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Reuters
Saturday, December 19, 1998; Page A29

Former White House press secretary Michael McCurry said today he had enormous doubts about President Clinton after his handling of the Monica S. Lewinsky affair.

"It is incredibly bizarre personal behavior," McCurry told the BBC "Newsnight" program. "I feel deeply disappointed, hurt and a bit flabbergasted he could be so reckless. I have enormous doubts because of the recklessness of his behavior."

McCurry, who quit as Clinton's spokesman in October, defended his decision to stay in the dark about the Lewinsky affair during the seven months before the president finally admitted it.

"We avoided direct conversations," McCurry said, but "he more or less assured me and others, 'Don't worry. It will turn out all right.' . . . I think in his own mind he believed it. I don't think he ever sent anyone out consciously to lie."