As White House lawyers wrapped up their defence of President Clinton, Democratic senators worked on a plan to bring the impeachment trial to a speedy end next week.
Some Democrats believe the success of the President's State of the Union address, his record poll ratings and the effective defence presentation is influencing Republicans towards concluding a trial which is unlikely to result in the conviction of Mr Clinton.
Republicans have also been discouraged by the comments of Mr Pat Robertson, the popular TV evangelist who said the President had "hit a home run" in his address and the impeachment trial should now be halted.
Mr Robertson, who has been one of the President's most outspoken critics over his affair with Ms Monica Lewinsky, said on his television programme: "They might as well dismiss this impeachment hearing and get on with something else, because it's over as far as I'm concerned."
The Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright, cautioned against a prolonged Senate trial as it would mean time "on the people's business" would be lost. "What bothers me is that we have a huge agenda," she said, as she outlined foreign policy aims after two years in office.
Ms Albright said the impeachment and trial of President Clinton was puzzling to foreign leaders. "Friends around the world are kind of amazed this is going on," she said.
Today the Senate trial moves into the period of questions. For two days the senators can pose written questions to the prosecution and the defence lawyers.
Early next week, the Senate is supposed to vote on a Democratic motion to adjourn the trial indefinitely. A simple majority of 51 votes would be needed to bring this about. If this motion fails, a second vote will be taken on whether to call witnesses.
Many Republicans have been indicating that they want to hear witnesses such as Ms Lewinsky; Ms Betty Currie, the President's personal secretary; and his friend, Mr Vernon Jordan, who helped find a job for Ms Lewinsky.
However, some Democrats are now planning to substitute a vote on guilty or not guilty for the vote on whether to adjourn the trial without a verdict. A two-thirds majority of the 100 senators would be needed to convict the President.
Most observers believe that such a majority is not possible. If all Republicans vote to convict, they would still need 12 Democrats to vote with them to reach the necessary majority.
In his final submission yesterday, the President's personal lawyer, Mr David Kendall, defended him against the charge of obstruction of justice. He told the Senate there were a lot of "myths" about the evidence against Mr Clinton caused by misunderstanding, confusion and distortions.
Mr Kendall said the prosecutors had ignored evidence that would exonerate the President in an "attempt to fit some of the facts into a sinister pattern" of obstruction of justice. But "the direct evidence disproves the charges," Mr Kendall argued.