A Few Empty Seats

The high drama of the impeachment trial will give way to the high purpose of the State of the Union tonight, but some Republican House members are planning not to attend the speech. Some House Democrats, who plan to be there, said the GOP leadership has not given members much incentive to return to Washington.

With the House not in session and no votes scheduled until February, the only reason most House members would travel is for the State of the Union address.

In a letter to his colleagues Friday, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican from Illinois, said, “These are extraordinary times.” While he did not explicitly urge lawmakers to attend the address, he offered some advice for how they should act if they do.

“Out of respect for the office of the presidency and for the state of our union, we will listen to the president’s remarks soberly and with the dignity that befits the United States,” he wrote.

Some Republicans, including Henry Hyde, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a prosecutor in the impeachment trial, already have said they will not attend the president’s speech.

Hyde told ABC’s “Nightline” last week that he would watch the address from home.

“Mostly because it’s not fun,” he said, then continued dryly, “I can watch on television and do my leaping (to) my feet at home.”

Hoping for a home run

The White House has invited student volunteers, activist parents and others who “exhibit what is best about America” to view the president’s address tonight with Hillary Rodham Clinton and special guest Sammy Sosa.

The Chicago Cubs’ slugger will be honored not only for hitting 66 home runs this season but also for his relief efforts on behalf of the victims of Hurricane Mitch, an administration official said.

Other guests include a woman who works with single mothers in Boston, a Vietnamese refugee who mentors teenage boys in California and a third-grade teacher from Miami who helped develop a gun-safety program.

The mayor of Denver and an Air Force captain also were scheduled to sit with the first lady.

Numbers stay favorable

A new poll from the Pew Research Center said the Senate trial has not changed Americans’ minds about turning Clinton out of office, and that two-thirds of the public want him to stay. The survey indicated 53 percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country, and said 63 percent of the people approve of Clinton’s performance in office.

He can hit the three

Chief Justice William Rehnquist may pull off a unique triple-header today.

The chief justice is scheduled to preside over the Supreme Court this morning as it issues orders and hears arguments in two cases.

This afternoon, he crosses the street to oversee the day’s proceedings in President Clinton’s impeachment trial in the Capitol’s Senate chamber.

This evening, Rehnquist can complete the triple-header by attending Clinton’s annual State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress in the House chamber.

Supreme Court justices traditionally sit in the front row in their judicial robes, remaining silent as various members of Congress interrupt the president’s speech with applause or cheers.

However, not all of the justices attend every time, and it was possible Rehnquist would stay away to avoid any appearance of a conflict because of his role in the impeachment trial.

Encouraging words?

The letter begins with praise from a supporter of Republican Sen. John Chafee of Rhode Island. What a fine governor he used to be! His record in the Senate - “splendid.”

So far so good.

“Please be advised, however, that in the event that you should cast a vote in favor of removing William Jefferson Clinton … I shall devote every breath in my body and every nickel in my pocket to the noble cause of ensuring your defeat the next time you run for re-election. Have a nice Christmas.”

Senate mailbags are bulging with everything except tepid indecision. The debate over President Clinton’s fate may be engaging the nation only fitfully, but in the mail to senators it beats with a hearty pulse.

In Chafee’s office, the stack of constituent mail that is solidly pro-Clinton is 2 inches thick. Same as the anti-Clinton mail. Mail wanting him censured but not removed, or something like that, is an inch thick.

“And here is our open-minded pile,” said an aide, showing off the thinnest pickings of all.