For the man the whole world was watching, the day began in sackcloth and ashes mode.
It ended with celebrations with Irish-American supporters.
But in between sex was rearing its ugly head.
Just hours before a damning report on his affair with Ms Monica Lewinsky was released, President Clinton told a prayer breakfast in the White House that he had asked her forgiveness.
It is the first time he has mentioned her name in public since he told the nation last January that he "did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms Lewinsky."
It was the start of one of the most extraordinary days Washington has seen.
As the President was beating his breast yet again a few yards from where he had sinned with Ms Lewinsky, over on Capitol Hill angry Democrats accused Republicans of damning him to political hell before he had got a hearing.
As Mr Clinton then went to the National Cathedral and mounted the pulpit to pray for those killed in the US embassy bombings in Africa, the lawmakers voted to release the Starr report to the world via the Internet.
Parents were warned that some of the report had graphic sexual content and was not suitable for children.
Surrounded by clergy and rabbis, his wife and Vice-President Gore, and TV cameras, the President told the prayer breakfast: "I don't think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned."
He had been "on quite a journey these last few weeks, to get to the end of this, the rock-bottom truth of where I am."
He agreed with those who said he "was not contrite enough" in his admission last month of an affair with Ms Lewinsky.
"It is important to me that everybody who has been hurt knows that the sorrow I feel is genuine. First and most important, my own family, my friends, my staff, my cabinet, Monica Lewinsky and her family and the American people. "I have asked all for their forgiveness."
But sources close to Ms Lewinsky, who was in Washington yesterday, said there had been no direct contact until then with her or her family from the President.
Mr Clinton said he had been up part of the night preparing his latest expression of contrition. "I have repented."
To use the words of his Bible, he was now "a broken spirit."
Reverting to his present plight, the President said he was instructing his lawyer "to mount a vigorous defence in all available appropriate arguments.
But legal language must not obscure the fact that I have done wrong."
This seemed to be a reference to the criticism of his claim that when he denied having sex with Ms Lewinsky he was "legally correct."
This denial has given Mr Starr full rein to set out lurid details of the sexual encounters off the Oval Office.
As the ministers made muttered affirmations of support, Mr Clinton said:
"I will continue on the path of repentance, seeking pastoral support and that of other caring people so that they can hold me accountable for my own commitment."
The President might have been in repentance mode, but the White House war-room was in full battle cry, rushing out a detailed rebuttal of the Starr report.
The war of words was drowning out the repentance as what constituted sex grabbed the headlines.
But as the President's fairweather friends slunk away, he was able yet again to turn to his Irish supporters.
As the sun began to sink on a fateful day, hundreds of Irish-American Democrats crowded the South Lawn of the White House for the presentation of his award for his efforts in the Northern Ireland peace process.