Clinton confesses again, absolves Gore

SOUTH BARRINGTON, Illinois (CNN) -- Making some of his most personal remarks on his affair with Monica Lewinsky, President Clinton said he had made a "terrible mistake" and asked voters not to punish Vice President Al Gore for that "humiliating" scandal.

"He doesn't get enough credit for what we did together that is good, and surely no fair-minded person would blame him for any mistake that I made," Clinton said of Gore in an appearance Thursday before 4,500 ministers at a conference in suburban Chicago.

Clinton's lengthy confessional came during a nearly 90-minute question-and-answer session with Bill Hybels, his spiritual adviser and pastor of the Willow Creek Community Church.

Comments come as Democrats gather to nominate Gore

The Lewinsky scandal two years ago led to Clinton's impeachment in the House. He was acquitted in a Senate trial.

The president's latest confession came just days before Gore, who is trying to distance himself from any voter distaste for the scandal, becomes the Democratic presidential nominee.

Gore's choice this week of Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Connecticut, as running mate also is seen by many analysts as part of Gore's effort to put space between himself and Clinton.

Lieberman rebuked Clinton from the Senate floor in 1998. He's also an observant Jew who serves as a model of rectitude in the Senate.

Asked about the political impact of Clinton's confessional, Cliff May, communications director for the Republican National Committee, said he thought Clinton was confusing the issues on purpose.

"Clinton's personal foibles and failings have nothing to do with the fact that Al Gore went to a Buddhist temple to raise money and that his closest associates and fund-raisers were convicted of multiple felonies in regard to that event," May said.

Republican Party presidential nominee George W. Bush has treaded lightly on the Lewinsky matter. But the Texas governor gets applause when he promises during stump speeches to "restore decency and integrity to the Oval Office."

In his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last week, vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney took that a step further, saying: "Mr. Gore will try to separate himself from his leader's shadow. But somehow, we will never see one without thinking of the other."

Clinton says he is 'much more at peace'

Clinton has met regularly with Hybels since the public disclosure of his relationship with Lewinsky, a former White House intern. In Thursday's discussion, Clinton talked candidly about his initial less-than-forthright responses to the media about Lewinsky.

"I finally realized that it'd never be all right unless I stood up there and said what I did and said it was wrong, and apologized for it," a subdued Clinton said.

He said the entire experience was cathartic and that he learned a great deal from it.

"I feel much more at peace than I used to," Clinton said. "As humiliating as it was ... this sort of purging process, if it doesn't destroy you, can bring you to a different place."

Still rebuilding

Clinton acknowledged he still has work to do as a husband and father.

"I'm now in the second year of a process of trying to totally rebuild my life from a terrible mistake I made," he said.

The president said his spiritual life now is a "work in progress."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.