Clinton must explain

White House attempts to portray Kenneth Starr a combination of Javert and Inspector Clouseau have worked up to a certain point but in the end have probably done more harm than good to President Clinton by lulling him into a false sense of security.

Now Starr has closed the pincers of an excruciating legal squeeze by collecting Secret Service testimony, winning the right to question Bruce Lindsey and signing immunity deals with Monica Lewinsky and her mother. With the full clout of the White House public relations machine behind him it would be wrong to say that it is too late for Mr. Clinton to save himself legally and build some positive monument for posterity. But no reasonable person in his position would dally any longer before trying to begin a comeback.

If he can avoid falling into legal trouble, including the obstruction of justice, Mr. Clinton can still do something positive with his remaining days in office. But that must include a full, ungrudging and verifiable explanation to the American people about what really has gone on with regard to Ms. Lewinsky and the other matters under investigation.

-- The New York Times