PRESIDENT Clinton has left Chicago with a double digit lead over Bob Dole and an energised Democratic party intent on recapturing Congress, but also with a smell of scandal around' the White House that just could deprive him of a second term.
The timing of the Dick Morris expose, just hours before the President's acceptance speech, was a nightmare scenario for the Democrats and a godsend for a media pack frustrated after a week of stage managed events at the convention. But for many of the 4,000 delegates, the question was: "Who is Dick Morris?"
Outside political and media circles he is unknown. Many observers, even among Republicans, will not be surprised if the revelations about his relationship with a prostitute while working as a political consultant to the President fade quickly from the headlines.
It is hard to assess if they will do lasting damage to the Clinton reelection campaign. That Morris was, using the services of a call girl during his nights in Washington while advising the President on "family values" certainly strikes people as odd, but the President can hardly be blamed for his aide's hypocrisy.
More serious are the allegations by Ms Sherry Rowlands that Morris allowed her to eavesdrop on a telephone conversation he was having with the President and that he showed her drafts of speeches by Hillary Clinton and Vice President Al Gore for the convention. He even told her about the fife on Mars revelation before it became public, she claims.
Questions are being asked about the President's judgment in confiding in such an adviser, and particularly about Morris's ability to switch loyalty from Democrats to Republicans without apparent bother. But the Republicans are treating the Morris scandal with care.
The President's acceptance speech on Thursday night was a detailed list of measures to be implemented over the next four years to provide a "bridge to the 21st century". The 73 year old Mr Dole by contrast is the self confessed "bridge to the past".
There can be no going back on a speech which was cheered to the roof beams of the huge convention centre.
The agenda which is to win Mr Clinton a second term and smooth the way for the succession of Al Gore was spelt out in detail: targeted tax cuts for homeowners and parents burdened with education fees; a $3.5 billion jobs package for those coming off welfare under the new law which the President signed on Morris's advice but which angered the liberal wing of the party; the anti crime measures and the clean up the environment programme.
On security and defence, where the Republicans like to portray Mr Clinton as "soft" the speech hit the right notes. There would be a national missile defence system, but not one modelled on the costly Star Wars programme. Terrorism would be fought vigorously on three fronts; by taking measures against countries which support terrorists, by giving security forces more sophisticated equipment and by new laws.
A new Clinton administration would also continue its efforts to bring peace to trouble spots such as Bosnia, the Middle East and Northern Ireland, where "the deep desire for peace I felt on the streets of Belfast must become real for all the people."
So as the President and vice President set off on their bus tour this weekend to key southern states, the agenda is set, the troops are fired up, the war chest is full and the Republicans are well behind in the polls.
There is no doubt that Morris can be easily replaced, although the President, who still refers to him as a "good friend", will miss his rapid fire ideas as the campaign gets more intense.
But the Republicans will now query the whole "bridge building" agenda as the product of a hypocritical hired gun with the morals of a tom cat rather than the lofty "family values" espoused by the President. There is also the revival of the "sleaze factor", which never seems far away from the Clinton administration.
Before the scandal broke, Morris was confidently predicting an easy win for President Clinton in November, leading on in due course to a rout of the Republicans which would give Democrats a majority in both houses of Congress. One would love to know what he feels about this prediction today.