Gala Tribute
Gail
First Lady's Family Aids Senate Run
The Associated Press
By MARC HUMBERT
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The gala tribute was to him, but for her.
When Hollywood's elite shelled out about $1 million to honor President Clinton
this weekend, the money went into campaign coffers to benefit Hillary Rodham
Clinton's Senate race in New York.
When it comes to being first lady, and a candidate, there are advantages.
Nowhere has that been drawn into sharper focus than at this week's Democratic
National Convention, where the president will deliver his valedictory address
to the party faithful Monday night, a speech preceded by a 10-minute,
prime-time, nationally televised talk by the first lady.
Her advisers say such exposure is an added plus from the candidate also being
first lady.
The campaign of her Republican rival, Rep. Rick Lazio, paints it in a different
light.
``What this shows is that Hillary Clinton has no record of her own to run on
and no base of fund-raising support she can call her own,'' Lazio spokesman
Michael Marr said Sunday. ``It's obvious that Mrs. Clinton can't win on her own
and that she needs assistance, some real and some imaginary, from the White
House in this campaign.''
The trappings of office - his office - go with her. While delegates and other
candidates arrived in Los Angeles by plane, train, bus or car, the first lady
came with the president on Air Force One.
``I'm just like every other New Yorker, with Secret Service protection,'' she
joked earlier this year.
After a small fund-raising reception Sunday hosted by a Los Angeles-based
plastic surgeon - expected to raise another $50,000 for her campaign -
President and Mrs. Clinton were to attend a reception at Sony Pictures Studios
hosted by major Jewish organizations. That could help in New York where the
Jewish vote can be crucial.
While President Clinton remains highly popular among Jews, she has had problems
convincing Jewish voters she shares his strong commitment to Israel. Polls have
shown her Jewish support in New York below the 60 percent level most analysts
believe she needs to win.
During Saturday night's ``Hollywood Gala Salute to President William Jefferson
Clinton,'' the star-studded cast didn't let the audience of 1,000 forget there
was another reason they were there.
``I'm backing her 150 percent,'' John Travolta, who played the Clintonesque
figure in the film ``Primary Colors,'' told reporters as he arrived.
Michael Bolton serenaded the first couple with ``When a Man Loves a Woman.''
``I know what it's like to be married to the greatest,'' Lonnie Ali said from
the stage, the former heavyweight champ by her side. ``You have my respect, my
admiration and my sympathy. Muhammad and I wish you every success in your quest
for the New York Senate seat.... You too, madam, are the greatest.''
The first lady and the president, daughter Chelsea at their side, held hands
during the tribute. At one point, he put his arm around his wife. When they
took the stage to a standing ovation, he kissed her.
In her brief remarks, she mentioned only his work, not her candidacy.
He showed no such hesitancy.
``I was really proud of her'' when she decided to run ``because we could have
spent more evenings like this and we could have simply spent the last year
celebrating.... I hope you will help her win.''
While the president remains popular in New York state - his job-approval rating
hovers above 60 percent - voters there as elsewhere have expressed displeasure
over Clinton scandals, including his affair with Monica Lewinsky.
Lazio has sought to profit from that.
``Hillary Clinton and her husband have embarrassed our country and dishonored
their powerful posts,'' Lazio wrote in a recent fund-raising letter.
Nonetheless, it took Lazio almost a full week on the road to raise about $1
million, Hillary Clinton - with a lot of help from her husband - hit that mark
on Saturday night.
Gail ~縊
Michael's Place
http://members.aol.com/Jigadake/index.html
JAPARL
.....The talk is of politics and their latest movies. Specific knowledge of
politics is not required. In a memory book handed out to every guest, actor
after actor salutes Bill and Hillary and writes of their mutual "journey"
through the past eight years. The Potomac River hoofer is one of theirs.
Michael Bolton writes that the "country will miss you and so will I." And
Melissa Etheridge credits Clinton's inauguration for helping her come out of
the closet. The cause and effect on that one isn't immediately clear.
......Applause washes over and over him. He wig-wags that head, and smiles and
moves to the front rows. He takes a seat and watches Cher and Toni Braxton and
Patti LaBelle and Sugar Ray sing and shout. When it's Michael Bolton's turn,
the singer looks at him with genuine yearning and belts out "When a Man Loves a
Woman."
To read the whole article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21087-2000Aug13.html
Judy
JAPARL
to the gala:
Jason Alexander, dark suit and tie. Michael Bolton, tan suit, open-collar white
shirt. Wall-to-wall black for gents like David Brenner and Rod Steiger, who
added his omnipresent medallion necklace over a T-shirt.
Judy
Jonathan
Was this thing televised?? I kept an eye on CNN the other day, but barely
heard mention of it.
Cheers,
Jonathan
---------
"Gail" <jiga...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000813223510...@ng-ff1.aol.com...
> The following is a write-up about the Gala tribute last night.
> Michael Bolton serenaded the first couple with ``When a Man Loves a
Woman.''
Sallycsc
>heard mention of it.
>
I think there was a lot of channel surfing going on by Bolton fans across the
country....but as far as I know no one saw even a glimpse of
him..........boooohoooooo!
Sally in Colorado
Hill
didn't spot him either.
Margaret
"Sallycsc" <sall...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000815193052...@ng-da1.aol.com...
JAPARL
Clinton gala:
Hillary, in a pink suit and giant pink pearl necklace, got her share of
plaudits: "I can't wait to call you senator!" said Michael Bolton before
launching into When A Man Loves a Woman, which he said was a request. The
president mouthed "thank you."
Judy