With Advisers Like These...

When the Monica Lewinsky storm engulfed the White House, one caller to his old friend Bill was Dick Morris, famously felled by his own sex scandal. Some advisers didn't want Clinton to return the call -- one group thought Morris was bad for the regular staff's morale, another just sees him as radioactive -- but Clinton called back. The President explained that Morris was grateful to Clinton for not rejecting him in his disgrace, and "it would be wrong to refuse his help now." But that was then -- and this, after Morris implied yesterday on a KABC radio talk show that Hillary might be a lesbian, is now. Clinton is incredulous and furious, according to White House officials. Asked if the President had spoken with Morris afterward, Press Secretary Mike McCurry said "I doubt that will ever happen again." In the New York Post, Morris tried to explain away his gaffe by saying the show's host had posed a hypothetical question about Hillary's being gay; the program transcript shows Morris brought up the topic himself. People who have spoken to Morris tell TIME that he's distraught, even wretched, about his amazing performance.