Dukakis Gives McCarthy $300,000 Shot in Arm

The U.S. Senate campaign of Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy got a much-needed shot in the arm Thursday night from Democratic presidential nominee Michael S. Dukakis, who helped McCarthy raise an estimated $300,000 at a dinner in Los Angeles.

“It is very important that Leo McCarthy go to the United States Senate from this state and provide that special kind of leadership he provides for California,” Dukakis told nearly 300 people who had each paid $1,000 to attend the fund-raising dinner.

The dinner in the exclusive Holmby Hills neighborhood was one of the highlights to date of the McCarthy campaign, which has struggled to raise money and attract attention from the media and public.

McCarthy, trailing in the polls behind Republican incumbent Sen. Pete Wilson, has gone out of his way to link his name with the Dukakis-Bentsen ticket in the hope their apparent popularity will help sweep him into office.

Whenever possible, McCarthy has appeared at campaign events in California with the Massachusetts governor or vice presidential candidate Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas. Since the Democratic convention last month, members of the McCarthy campaign staff have been sporting buttons that say “Dukakis-McCarthy in ’88.”

“We’re proud to run as a part of this ticket,” McCarthy told guests at the dinner. “We’re grateful that the governor has again and again sent the signal that he believes California is fundamental to his efforts to win this campaign.”

For his part, Dukakis made it clear he not only wants to win the presidency but wants to make sure the Congress that is elected in November is one that will cooperate with him.

“Why is Leo McCarthy’s election so important? And it is,” Dukakis said. “Because if, with your help, I can become President of the United States, I want a Senate and a Congress that will work with me.”

Among those attending the dinner were Democratic Sen. Alan Cranston, state Controller Gray Davis, Los Angeles City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky and Rep. Howard Berman of Los Angeles, who nine years ago waged a bitter battle with McCarthy for Assembly Speaker.

But the event, held at the home of Marc and Jane Nathanson, also attracted a large number of new contributors to the McCarthy camp who had not yet given the federal maximum of $1,000 for the year, campaign manager Larry Kamer said,

As of mid-July, Wilson reported having $2.2 million in cash on hand, while McCarthy reported having $1.5 million. However, Wilson has consistently out-raised McCarthy and has been able to run a series of television commercials that have gone unanswered by the Democratic candidate.