in the House of Representatives to the Democrats. The result is seen as a boost for Clinton.

NOV 13: Clinton agrees to pay $850,000 to finally settle the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit.

NOV 17: Tapes of Lewinsky talking to Tripp are aired on TV.

NOV 19: Impeachment hearings open, with Starr the key witness.

NOV 20: Starr’s ethics advisor resigns, charging the independent counsel violated his duties by appearing as an advocate at the impeachment hearings.

NOV 27: Clinton’s responses to 81 questions from the House Judiciary Committee reveal little new information, but his tone angers many in Congress.

DEC 11: In a televised address from the White House Rose Garden, Clinton expresses his “profound remorse” for his actions.

DEC 12-13: Voting along party lines,the Judiciary Committee approves four articles of impeachment.

DEC 13: In Jerusalem, Clinton says he has no intention of resigning.

DEC 16: US and British forces launch an attack on Iraq. House leaders agree to postpone the impeachment vote, but many lawmakers charge the decision to attack was politically motivated.

Dec 18: The 435-member House of Representatives begins debate on the four articles of impeachment against President Clinton.

The spokesman’s version

Mike McCurry expresses doubts on Bill Clinton’s fitness for the office of President of United States

Former White House spokesman Mike McCurry waded into the impeachment debate engulfing US President Bill Clinton, saying he had “enormous doubts” about his fitness for office. In an interview with the BBC, he said he was “deeply disappointed and hurt and a bit flabbergasted that he (Clinton) could be so reckless”.

McCurry said he originally believed the President’s assertion that he did not have sexual relations withformer White House intern Monica Lewinsky, but had not realised there was “a tortured definition of sex lurking behind that”. The former spokesman, who stood down earlier this year, said his old boss had acted “contrary to the way you would expect a rational human being to behave”.

Asked if Clinton was fit to remain in office, McCurry retorted: “I have enormous doubts because of the recklessness of his behaviour. The nature of this particular affair and then the way in which he did conceal it really does raise some very profound and troubling matters.”

He did not think Clinton was ready to resign, but said he was “enough of a patriot” to stand down if there was no other option to “save the country from real damage”. McCurry indicated the President’s personal problems would not affect his ability to deal with the crisis in the Gulf, where US and British forces are launching air strikes against Iraq.