The Calm Before the Storm

WASHINGTON: The attack dogs are quiet today. David Kendall and William Ginsburg, attorneys for President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, respectively, have been silenced by their own court filings: Ginsburg is battling to stop Lewinsky from being dragged into court Thursday, while Kendall has filed suit to plug the Lewinsky leaks he claims are coming from Starr's office. For the moment, at least, the two are bedfellows. "Anything that Mr. Kendall files I'll support to stop the leaks," said Ginsburg. "The leaks are disastrous."

Starr is not short of support on Capitol Hill, however, where there are ominous rumblings of the "I" word. Roll Call, the Washington insider paper, says that Newt Gingrich and other GOP grandees have discussed dipping into a $4.4 million fund to help bankroll impeachment proceedings. An aide to Gingrich confirmed that her boss had discussed bolstering the Judiciary Committee staff should Starr turn the matter over to them. None of Clinton's enemies are using the "I" word in public -- it's merely being passed off as preparation. "In Washington," said Rep. Steve Largent (R-Okla.), "you have to be ready for anything."