Which Bug Gets the Gas?

Since Democrats only need to get six Republican votes to dismiss impeachment and substitute censure, Lanier figures it's already a foregone conclusion. Besides, cracks Lanier, Senate Republicans have no desire to see Vice President Al Gore elevated to the presidency, since "Gore's political views are no more acceptable to them than Clinton's, though the interns may be a little safer."

Joe B. Allen, the director of the potent PAC of downtown law firm Vinson & Elkins, concurs with Lanier's assessment that DeLay will suffer little damage from the impeachment and may have actually helped himself in the long run by cementing his GOP following. If Clinton should actually be convicted by the Senate, DeLay would go down as the man who engineered the only ouster of a president in the history of the republic.

"Well, that's right," allows Allen, who chuckles. "Looks good on a resume, doesn't it?"

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