The BBC's Andy Bell looks forward to a crucial day in the President's career (5'19")

President Clinton faces another long and difficult day battling the sex scandal that is threatening his career.

His wife Hillary is appearing on American television to support her husband. She will reaffirm that she believes the allegations that Mr Clinton had sexual relations with a young White House worker and then told her to lie about it are false.

Hillary Clinton: goes on TV to defend her husband

Millions of Americans are likely to watch the interviews on the ABC and NBC networks.

Later, President Clinton is delivering his State of the Union speech in front of Congress.

It is normally a time when he sets out the direction he wants to take the country. But this time the speech will be even more crucial.

The White House has rejected calls for the president to use the address to discuss the scandal.

William Ginsburg: "The ball is in Starr's court"

The woman at the centre of the latest sexual allegations against President Clinton has submitted a summary of her story to the independent counsellor investigating the case, Kenneth Starr.

Monica Lewinsky's lawyer, William Ginsburg, confirmed that he has offered a deal to Mr Starr.

Mr Ginsburg said he had given Mr Starr a written statement outlining how Miss Lewinsky could help the investigation in return for receiving immunity from prosecution.

Without immunity Miss Lewinsky could be prosecuted if she lied in a previous sworn statement in which she denied having an affair with Mr Clinton.

"We are now in the position where the ball is totally in ... Starr's court," Mr Ginsburg said.

Kenneth Starr: seen by some as out to get Clinton

Kenneth Starr is regarded as highly partisan and admits he is allied with the Republican Party.

He has spent more than $25m of public money investigating the president over the financial scandal known as Whitewater. His brief has now been expanded to investigating the latest allegations.

"People are saying what has he got do do with all this, why is he leaping on this, and is he only leaping on it because he is determined in one way or another to get the president," said BBC Washington Correspondent Richard Lister.

BBC Washington correspondent Richard Lister: "Another difficult step for President Clinton" (2' 37")

The key issue is not whether the president had an affair but whether he lied about it. If it is proved that he lied then under the terms of the constitution he would be eligible to face impeachment proceedings.

Reports that both sides have agreed to a delay in Miss Lewinsky's planned testimony before the Grand Jury have not yet been confirmed. But if negotiations for a deal continue it is unlikely that she will testify on Tuesday.

On Monday, President Clinton vehemently denied allegations that he had a sexual relationship with Monica Lewisky.

With Hillary Clinton and the Vice President, Al Gore, at his side he also insisted that he never told anybody to lie.

Monica Lewinsky: wants immunity from prosecution

In both tone and wording, it was the most forceful comment that Mr Clinton has so far made on the subject.

The president's popularity is continuing to fall and American public attention is firmly focused on the Lewinsky affair.

His lawyers have also asked for the civil law sexual harassment suit brought by Paula Jones to be brought forward because media attention surrounding the case is distracting the president from running the country.

But even if the Jones case is advanced, it is unlikely to distract attention from the current sexual scandal.
 

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