Media: Pitch

A PR GURU AND AN AD AGENCY BOSS GIVE THEIR ADVICE ON HOW PRESIDENT CLINTON CAN KEEP HIS IMAGE UNTARNISHED BY THE SMEARS OF MONICAGATE

The publicist: Max Clifford

My suggestions would be:

n Discredit Kenneth Starr. Say that hehas tried and failed in the past - in New Hampshire in 1992, for instance, when draft-dodging and Gennifer Flowers were in the air - to bring Clinton down. Paint him as a fanatical, jealous man whose only aim in life is to smear someone who has been a wonderful champion for America. You could get someone (preferably a Republican) to come out and say of Starr: "This man has told me that his one mission in life is to bring down Clinton - that he hates him and will do anything it takes to get him".

n Remind everyone of just how successful Clinton has been. It would be useful to get other prominent leaders whom the American public respect talking about the president's successes; for example, get Tony Blair talking about Clinton's vital role in solving the Northern Ireland situation. Also, get some financial experts to say that the economy has never been stronger. The Americans love being number one.

n Get Clinton to go on television. When you've got his charisma and personality, it's important that you play to your strengths. When it comes down to it, people believe what they want to believe - that's one of the first things you learn about public relations. Lots of stars I've represented have had all kinds of damaging rumours floating around about them, and my advice has always been: "Deny it." If people think there's a chance it's not true, they would rather not believe it.

The difficulty in PR is that you've got to be really sure of your ground. If you're not, you can't protect your clients. If, for example, I were aware that his secret servicemen had testified that they saw him having oral sex, then Clinton should say he doesn't regard having oral sex as having sex.

The ad agent: Fernan Montero, chairman and CEO, Young and Rubicam Europe

We always advise our clients to tell the truth, and that would be our first advice to Bill Clinton. (But I have to say that I'm a card-carrying Republican and that, in these circumstances, I'd probably demand payment up front). Because he has made a public denial, we have to proceed on the assumption of his innocence. The underlying thought is that if he is innocent, there must be a conspiracy. So, we advise:

n He keeps doing his job. This has always been his strategy, but he needs to show that he trusts in the judicial system, that he knows he is innocent, and that he will not be distracted from doing what the American people want.

n He uses a third party - one of his press secretaries - to deflect the daily tension that springs up around this issue. He should never be drawn directly into the fray himself.

n He at all times maintains his innocence.

n The Democratic Party initiates a grass-roots movement such as "Citizens Against Conspiracy" or "Americans Against Conspiracy". If Clinton is innocent, there must be a conspiracy against him. It would need to make a bold statement on TV with 60-second commercials - low frequency, high impact, in prime time. Or full-page newspaper ads - black and white, long text, no pictures.

This grass-roots movement might be fronted by some great moral leader (the perfect person would have been Jimmy Stewart) to speak out in celebration of the positive things that Clinton has done.