Updated: Feb 2 1998 4:20PM

Independent counsel Kenneth Starr. KHUE BUI/AP

WASHINGTON: ìItíll go away. Itíll pass. The President will remain in office,î said William Ginsburg, Monica Lewinskyís lawyer, on his unprecedented sweep of all five ma jor Sunday talk shows. You would have been hard-pressed to find anyone saying such things a week ago. Now, however, with the Presidentís approval rating hitting a new high of 68 percent, and 58 percent of those polled wanting Ken Starr to halt his investigation of Lewinsky, two words are being whispered across America: Itís over.

Which will no doubt come as a relief to the White House. But can they really rest easy? According to TIME magazine, Clinton pal Bruce Lindsey -- the ìkeeper of s ecretsî -- is in Starrís sights. Clinton aides would not confirm or deny Monday that Lindsey, the No. 2 in Clintonís counselís office, had been subpoenaed. Theyíll be meeting with prosecutors this week to discuss what they privately describe as Starrís ìu nreasonableî demands for documents.

And Lewinsky herself, now California bound? It remains to be seen if Starr will allow her to ìtell her story in a cathartic way,î as Ginsburg asked, in exchange for immunity. If so, he says, she will submit to a polygraph lie test. If not, Starr will find it hard to kick-start public interest in his $30 million investigation. Meanwhile, one thing is certainly over -- Ginsburg, taking the advice of the American Bar Association, has promised not to appear on any more talk shows.

-- Chris Taylor