New York Times Gossip Rag

"When the subject of Bill and Hillary Clinton comes up for many prominent Democrats these days, topic #1 is their marriage," the NEW YORK TIMES is planning to report in a Tuesday Page One Lead Story.

Democrats say it is inevitable that, in a campaign that could return the former president to the White House, some voters would be concerned and even distracted by Bill Clinton's political role and his potential for the kind of episodes that led the House to vote for his impeachment in 1998.

NYT reporter Pat Healy is filing a 2,000+ word report this evening, NYT newsroom sources say.

Since the start of 2005, the Clintons were together about 14 days a month on average, according to aides who reviewed the couple's schedules. Sometimes it is a full day of relaxing at home in Chappaqua; sometimes it is coming together late at night. At their busiest, they saw each other on a single day, Valentine's Day, during February 2005 -- a month when each was traveling a great deal. In August, they saw each other at some point on 24 out of 31 days. Out of the last 73 weekends, they spent 51 together. The aides declined to provide the Clintons' private schedule.

The TIMES reports: "Several prominent New York Democrats, in interviews, volunteered that they became concerned last year over a tabloid photograph showing Clinton leaving BLT Steak in Midtown Manhattan late one night after dining with a group that included Belinda Stronach, a Canadian politician. The two were among roughly a dozen people at a dinner, but it still was enough to fuel coverage in the gossip pages."