A Clinton-Adams chat ends in walk-out after conduct is held to be unacceptable

Another Clinton-Adams meeting ended in controversy this week, when America's First Lady was ordered out of an exclusive New York…

Another Clinton-Adams meeting ended in controversy this week, when America's First Lady was ordered out of an exclusive New York club amid allegations of unacceptable behaviour.

The Adams in question on this occasion was Cindy, gossip columnist with the New York Post, who chose the 132-year-old Manhattan Club - until recently the exclusive preserve of men - for a meeting last Wednesday with Hillary Clinton.

But the event proved as fraught as the 1995 Falls Road handshake, with the club alleging improper behaviour by the women and showing them the door. It had earlier threatened to revoke Ms Adams's visitor visa, after she transgressed house rules by using a mobile phone.

The incident happened after Mrs Clinton addressed the Women's Leadership Forum of the Democratic National Committee during her two-day visit to New York with the President.

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Referring to a club official she calls "the sculpture", Ms Adams described the incident: "We were all gaily settled into a few minutes of girl talk when the sculpture loomed. Lumbering across the divide. . . he stood over us - Hillary and I were side by side, sunk deep into the couch - and in a thundering voice bellowed: `This is not permitted. We have rules here. We will not tolerate this'. "

Ms Adams said she had pointed to Mrs Clinton's presence but he was unimpressed. "This is not acceptable behaviour. You will have to leave," she quoted him saying. The columnist said it was not clear what exactly he meant. But at this point Mrs Clinton, showing qualities the Women's Leadership Forum would have admired, stood up abruptly and said: "Let's go." The club declined to comment on the affair, but the New York Post showed no such reticence, reporting the details under the headline: "Old Coot Gives Hill and Me the Boot".