The impeachment trial of President Clinton resumes today with a battle between Republicans and Democrats over the calling of witnesses.
The two parties are also at odds over a Republican proposal for a "finding of fact" resolution which would put on record that President Clinton "wilfully provided false and misleading testimony" to the grand jury arising from his affair with Ms Monica Lewinsky.
Republicans fear that when the President is acquitted, as expected, of the impeachment charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, he will claim victory. Republicans now accept there will not be the two-thirds majority needed to convict him.
But the Democratic leadership and the White House is strongly opposing the "finding of fact" proposal as "unconstitutional". The White House spokesman, Mr Joe Lockhart, said yesterday that the Senate can only vote to convict or acquit.
Mr Lockhart rejected fears that the White House would be claiming victory and said it would be a "gloat-free zone". The President would "continue to take responsibility for the inappropriate nature of his behaviour", he said.
The White House and Democrats are also opposing use of the video-taped testimony of the witnesses. But if Republicans try to use selected "snippets", the Democrats should demand that the full tapes be played, Mr Lockhart said.
Republican prosecutors questioned the third and last witness, White House aide, Mr Sidney Blumenthal, for about four hours yesterday. "I learned some new things," Congressman James Rogan said.
Senators continued to have private viewings of the videotaped testimony of Ms Lewinsky and Mr Vernon Jordan, the lawyer friend of the President who got her a job in New York.
Ms Lewinsky told the prosecutors she has "mixed feelings" for President Clinton, according to Republican Senator Larry Craig of Idaho, who viewed the tapes. "It's obvious that this is a lady who at one point in time had very strong feelings for the President," the senator told ABC's Good Morning America.
Referring to the apology to Ms Lewinsky by the President's lawyer at the end of her testimony last Monday, Senator Craig described it as "a pretty weak apology . . . almost an afterthought." After it was delivered, Ms Lewinsky "frowned, looked down, surprised and tired," the senator said.
The President's brother, Roger, who was interviewed by ABC, said he was "doing fine" now. "I can hear it in his voice. I can see it in his eyes definitely."
A new poll shows the Republicans are suffering damage from the impeachment trial and that it could affect their fortunes in the election in 2000. The New York Times/CBS poll shows that half of even the conservative wing of the Republicans believe the handling of impeachment "will make it harder for Republicans to win in 2000".
Among all those polled, 51 per cent would be satisfied if the trial was adjourned and the matter was dropped while 45 per cent want the Senate to come to a final vote. Only 37 per cent approve of the way the Senate is handling the trial compared with 46 per cent in the same poll three weeks ago.
The President's job-approval rating remains high at 65 per cent.