MONDAY, JANUARY 4th, 1998 -- WASHINGTON (APJP) -- Now that the nation is geared up for a trial of the President, our colleague Republicans are waiting with bated breath to find out how "Days of Our President's Lives" will play out before it's canceled for lack of an audience.

The Senate, led by Trent Lott, is clearly not up to impeaching this President, even though Bill Clinton admittedly lied to the nation and may have lied to a Federal Grand Jury. And why is that? Because the House, in its absolutely bumbling, fumbling and mumbling on this matter, has ruined our chances to erase the Clintons from political memory.

Bill and Hillary Clinton are to be admired for at least one thing -- their sheer chutzpah, as they say in New York City. They have braved everything we could throw at them and more. They have made idiots of our fine Judiciary Committee. They have destroyed our party in the 1998 congressional elections. And they may in the end deliver the White House to Al Gore in 2000.

Now, this isn't the usual column you might read in a Republican-controlled tabloid. But American Politics Journal is not controlled by either party. When the editors approached me in mid-December to write for the "Right" -- and correct -- side of the aisle, I made the deal with one codicil: I would not take a mean-spirited approach to the issues before the nation today.

I am a Republican. I'm proud of it, but not a Republican who is proud of the way its new leaders have handled themselves since Newt Gingrich took the helm. It's not that I do not respect Mr. Gingrich for his leadership qualified in the arena of party funding and organization. I do, and have, contributed often to that goal. But Mr. Gingrich resigned much too late for the good of our party, and most of us know that there is more to come concerning not only him but others that is sure to embarrass the Grand Old Party further. Mr. Gingrich and his cronies violated the 300-year-old rule: do not speak ill of the private sex lives of co-politicos. That marked the end (or, more accurately, the beginning of the end) for Republican domination of the legislative branch. Not that I defend this "rule amongst men" -- but it is nevertheless perhaps the oldest rule on earth, shared not only by men but also by women, priests, ministers, rabbis and corporate leaders.

Not paying attention to this simple rule was perhaps the single worst blunder our party has made in its history. Yes, we are more moral by casting the rule aside -- and also more stupid.

Rep. Hyde, who grew into a wise leader, was stopped dead in his tracks by his own admission of adultery. He should have stepped aside -- no matter how long and loud Mr. Gingrich begged him to stay. Rep. Robert Barr, for whom I have great personal fondness, was far too overzealous in his approach. Sen. Lott did not pay enough attention to what was going on in the House. Had he, he might have been able to pressure the upstarts to hold forth on a more bipartisan basis, one that would have resulted in at least the resignation of Bill Clinton.

But now, almost all is lost. The only chance we have now is for the Senate to recoup our losses by conducting a fair and open trial. If they do, then we as a party have a chance to recover our preeminent status. It is too late to convict the President -- no matter how guilty he may be. We must get this over, and use the next two years to re-build -- this time, without the help of the Christian Coalition.

As for the Young Turks who led our party into a kind of hell on earth, I say "be cautious." Many of you may have re-won your seats in 1998, but the year 2000 will mark the end of your political carrers should you continue to preach to America about morals and values. That's a private issue. Leave it alone -- stick to cutting taxes and bringing our government back to local control. Those are winning ideas.

You may be correct. America might decide, many say, to re-examine its moral agenda soon. In fact, it is doing that right now. However, to push voters to the pulpit is exactly the wrong way to go. How about leading them there instead?

As many of our best Republican leaders have said, "Be a leader, not a follower. In the end you will win."