DASCHLE PREDICTS WITNESS PARADE.

Byline: Eric Schmitt The New York Times

Sen. Tom Daschle, the Democratic leader, said Monday that it ``appears to be inevitable'' that the Senate will vote, probably along party lines, to depose witnesses in President Clinton's impeachment trial.

And if Senate Republicans push to hear live testimony, Daschle added, Democrats might object to placing any strict limits on which witnesses the prosecutors could summon.

Many Republicans have indicated that they want to hear from witnesses, but not many and not for long. Virtually all the Democrats have indicated that they do not want to hear from any witnesses, but since they do not have the votes to impose their view, Daschle's comments suggest that he would encourage a drawn-out process aimed at embarrassing Senate Republicans.

``We'd have to give them wide latitude about what witnesses should be called,'' Daschle said in a telephone interview. ``I don't think it's appropriate to dictate to either side how to proceed.''

But Daschle's only real leverage is to threaten to allow the Senate proceedings, which continue today with the start of the president's defense, to become as partisan as the impeachment vote was in the House of Representatives.

Under the trial procedures agreed to by the two parties, the Senate will take two votes in late January after opening arguments and questioning from senators. Those votes will be on whether to dismiss the case and whether to depose witnesses. After taking depositions, if they are approved, the Senate would vote on which witnesses, if any, should give live testimony.

Senate Republicans and the House Republican managers have narrowed their differences on the questioning of witnesses after senators warned the prosecutors to keep their witness list short.

Daschle repeated his view, shared by most Democrats, that witnesses are unnecessary. Before last week's trial arguments, the 45 Senate Democrats held on to a slim hope that they could stay united and muster six Republican defections to dismiss the case or, failing that, defeat a vote to depose witnesses.

But the House prosecutors' presentations, which even many Democrats acknowledged were more effective than they had expected, dashed any Democratic hope of dismissing the case. Some influential Democrats said Monday that Republicans probably would use their majority to push through a vote to depose a limited number of witnesses.

``That seems to be the case,'' Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said in an interview.

Daschle said, ``Given the comments of Republicans, it appears to be inevitable that witnesses will be deposed.''

Daschle's comments suggest that the Democrats will try to turn their tactical retreat on witnesses into a fresh partisan assault, accusing Republicans of dragging out a scandal with little chance that witnesses will clear up conflicting testimony.

A spokesman for Sen. Trent Lott, the majority leader, welcomed Daschle's comments on witnesses, but disputed the notion that hearing witnesses would unduly prolong the trial. ``If everyone works hard,'' said the spokesman, John Czwartacki, ``there's no reason this will have to extend beyond February, unless someone decided to play partisan politics and drag this process out.''

Meanwhile, White House lawyers were putting the final touches on their opening arguments, set to begin when the trial resumes today. President Clinton's defense has been allotted three days, after which senators will have 16 hours over two days to ask questions of both sides through Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.

The president's spokesman, Joe Lockhart, said Monday that the White House remained opposed to calling witnesses but added that if the Senate allowed House prosecutors to do so, the president's lawyers might follow suit.

``It boggles the mind a bit to try to understand how someone testifying for the 10th time or the 23rd time or the ninth time can provide any more clarity,'' Lockhart said.

``If the House managers insist on witnesses and the Senate approves them, certainly we will look at calling witnesses,'' Lockhart said.

The White House confirmed Monday that Charles F.C. Ruff, the White House counsel, would open the president's defense today.

``Ruff is a wise choice because he comes across as totally honest, very shrewd and very smart,'' Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who heads the Judiciary Committee, said in an interview.

In addition, the White House is considering asking Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, including Thomas Barrett of Wisconsin, John Conyers Jr. of Michigan and Rick Boucher of Virginia, to argue in Clinton's defense at the trial, congressional aides said. House Democrats refused to join the 13-Republican House prosecution team.

The president's lawyers are expected to mount a vigorous challenge to the House prosecutors' case on the facts, on the law and on the Constitution.

Ruff will begin his rebuttal to House prosecutors by contending the president never lied to a grand jury about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, never told others to lie and shouldn't be removed from office even if he did.

What the case against Clinton comes down to, White House lawyers will say, is a veritable ``he said, she said'' over whether the president touched Lewinsky on certain parts of her body and, if so, for what purpose.

The strategy represents a shift from the earlier White House defense that no matter what Clinton did regarding Lewinsky, his actions didn't rise to the level of ``high crimes and misdemeanors'' required to convict him and end his presidency.

Senate Republicans warned in interviews that the managers' strong showing increased the pressure on the White House. ``It's important for the White House to recognize that this is their opportunity to refute the case laid out by the House managers,'' said Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. ``They can't treat this lightly.''

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, added, ``This atmosphere is much more `serious and somber and has allowed the House managers, in the eyes of even some Democrats, to come across no longer as being the partisan harpoon-carriers out of the black pit.''

On Friday, senators will question the opposing counsels. Lott, the majority leader, and Daschle, the minority leader, have agreed to divide the 16 hours equally between Republicans and Democrats, switching back and forth every two hours.

Each caucus will review its questions in advance to reduce repetition. Before each query, Rehnquist is expected to name the senator who wanted it asked, Czwartacki said.