BY JIM ABRAMS
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Three veteran politicians suggested as possible mediators between President Clinton and Congress over the Lewinsky affair say there will not be a deal before the November elections. "Probably not much can happen until maybe next year," said Bob Dole, former Republican presidential candidate.
"Right now, instead of a race to judgment, you are looking at a race to the election," said Leon Panetta, former White House chief of staff who appeared with Mr. Dole and former Senate Republican leader Howard Baker on NBC's Meet the Press.
The White House and some Democrats want a settlement, likely to involve censure or reprimand of the president by Congress, that would avoid months of impeachment hearings culminating in a Senate vote on whether to remove Mr. Clinton from office for trying to cover up his sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
Republicans on the whole have insisted that a House Judiciary Committee must go ahead with an impeachment inquiry. "I don't read about a deal anywhere in the Constitution," committee member Rep. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., said on Meet the Press. "I don't think we ought to rush in that direction."
Leading Clinton critic Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., said on Fox News Sunday, that Democrats "want us to have a congressional cover-up." Messrs. Dole, Panetta and Baker have been mentioned as men with the experience and respect to broker a deal. All three said it was too early for that.
"It's a non-starter now," Mr. Dole said. "Look down the road three or four months, who knows, but now it's a non-starter."
"Impeachment hearings are necessary," Mr. Baker said. "If it goes over to the Senate, then maybe there is time to talk about a plea bargain, but it is way too soon for that."
Mr. Panetta, a Democrat who has both advised and criticized Mr. Clinton, said that at this point the election is more important than the impeachment process to Mr. Clinton's future. If the Republicans win more seats in November, "I think that's trouble for the president" both in terms of having more Republicans sit in judgment of him and undermining his support among Democrats.
