Fleetwood Mac drummer and founding member Mick Fleetwood, in addressing the absence of keyboardist Christine McVie at the band's surprise performance for President Clinton at the White House on Saturday, evoked an emphatic — and notorious — statement by Clinton:

"This woman will never perform with Fleetwood Mac again," Fleetwood told VH1 radio.

"Christine does not have a comfort with traveling and performing live anymore," Fleetwood said in the interview. "I think it is fair to say that this was sort of an important gig for us, because we did it without Chris. She'll be missed.

"I'm not completely discounting the fact that she may well be involved in some form of contribution to a [future] album at some point, maybe not," Fleetwood continued. "I can say that we can say that this woman will never perform with Fleetwood Mac again."

Liz Rosenberg, Fleetwood Mac's publicist, said Fleetwood "speaks for the band," adding that McVie indeed did not enjoy touring with the band in 1997. "Who's to say," said Rosenberg, "she may wake up in 2002 and want to tour again, but I doubt it."

Rosenberg said it was highly unlikely that Fleetwood Mac would record or tour in 2001.

An accomplished keyboardist and singer, McVie joined Fleetwood Mac in 1971, shortly after marrying John McVie, the band's bassist and another co-founder. Mac's blues element gradually became less emphasized, and by the time guitarist/singer Lindsey Buckingham and singer Stevie Nicks joined in 1975, the band's transformation from a British blues band to a pre-eminent Southern California pop-rock band was complete. Some of McVie's more memorable songs are "Songbird" (RealAudio excerpt), "Say You Love Me," and "You Make Loving Fun."

1977's Rumours, a musical depiction of the romantic strife between the two McVies and between Buckingham and Nicks, is one of the best-selling records in history.