Despite megacash bonuses, promises of free laptop computers, and college tuition help, the Army is bracing for a shortfall of up to 10 percent in new grunts. While the brass has been bragging that the giveaways will lure the needed 80,000 into recruiting offices, internal personnel estimates provided to Whispers reveal that only 72,000 may show up in the current fiscal year. In fact, several internal estimates put the shortfall at 7,000 to 8,000. That prompted the Army to offer cash, college, and computer incentives to new kids. As they prepare for the seventh Clinton Christmas in the White House, insiders are fretting that this one will be the last traditional holiday for the first couple, especially if the first lady's political wishes come true.
Several factors are at play.
First, they say, Hillary Rodham Clinton 's dominant role in planning the holiday will be limited to phone calls and faxed messages as she campaigns for the Senate in New York. Friends, however, say that the Clintons have a good Christmas formula and that they'll probably stick to an early Americana theme. Then there's the election. Gloom would follow defeat while a victory would see the missus hosting parties in New York and dashing around Georgetown for a second residence, to say nothing of securing financing. Zwerling's partner, Lisa Kemler , defended Lorena Bobbitt , who in 1994 was found not guilty by reason of insanity of slicing her husband's penis off.