Clinton Willing To Testify At Trial

President Clinton said Wednesday he is willing to testify - probably by videotape - in the trial of his business partners in the Whitewater land deal.

“As long as they make arrangements to accommodate our schedule, we’ll probably be able to do it, by video or something like that,” Clinton said.

He commented in answer to questions from reporters in the Oval Office following a congratulatory call to new Haitian President Rene Preval.

Last week, a judge in Little Rock, Ark., ordered that Clinton provide testimony in the March 4 trial of James and Susan McDougal.

White House lawyers want Clinton to appear on videotape, but the McDougals’ lawyers say a personal appearance would make his testimony more credible.

Susan McDougal is accused of receiving a $300,000 loan that David Hale, a former municipal judge who ran a small business investment firm, says Clinton pressured him to make.

When asked Wednesday whether he had pressured Hale, Clinton said: “No.”