President Clinton pledged Friday to testify "completely and truthfully" in the Monica Lewinsky investigation. "No one wants to get this matter behind us more than I do," he told reporters.
Set to testify to Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr on Aug. 17, Clinton said his public comments Friday would be his last on the matter until then."I am looking forward to the opportunity in the next few days of testifying. I will do so completely and truthfully. I am anxious to do it," he said. "But I hope you can understand why in the interim, I can and should have no further comment on these matters."
Clinton's comments, his first since his decision to testify was announced Wednesday, came in a brief Rose Garden exchange with reporters and were carefully prepared. He clearly anticipated the barrage of shouted questions after his statement on the economy.
"Wait, wait, wait! Everybody's got a question. Let me give you the answer to all of them," he said.