This past Thursday, Independent Prosecutor Kenneth W. Starr spent 12 hours testifying before the House Judiciary Committee. After a lengthy opening statement, which reiterated the charges against the President laid out in Starr's written referral to Congress, the embattled prosecutor faced a marathon interrogation at the hands of the committee members.

While Republicans treated him with a level of deference and respect more appropriate to a visiting head of state, the Democrats were excessively brash and combative. At the end of the long day, it was more obvious than ever that the impeachment proceedings must come to a rapid end.

If there was ever any doubt that President Clinton would survive this latest crisis, that doubt was buried along with the slew of losing Republican candidates in the mid-term elections. While presumably Congress must go through the motions dictated by law, nobody believes that these impeachment hearings will conclude in any serious result. They are a waste of time and, quite frankly, an embarrassment.

Republicans on the committee ought to be ashamed for their seemingly unconditional support of Starr. While many of the accusations hurled at him over the months are perhaps unfair, his behavior is deserving of critical scrutiny. Hopefully, the recent resignation of Starr's ethics adviser Samuel Dash, will serve as a reminder to Republicans that as much as they'd like to bring down the President, Starr's investigation is not without flaws.

The behavior of Democrats on the committee has been equally disappointing. They have conducted themselves rudely and immaturely. Most distressingly, they have not a made a single attempt to argue the substantive merits of Starr's charges.

Questioning Starr's tactics is one thing, resorting solely to character assassination is another. If Democrats would argue that the President's crimes don't warrant impeachment, at least when this whole mess is over perhaps we would be left with a better understanding of our Constitution.

It is deeply disappointing that President Clinton's possibly illegal and definitely immoral behavior has been glossed over in favor of partisan bickering. But as much as we wish that he be held accountable for lying to the people, the only other option for Congress--censure--is not the answer. Besides being of questionable constitutionality, censure is ultimately meaningless.

For better or for worse, President Clinton is here to stay. Henry Hyde and the Judiciary committee should give up their pipe dream and close up shop as soon as possible.