Reprinted from The Washington Times , 5am -- April 24, 1998
Inside Politics
News and political dispatches from
around the nation
By Greg Pierce
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
McDougal's change
In August 1996, Susan McDougal appeared ready to talk to ABC about Bill Clinton's role, if any, in an illegal loan related to Whitewater. But then something happened, and she went to jail rather than open her mouth at all.
So writes Chris Vlasto, an investigative reporter at ABC News who pursued Mrs. McDougal for three years before she agreed to be interviewed by Diane Sawyer. And in an off-the-record pre-interview at the hotel bar the night before, Mrs. McDougal promised to answer all of the network's questions. But the next day her brother, Bill Henley, and her fiance, Pat Harris, showed up and everything changed, Mr. Vlasto writes in the Wall Street Journal.Mrs. Sawyer: Did Mr. Clinton know anything about your loan?
Mrs. McDougal: That's probably something that my attorney would not want me to talk about. [To Mr. Henley and Mr. Harris: I hate that, guys!] God, I hate this, Diane! Sorry!
Mrs. Sawyer: Did he?
Mrs. McDougal: Jeez, I hate that though!
Mr. Henley: That's the only answer you have.
Mrs. McDougal: That's the only answer I have.
Her fiance told Mr. Vlasto that Mrs. McDougal "had to save something for the prosecutors." Five days later, she was was cited for contempt of court for refusing to answer any questions from independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr.
All of this puzzled Mr. Vlasto, who recalled that back in 1994, Mrs. McDougal told him: "I know where all the bodies are buried."Drudge retort
White House aide Sidney Blumenthal lost out Tuesday, as a federal judge here dismissed his lawsuit against America Online. However, Mr. Blumenthal's libel suit against Internet gossip columnist Matt Drudge remains, and Mr. Blumenthal's attorney said his client was "elated" that the judge had described Mr. Drudge as a "simple purveyor of gossip."
As it turned out, Mr. Drudge is in town to attend Saturday night's White House Correspondents Association dinner, and he dropped by The Washington Times Thursday. He took the opportunity to point out his response to Mr. Blumenthal, as reported in the New York Times:
"I'm going on the record. I'm not a journalist. I'm a kangaroo! I'll see Mr. Blumenthal in court."More evenly divided
Forget those polls you've been reading showing a sizable majority favoring major changes in Social Security that would allow workers to put part or all of their payroll taxes into their own stock investment plans, says pollster John Zogby.
The ace pollster, who was closer than anyone else in calling the outcome of the 1996 presidential elections, says his latest survey on the issue -- due out in a few days -- shows that overall opinion is much more evenly divided than is generally believed.
Asked if they favored replacing the present system with a new system that would let workers invest their payroll taxes in their own personal retirement plans, 42 percent agree and 46 percent disagree. Among those in the 18-to-29 age group, 59 percent agree and 32 percent disagree. Among baby boomers, 54 percent agree and 37 percent disagree.
Greg Pierce can be reached at 202/636-3285 or via e-mail at Pierce@twtmail.com.Copyright 1998 News World Communications, Inc.
Reprinted with permission of
The Washington Times.
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