Senators speak out on trial's progress, witnesses Updated January 15, 1999 8:00 p.m. ET NEW YORK (COURT TV)— Voicing the first objection in the two-day-old impeachment trial of President Clinton, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said that senators could not be called jurors, in part, because they have more control over the proceedings. Chief Justice William Rehnquist agreed. "In no way is this a jury," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. "In a jury not one of us would ever be seated. We all have opinions." Certainly the Senate differs from a typical jury in one regard: jurors are not allowed to discuss the case. Many senators, however, have been freely sharing their comments on the trial, both on the House's presentation thus far and on its persistent call for witnesses. Democrats tend to oppose the prosecutors' demand for witnesses, asserting that it would unnecessarily prolong the trial. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, protested after Friday's session that the Senate would be putting the burden of proof on the president if it asked him to appear. Harkin agreed, telling Court TV that "in this country we have 200 years of jurisprudence" that says Clinton doesn't have to step forward to defend himself. Republican senators, on the other hand, have suggested that witnesses are needed to allow the Senate to sort out the prosecutors say are conflicting testimonies. "I don't know how I can make a decision without hearing from someone firsthand," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said that it would only take a couple of days to hear a handful of the most pertinent witnesses. "All 45 Democrats are going to vote against witnesses. Why?" queried Hatch. Rep. Steven Chabot, R-Ohio, told Court TV he didn't understand why the Democrats objected to the prospect of witnesses. "Witnesses will be on Clinton's side," predicted Chabot. House prosecutors have already contacted Monica Lewinsky and Kathleen Willey to gauge their willingness to testify, though Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., would not comment on whether prosecutors had spoken with Lewinsky and what her response was. "We have an interest in talking to potential witnesses," said Barr. White House spokesman Joe Lockhart told reporters that calling witnesses would take "an extended time" once motions and discovery are brought into play. "I think everyone in this country believes the time to bring this effort to a close is soon," said Lockhart. While some senators have said they aren't comfortable discussing the merits of the House's case as presented thus far, Hatch and others had few reservations. "The House has presented a pretty formidable case," said Hatch. Many Democrats, not surprisingly, disagreed. Some still favor a censure instead of impeachment. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., called the prosecutors' efforts "an effective presentation" though he added it has not yet affected his opinion that the case does not appear to satisfy the standards for impeachment laid out in the Constitution. —Catherine Heins