For the last seven months I have restrained myself and not written anything about President William Jefferson Clinton. With his appearance before the grand jury on Aug. 17, subsequent apologies, and the release of the independent counsel's referral to Congress, I decided to express some views in this column. President Clinton is a disgrace to the office.

First, I want to put into historical context my personal feelings. Having worked hard for President Nixon in several capacities, including one stint in 1964-65 where I traveled the country with him, the impeachment process remains very much with me. As I view and reflect on the current events swirling around Bill Clinton, my thoughts about the Watergate period of Richard Nixon ring very clearly. That was a low part in my life.

Beyond the issues of perjury, abuse of power and witness tampering, one dimension of the Clinton saga remains untold. We have overlooked the personal lives, which forever will be changed. And I am not referring to Hillary, Chelsea or the president¬even though I can understand the trauma in their lives. My empathy flows more readily to the staff people and even Cabinet members who stood by the president even as the crescendo of evidence made it absolutely clear that President Clinton lied to them and to the American people.

While not serving on the staff of Richard Nixon during the Watergate period, I could not believe the scenario as it unfolded. It was impossible for me to accept the role which President Nixon had played in the cover-up. Listening to his resignation changed my life. Up to then I had been very active in politics. I withdrew, and I was ashamed for the United States even though Richard Nixon had done much for the country in foreign and domestic affairs. It took me almost 14 years to get over the impact of Watergate.

Reading The New York Times, as the facts unfolded about the Clinton escapades, my Watergate days came back to me in sharp focus. Buried in one of the stories was a reference to a young woman on Clinton's White House staff. She had worked hard for the president¬18 hours a day and many weekends¬the staffer really believed in President Clinton, just as I had believed in Richard Nixon. With tears in her eyes, the Clinton assistant said that the president had let her and many others down. All the hard work had been for naught. She was now going to leave the White House and "never again" work in government.

Her sentiments crystallized my own memories of national mistrust. Beyond family and nation, President Clinton has turned off many bright young people who may never, ever participate in government or the political process again. He may well continue in office. But the damage to the country and fine young people was brought about through his actions¬not those of Kenneth Starr.