See No Evil.
It is interesting to note that Hillary and her Democratic colleague from New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer, have barely spoken up in the aftermath of the recent deadly Staten Island Ferry crash that killed eleven passengers, especially since Hillary usually demands government investigations into all sorts of matters. For example, Sen. Clinton regularly issues statements about both local and international issues, ranging from the health of firefighters to fruit prices to security at the Plum Island animal-disease research facility on Long Island. The apparent lack of concern may be because Sen. Schumer's wife, Iris Weinshall, heads the city agency that oversees local transportation issues, and Hillary may also be reluctant "to put any heat on an agency headed by her senior colleague's wife," according to the New York Post. While both Hillary and Sen. Schumer have offered condolences to the victims' families and are working to secure money to rebuild the ferry and terminal, they haven't pushed for investigations relating to licensing requirements, government oversight, pilot training and inspections.
Center of Attention.
The Washington Post reported that Hillary is causing serious waves by emceeing at the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner next month. Apparently, some of the nine candidates for the Democratic nomination "are privately steamed" that Hillary will be the de facto star of the event, effectively wiping out their opportunity to grab the attention and imagination of the nation's media, as well as of most of Iowa's likely voters. One Democratic source called Hillary's appearance "outrageous," but state party chairman Gordon Fischer insists the candidates should actually be thrilled because Sen. Clinton's appearance means there is no way she is going to run, and her only job is to introduce the candidates and "say flattering things" about them. Hillary's appearance appears to be a matter of drawing power, as the party sold nearly 9,000 tickets to the dinner in just over two days, at prices ranging from $40 for a nosebleed seat to $750 per plate at the best tables. She has also agreed to be the draw at two receptions before the event and at a post-dinner soiree, and she will appear the morning after at a brunch to benefit her political action committee.
Campaign Fundraising News.
Recently released federal records show that HILLPAC, Sen. Clinton's political action committee, raised $1.2 million between July 1 and September 30, besting her $208,000 take during the previous quarter by nearly a million dollars. Donations came from celebrities such as DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg and his wife, who put up $8,000; actress Susan Saint James, who contributed $1,000; and society maven Patricia Duff, who gave $1,000. This past Thursday, Sen. Clinton took part in an online chat hosted by "friends of hillary.com," a website supporting her 2006 Senate re-election. Participants were told that "If you raise $1,000 in online contributions, you can participate in a live online chat with Hillary." Although small donors and reporters were not allowed on Thursday's chat and comments about the fundraising strategy were not available, it was learned that Hillary addressed questions about the environment, education, Democratic politics "and many more," according to a report on the site.
The Eternal Election.
The New York Times reports that Hillary is already campaigning for re-election to her Senate seat, even though the election is over three years away. Like her husband, the "junior senator from New York is acting like a candidate on the run, embarking on the kind of furious bout of campaigning normally found with a politician who is trailing in the polls."
The Times believes that the non-stop electioneering is not because she is "on the run," but "reflects a recognition that she, more than most politicians, cannot take anything for granted," because, frankly, "a lot of voters really dislike her." These Hillary-haters are one reason that some of her advisers say she will not be running for President in 2004. As one senior Democratic strategist noted, "There are a large number of people out there who would run through a brick wall for her, but I also think there are an equal number of people who want to throw her through a brick wall." Although most pundits believe Hillary could handily defeat just about any Republican challenger, others think she could be vulnerable to a challenge by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who beat her in a recent poll, 57% to 40%. Speaking of Mr. Giuliani, he recently said that he still believed Mrs. Clinton might jump into the 2004 presidential contest if President Bush suddenly began losing ground to any of the nine Democrats running for President. "If one of them starts to emerge with the ability of being able to defeat President Bush, then I think she may just jump in," he said.
