The Democratic Convention: Clinton Faces Dual Tasks In Speech Tonight

Two years after enmeshing his fellow Democrats in a scandal that shook the nation, President Clinton is poised to deliver a triumphant valedictory address tonight to a party reborn. When he speaks to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, however, Clinton must do more than burnish an imperfect legacy by touting his role presiding over eight years of peace and prosperity. He must make Americans believe it couldn't have happened without Al Gore... "This is his valedictory speech, his swan song," said government professor Phil Klinkner of Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. "For him to bring up something that is clearly the low point of his political career, the low point of his personal life, it's probably not something he would want to dwell on."