Slim-News Vacation Showcases Clinton’s Less-Girthful Side

EDGARTOWN, Mass. —  President Clinton’s vacation may not be producing any major news stories, but it is showcasing one little-covered development: The president’s recent physical difficulties--his bad knee and abundant girth--clearly have abated.

As recently as a few weeks ago, Clinton was undeniably out of shape. Recovering from a torn knee ligament that he suffered in March, he was still limping slightly and tired easily. And the presidential physique was, well, conspicuously on a roll.

Here at Martha’s Vineyard, however, a new, decidedly more active Bill Clinton has emerged--playing golf at every opportunity, jogging regularly with [and without] his daughter Chelsea, working the crowds of tourists vigorously, and party-going until the wee hours.

While he doesn’t yet qualify as lanky, Clinton clearly has lost weight--between 15 and 20 pounds, White House aides confirm, bringing him below the 200-pound mark for the first time in several months. That may not sound like much, but it is svelte by presidential standards.