Ken Starr tried not to flinch as he was called a "federally-paid sex policeman spending millions of dollars to trap an unfaithful spouse".
The third impeachment inquiry in US history into a sitting president got off to a bad-tempered start as Democrats defending their leader in faraway Japan let fly at their hate-figure. Mr Starr was derided for sending Congress a report about Mr Clinton and Ms Monica Lewinsky which was "tawdry, salacious and unnecessarily graphic".
Mr Starr was anything but salacious yesterday as he calmly set out in great detail why he believes the President should be impeached for "high crimes and misdemeanours". But no word passed his lips which would raise a blush on a maiden's cheeks.
He weighed into Mr Clinton for the 10 ways that he allegedly abused his presidential authority in covering up and lying under oath about his liaison with Ms Lewinsky. The President "repeatedly used the machinery of government and the powers of his office to conceal his relationship with Monica Lewinsky from the American people, from the judicial process in the Paula Jones case and from the grand jury," Mr Starr insisted.
The outnumbered Democrats came out fighting, calling for a vote on their demand that the President's lawyer, Mr David Kendall, be given 90 instead of the allotted 30 minutes to cross-examine Mr Starr. The Independent Counsel had two hours to present his indictment.
The 21 Republicans duly outvoted the 16 Democrats who railed at a "desperation effort to breathe new life into a dying inquiry".
The chairman, Mr Henry Hyde, who had earlier said wearily "I'd like to forget all this. Who needs it?", tried to be chairman-like as the Democrats raised "points of order" and complained about his "railroading" of the hearing.
The White House from down the road offered disdainful comments. "There's nothing new in Mr Starr's two-hour presentation. He offered no new evidence, no new information and no explanations for his tactics," said presidential legal adviser Mr Greg Craig.
The White House did welcome the fact that Mr Starr has exonerated the President from any role in other matters he was investigating, such as the dismissal of the travel staff and the abuse of FBI files. "This should have been done months ago," said Mr Craig.
The Republicans on the committee fed Mr Starr some easy questions and tried to raise the subject the Democrats were determined to avoid: had the President committed an impeachable offence? Democrats complained that Mr Starr's lengthy answers were taking up their limited time. The Chair told him: "Be concise - although I'm enjoying your answers."
And so on it went long into the night. The Chair said there would be no break for supper but the members could "send out for pizza".
Wasn't this where it all began - when Monica went out for pizza one night when the White House was shut down by the Republicans over a Budget row.