WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate shut its doors to debate its verdict on the impeachment of Bill Clinton yesterday, with the outcome so evident that one Republican said ''bipartisan acquittal'' was possible by week's end for the second president in history to be put on trial for his job.

After a month and a day spent listening in silence to opposing legal arguments, senators began their private deliberations at midafternoon in a Senate chamber cleared of House prosecutors, presidential lawyers and gallery spectators.

Clinton stands accused of perjury and obstruction of justice in his efforts to conceal his affair with Monica Lewinsky.

An effort led by Democrats and Texas Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison to open the proceedings failed - it gained a 59-41 majority but that was short of the two-thirds needed - with the GOP leadership helping to stiffen the opposition.

Closed-door deliberations are more conducive to thoughtful exchanges, said Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. ''Sometimes a discussion breaks out.

If it's in closed session, you will see more of a dialogue. If there's going to be any persuasion it's only going to be in closed session.'' Despite his remarks, Kyl voted to open the doors.

''I would hope that we won't just have speeches and we will have deliberations,'' said Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.

One Republican senator said he hoped that by closing the deliberations the Senate would be able to engage in a candid, nonpartisan discussion of a proposal to censure Clinton after his presumed acquittal.

Democrats have been leading the censure effort, with the support of a small number of Republicans.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, lent her support during the day. A spokesman said she had succeeded in inserting language in a proposal under consideration to make it clear that Clinton would be treated like any other citizen after he leaves office - a time when the government decides whether to prosecute him for any alleged crime - and expressing the hope that no future Congress would rescind the censure.

Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said many GOP senators oppose censure, but he said he might be receptive as a way of dousing any plans for celebration at the White House. ''What we could end up having by the end of the week is a bipartisan acquittal, which I'm afraid could lead to a good deal of celebrating downtown,'' he said.

Presidential spokesman Joe Lockhart has already declared the White House will be a ''gloat-free'' zone after the Senate takes its votes. Republicans, in particular, were offended by Clinton's campaign-style appearance at the White House with Democratic lawmakers hours after the House voted last December to impeach him.

With one or two possible exceptions, the Senate's 45 Democrats are expected to vote for Clinton's acquittal on both charges - perjury and obstruction of justice. Most of the 55 Republicans are expected to vote for conviction, although several GOP senators have said in recent days the article of impeachment alleging perjury, in particular, could fail to achieve a majority vote. That would mean at least six Republicans voting for acquittal.

With the end of the historic trial only days away, Republicans moved to tie up loose ends.

Lott dispatched a letter to Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr containing what Republican officials said was information about a possible White House taping system that might have picked up telephone conversations between Clinton and Lewinsky.

''All I've done is make available information sent to me,'' Lott told reporters. He said he has had that information for about a week and discussed it with the GOP caucus.

White House spokesman Joe Lockhart has denied the existence of such a system.

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., sought permission to have the Senate issue subpoenas for three individuals who have cast doubt on trial testimony given last week by White House aide Sidney Blumenthal.

Democratic Leader Tom Daschle objected, however. Republicans, who are eager to wrap up the trial without further political damage, let the matter die rather than demand a vote by the full Senate.

In his testimony, Blumenthal denied that he had passed to the news media Clinton's false account from January 1998 about his relationship with Lewinsky.

Over the weekend, journalist Christopher Hitchens and his wife signed affidavits stating that Blumenthal told them the former White House intern was a Clinton ''stalker.'' Journalist Scott Armstrong signed an affidavit Monday saying he was told by Hitchens and his wife, Carol Blue, about their conversation with Blumenthal and the ''stalker'' comment.

Specter sought subpoenas for Hitchens, Ms. Blue and Armstrong, as well as for Blumenthal to allow exploration of ''possible fraud on the Senate by alleged perjury'' on the part of the White House aide.