BY PETE YOST
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON -- Kenneth Starr's case against President Clinton has gone to the jury of the American people. The prosecutor's report lays out a tale of sex regarding Monica Lewinsky so lurid that several lawmakers called it disgusting.
The White House argued that a sexual affair is not enough to end a presidency. But there are allegations of a cover-up as well.
"This could be a make or break weekend for the president," Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said as lawmakers flew off for a weekend of campaigning -- and a sampling of public opinion -- in their congressional districts.
Since the Lewinsky scandal broke in January, Clinton's popularity has remained high. But a poll taken a few hours after the House voted overwhelmingly to release Starr's report concluded that a growing number of Americans say the president should be impeached if he encouraged Ms. Lewinsky to lie about their relationship.
An ABC News poll taken Friday evening says 57 percent think he should be impeached if he encouraged Ms. Lewinsky to lie about their relationship -- an increase of 14 points on that question since Aug. 21 and 6 percentage points since Wednesday. The poll placed the president's job approval rating at 56 percent, about where it was just before the report's release.
Rep. Henry Hyde, the Illinois Republican who will lead the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment review, called the release of Starr's report "the beginning of a long climb up a steep mountain." "None of us look forward to it," he added.
Clinton promised a vigorous defense against impeachment. Before Starr's report even came out, his lawyer fired off a rebuttal to the prosecutor's listing of 11 possible impeachable offenses ranging from lying under oath to obstructing justice. White House aides met into the night Friday to plan a new attack.
Americans interviewed Friday continued to reflect a division of opinion on Clinton's actions.
"We have a man who's supposed to represent the United States of America, and he's scum," said James Williams, 23, of Crandall, Texas.
"Let him run the country," Steve McGinnis, 42, said in a Lincoln, Neb., bar. "I think he's doing a wonderful job. He made a mistake."
"The amount of lurid, graphic detail here far exceeds any legitimate justification," said Clinton lawyer David Kendall.
An affair, Kendall said, "is not a high crime or misdemeanor."
The report graphically describes Ms. Lewinsky's version of 10 sexual encounters, including using a cigar as a sexual prop, phone sex sessions and even oral sex performed while Clinton spoke on the phone with members of Congress.
Starr himself apologized in the report for its lengthy and explicit details of the encounters between the former intern and the president. But Starr contended it was necessary to prove Clinton committed perjury -- both in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit against him last January and again in his grand jury appearance last month.
Clinton testified Aug. 17 to the grand jury that he had been "legally accurate" when he told Mrs. Jones' lawyers he did not have sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky. Clinton's DNA was found on the semen-stained dress that Ms. Lewinsky turned over to Starr in July, the report revealed.
Lawmakers who began reading the report were aghast.
"It's disgusting," said Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va.
Some Democrats mirrored the White House view.
"I don't think juicy tidbits should be the determining factor," said Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md. "The bottom line is whether these are impeachable offenses. I think a lot remains to be seen at this point."
Just how bad is Clinton's behavior?
"This is very unpresidential," said Rep. Chris LaCivita, executive director of the Virginia GOP.
Starr's report presented new information about Clinton and Ms. Lewinsky:
Clinton broke off his sexual relationship with Ms. Lewinsky on May 24, 1997.
But she met with Clinton on July 4th that year, the day after writing him a letter hinting she might reveal her relationship with him. Clinton scolded her, then soothed her by being "the most affectionate with me he'd ever been," Ms. Lewinsky testified.
"He remarked ... that he wished he had more time for me. ... I just knew he was in love with me."
