European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 26, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Woodward really reveals a healthy Clinton presidency by Frank Rich the new York times _ of Woodward is the reporter who helped bring Down a criminal presidency. Mike Wallace is the television muckraker who nailed a thousand malefactors. Put them together on 60 minutes to lift the lid on Woodward a new Book the Agenda in Side the Clinton White House and avast audience has every reason to believe that a scandal of watergate proportions is about to explode. The two men did All they could to further that perception two weeks ago. Both looked solemn and Woodward was seen in such Light close ups that even his Mildest innuendos about the Clinton Quot the american taxpayer has gotten two for the Price of one Quot took on the Gravity of an impeachable offence. The viewer Wys also tantalized by shots of Woodward a vast cacti cd its a mingle incriminating tapes a containing Quot deep background Quot interviews with confidential sources reaching Quot up to the very top Quot a and a replay of Gennifer Flowers. A Are Bill and Hillary Clinton going to like this a Btu it a Quot asked Wallace who then answered Quot i done to think  actually the Clinton May not mind the Agenda. Its characterization of them is familiar a he can to make decisions she can to Stop making them a and. Woodward provides no new reportage about Gennifer Flowers or any other scandal. But o Ordinary readers lured by 60 min utes into anticipating a son of All the presidents men May Well be peeved. Woodward s Book a plodding account of the evolution of the Clinton economic plan has its farcical Washington snapshots but never reaches the ludicrous Heights of the hype surrounding the Agenda itself a at one Point Clinton got so frustrated he used the of word Quot exclaimed Woodward posing As americans oldest living boy scout in another promotional television interview1. Well so what to flog this Book Woodward has had to turn unexceptional even flattering a revelations Quot about the president into spuriously shocking sound bites that make Woodward and the journalistic profession he so prominently represents look More disingenuous than his subject. Not Only does Clinton cuss Woodward and his to hosts darkly inform us but the president also loses his temper tolerates intellectual prodding by his wife and vice president thrives on the detailed debate of policy makes pragmatic political compromises to win congressional votes and sows chaos by refusing to enlist a chief of staff who will stifle dissent. If these Are crimes then no doubt an Ideal Percsi Dent would be an ideologically rigid Washington lifer who nurses enemies lists rather than letting off steam has a Golf Caddy for a vice president and a cipher for a spouse makes policy pronouncements from Index cards written by aides and is too arrogant to get a Bill through Congress. The Ideal chief of staff John Sununu. Presumably voters turned to the Clinton gone ticket to reject this status quo. Woodward whose own ideology seems to be terminal inside the sch Way itis finds Clinton most wanting when measuring him against Lloyd Bentsyn the presidents indecisiveness is indeed a serious flaw. But we hardly need the Agenda to Tell us that. The books journalistic flaws Are often More newsworthy. The problems begin on the first Page where a Breezy conversation Between the Clinton in bed sounds fake. Mrs Clinton says a a yeah As much As the beatles while the Gist of the conversation like much of the Agenda May be accurate the books life Lessly reconstructed scenes show what can happen when a journalist Sands Down a variety of off the record accounts to arrive at a composite reality. Connie Brock s recent profile of Hillary Clinton in the new yorker presents much the same picture of the White House that Woodward a Book does but because most of her sources Are named speak in their own voices and own up to their sometimes conflicting Points of View the Clinton arc seen with the perspective and depth missing in the Agenda. So prosaic is most of what Woodward a sources have to say that their deep throated anonymity often seems superfluous a just another Way to puff up the smoke of hoi news where there is no fire. But at least no one can accuse Woodward of trashing Clinton to serve a Covert political line As he hypes the Agenda the Only Agenda Here and it s not very Well hidden is  link to �?~60 minutes ticks off Clinton aides by Howard Kurtz the Washington. Post s orc White House aides who spoke to Bob Woodward for his Book the Agenda Are perturbed about the treatment of their confidential conversations. Before promoting the Book on 60 minutes the Washington Post assistant managing editor allowed Mike Wallace to listen to tapes and read transcribed notes of interviews done for the Book. Woodward also says he plans to donate research materials from All his books to the Yale University Library to be unsealed in 40 years. A the problem is it Wasny to part of the Deal Quot said one White House official calling the 60 minutes incident the a More serious matter. Quot its a question of full disclosure. You can to not Tell people things. If we did something like that it would be seen As a Federal  Woodward said no source has complained to him and that he has Complete Faith in Wallace and executive producer Don Hewitt. A a five known these Guys for 20 years Quot he said. Quot anything that was shared was done in absolute Confidence. I thought if 60 minutes is going to do a piece i ought to satisfy them that i had very Good  Woodward would not say what was shared but added Quot lots of stuff does no to have to Tell you who the source  As for unseating his research in 2034, Woodward said he would Quot consider Quot delaying the Date if any source objects. A someone who is now 30 years old would be 70,�?� he said. Quot even former White House aides Mellow when they re 70.&Quot asked Why he is taking this step now Woodward said a pm 51.&Quot. A Nina Auerbach a review left no doubt what she thinks of the new Book who stole feminism a writing in the june 12 new York times Book review the University of Pennsylvania history professor called author Christina Hoff Sommers a a Wall Flowers and Quot muddled writer Quot who had produced a Book Quot so overwrought and under argued that it is unlikely to amuse or persuade Quot what times readers weren to told is that Auerbach was criticized in the Book she was assailing although she was not identified by name. Quot you re not supposed to use a review to Settle scores a said Sommers who teaches philosophy at Clark University in Massachusetts. Quot it was such a vituperative attack.�?�. Auerbach dismissed Sommers complaint saying a i am not named in the Book. I am not quoted in the Book there s nothing even subliminally i could take As  Sommers opens the Book with a lengthy attack on a 1992 academic conference honouring feminist schol. A Carolyn Heilbrun. She Calls the participants a prone to self dramatization and chronically offend cd a and says it is a a unfortunate that a their ideology and attitude Are diverting the women a movement from its True  Auerbach was a speaker at the conference. Auerbach minimized her role saying she was one of Many speakers. But Sopt mers said a would no to it have helped the Reader to know she was one of the people spewing Forth at that conference a times Book review editor Rebecca sinker is looking into the matter. A you always have to weigh a persons expertise against their possible Bias a she said. But Sinkler defended Auerbach As a an Independent thinker. I basically done to think she a a biased person a Page 24 sunday june 26, 1994