Over in the White House, a distracted President Clinton mulled over invoking executive privilege -- an act that would wrest control of the Lewinsky investigation from Ken Starrs hands and force a showdown in the courts. Starr, meanwhile, was out to prove hes the boss of Bill by trying to silence one of the Presidents more effusive aides, Sidney Blumenthal. The prosecutor is trying to look tough in the face of what he called an avalanche of lies, but his carefree salvo of subpoenas constitutes a none-too-pretty display of machismo.
Starr could learn a thing or two from a more subtle practitioner of the art of wearing the pants -- Oprah Winfrey. The queen of talks victory over Texas cattlemen Thursday had less to do with litigation than with her ability to put on a damn good show in Amarillo. Put Oprah in charge of the White House legal team, and Starr wouldnt stand a chance.