Interview Excerpts

Excerpts from First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s interview Tuesday:

ON INDEPENDENT COUNSEL KENNETH W. STARR:

” . . . We get a politically motivated prosecutor who is allied with the right-wing opponents of my husband, who has literally spent four years looking at every telephone . . . call we’ve made, every check we’ve ever written, scratching for dirt, intimidating witnesses, doing everything possible to try to make some accusation against my husband . . . It’s not just one person. It’s an entire operation.”

****

ON WHAT HER HUSBAND HAS TOLD HER:

“Well, we’ve talked at great length. And I think as this matter unfolds, the entire country will have more information. But we’re right in the middle of a rather vigorous feeding frenzy right now, and people are saying all kinds of things and putting out rumor and innuendo . . . “

****

ON WHETHER THE PRESIDENT HAS AGAIN “CAUSED PAIN” IN THEIR MARRIAGE:

“No, absolutely not . . . I have learned a long time ago that the only people who count in any marriage are the two that are in it. We know everything there is to know about each other and we understand and accept and love each other.”

****

PART OF A STATEMENT RELEASED LATER BY STARR:

“The First Lady today accused this Office of being part of “a vast right-wing conspiracy.” That is nonsense. Our current investigation began when we received credible evidence of serious federal crimes. . . . Our investigation is being carried out by highly experienced federal prosecutors, FBI agents, and other law-enforcement professionals, with major decisions made through a deliberative process.”