White House Sidesteps General’s Remark : Military: Official says Air Force is handling the situation. She plays down hints that issue signals a growing rift between Clinton, armed forces.

The White House sought Tuesday to dampen suggestions that an Air Force general’s remarks allegedly ridiculing President Clinton on character issues reflect growing strains between Clinton and the military.

It also said that it would let the military handle the case.

White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers told reporters that “the negative always gets accentuated” in such incidents “and the positive always gets ignored.” But she insisted that “the Air Force is reviewing it (the situation) and we’ll leave it to them.”

The charges stem from an incident last month in which Maj. Gen. Harold N. Campbell reportedly described Clinton as “draft-dodging,” “pot-smoking,” “womanizing” and “gay-loving” during a speech to maintenance workers at Soesterberg Air Base in Holland.

Although the Air Force already has made clear its displeasure over the incident, word of it has focused new attention on the friction between Clinton and the military, many of whose members are said to have strong misgivings about the President, largely because of military budget cuts, the controversy over the gay ban and his failure as a young man to serve in the armed forces.

“This is just what we don’t need,” a Pentagon official said.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department moved to deal quickly with the allegations, launching a preliminary investigation that officials hinted would be followed by punishment, if the allegations are true.

“The Air Force feels that it’s a serious charge,” Pentagon spokesman Bob Hall told reporters.

The allegations already have proved an embarrassment to the Air Force, which had begun moving as early as last March to rein in public criticism of Clinton by service members after Clinton was given a cool reception during a visit to the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.

It also could mean serious punishment for Campbell, a highly decorated former fighter pilot, if he is found guilty. Air Force officials pointed out Tuesday that using “contemptuous words” against the President is a violation of military law. Punishment could range from a reprimand to a court-martial that could lead to dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and a year’s confinement. Generals, however, more typically are forced to retire, sometimes at a lower rank.

The Air Force said that Campbell, 53, is on leave from his previous post as deputy chief of staff for plans and programs of the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.

Campbell had been slated to move to Washington to take command of the Defense Fuel Supply Center but his assignment has been delayed until the investigation is completed. He now is serving in a staff post at Wright-Patterson.

Both the White House and the military have been moving to ease tensions recently.

In March, Gen. Merrill A. McPeak, the Air Force chief of staff, sent a message to unit commanders reminding them of their obligation to respect civilian authorities, even if they disagree with their views.

“We simply must not permit today’s debates about a new national military strategy, or the . . . commitment the nation will allocate to defense, or social issues, to divide us from the society we serve or to undercut the strength and integrity of the chain of command,” he said.

An Air Force spokesman indicated that McPeak would not intervene “directly” in the Campbell case but he said that the chief of staff has been briefed on the allegations and hinted that he is not pleased at what they imply.