Heeding the McCall.
Sen. Clinton came to the rescue of New York gubernatorial candidate H. Carl McCall the other day, getting about $1 million in pledges from a group of her supporters to help the Democratic candidate. Hillary’s financial assistance came at a crucial time for McCall, who has about $1.1 million on hand to spend over the next few weeks, as compared with more than $12 million that his opponent, Republican Gov. George Pataki, has left. Hillary’s financial endorsement is especially timely considering that many prominent state Democrats are openly supporting Gov. Pataki. In addition to the $1 million, Sen. Clinton has also agreed to host a fund-raising event for McCall at her Georgetown house on October 30 and to make fund-raising telephone calls for the candidate.
California Dreamin’.
Hillary made a brief campaign stop in support of California Gov. Gray Davis. The thunderous applause that greeted her appearance was punctuated with shouts of "We love you, Hillary!" and "Hillary for President!" Sen. Clinton, who spoke just ahead of Davis and drew louder cheers, urged Californians to "imagine what would happen to California if there is not a roaring vote that comes out and reelects Gray Davis." During her 10-minute speech, Hillary sounded like a candidate herself, instead of just a big-name draw. She even referred to the slogan of the presidential campaign of an earlier Clinton: "There’s a sign out here that says: ‘It’s still the economy, stupid.’" Hillary begged Democratic women to help the pro-abortion Davis beat GOP candidate Bill Simon, and criticized President Bush and Republicans. "They don’t just want to roll back on Bill Clinton’s policies, they’re working on Franklin Roosevelt’s and Teddy Roosevelt’s as well."
Maryland Fundraising.
Last Wednesday, Hillary headlined a $250,000 fundraiser for liberal Maryland State Sen. Chris Van Hollen and his bid to oust eight-term incumbent Connie Morella. Donors paid $1,000 to meet Clinton personally or $250 just to attend the event. Said Hill: "There’s hardly anybody running anywhere in the nation for Congress who is better prepared, better qualified, or has the experience [of Van Hollen]." Hillary also told the 350-person gathering that "I do think it takes a village to elect a great congressman, and that’s what’s going to happen." It ends up that Hillary’s support of Van Hollen is so strong that she couldn’t even wait for his campaign to ask for help. Sen. Clinton’s strategists began planning the fund-raiser for Van Hollen immediately after he won his primary, taking the Van Hollen camp by (albeit pleasant) surprise. "I called her office shortly after the primary and they already had reserved a place on their calendar," recalled Van Hollen. At the event, donors sipped wine and talked excitedly about Mrs. Clinton, who marched directly onto the stage to speak-having mingled only with those Marylanders who had attended a $1,000-a-person VIP reception beforehand. "That’s what it’s all about-getting Hillary to the White House," said one of the donors in attendance. "If not Hillary, what other woman?" The donor may not be so far off. U.S. News & World Report reports that Democratic strategists are buzzing about a new 2004 scenario: North Carolina Sen. John Edwards gets the Democratic nomination and then picks the former First Lady as his vice presidential running-mate.
Bush v. Clinton 2002.
In the Bill Sammon’s new book Fighting Back (Regnery), President Bush is interviewed as saying that he was furious at Sen. Clinton when she implied last May that he might have had advance knowledge of the September 11 attack. The President criticized Sen. Clinton’s Senate floor speech that cited a New York Post front-page headline that alleged "Bush Knew." "What bothered me was the fact that somebody would be so irresponsible and kind of stirring up a bunch of wonderful Americans that somehow I wouldn’t have done what is necessary," Bush told Sammon. "It wasn’t the truth. The truth is what really matters, and I think the American people understand that." Despite the presidential rebuke, Hillary remains unapologetic, according to her spokesman: "It is the job of a senator to ask questions on the minds of his or her constituents, and nobody is more entitled to answers about what happened on 9/11 than the people of New York. Sen. Clinton believed, and believes to this day, that we must ask the hard questions about what happened on September 11, because it is the only way we will become more secure as a nation."
