But neither side really wants that trigger to be pulled. For the White House the move invokes the ghost of Nixon; for Starr the ensuing court battles, ending at the Supreme Court, would delay his investigation for months. Starr at least has the legalities of executive privilege on his side. "It's reserved for three things: military or diplomatic secrets, and matters of national security," says McAllister. "You wouldn't expect a court ruling that Monica Lewinsky's sex life falls into any of those areas."
The White House is ready for Starr to call its bluff, having confirmed Thursday the rehiring of Neil Eggleston, a former White House lawyer, to fight for Clinton should push come to legal shove.