Clinton talks about Hillary

President Clinton answered questions about his wife, Hillary, the fall-out from the Monica Lewinsky affair, allegations of rape…

President Clinton answered questions about his wife, Hillary, the fall-out from the Monica Lewinsky affair, allegations of rape and his legacy at his first solo press conference since last July.

Asked about the increasing speculation about Mrs Clinton running for a Senate seat in New York, the President said: "I literally don't have a clue." He also did not know when she would make a decision but she would make "a terrific senator" if she did run.

Asked about the state of their marriage following the fall-out from the Lewinsky affair, Mr Clinton said: "I think we're working hard. We love each other very much, and we're working on it."

Mrs Clinton leaves this weekend for a trip to North Africa with her daughter Chelsea.

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Much of the press conference in the White House was taken up with questions about possible US and NATO action in Kosovo.

The President showed some irritation at a question about the example he may have given to the country over lying about his affair with Ms Lewinsky. He said that while he regretted it, if there was a "box score", this would be the only "negative" score while there would be hundreds of other occasions where he would have a "positive" score.

He said that children could learn from his mistakes that people must tell the truth. "Even presidents must do that and there are consequences when you don't."

Asked about the allegations by Ms Juanita Broaddrick that he had sexually assaulted her when he was attorney general of Arkansas, Mr Clinton said that he had decided following his acquittal on the impeachment charges five weeks ago that he would leave it to his lawyers to answer further questions so that he could concentrate on his work for the American people.

His lawyer, Mr Kendall, issued a denial of the rape charge. "He speaks for me. I think he spoke quite clearly," Mr Clinton said.

The President was also closely questioned about charges that his administration has not dealt properly with Chinese espionage against nuclear laboratories in the US. He insisted that appropriate action had being taken as soon as the theft of secrets, which took place in the mid-1980s, was revealed. He denied that he had allowed diplomatic and commercial interests to dictate his response to the espionage evidence.

Mr Clinton avoided giving answers to questions about his feelings following the impeachment process and about former aides who have written books critical of him. "I haven't had any pain since I haven't read any of the books."