Clinton Visits 4 States in Campaign Swing : Politics: The President is likely to raise $1 million for Democrats. But some candidates go to lengths to distance themselves from him and his policies.

President Clinton, flexing his presidential fund-raising muscle, set out on a four-state tour this weekend designed to boost the Democrats’ campaign war chest and bolster any beleaguered candidates willing to accept his help.

With his own poll ratings in a swoon, many candidates in this fall’s midterm elections have decided to distance themselves from Clinton and the struggles of his Administration.

Plainly aware that he is unpopular in some quarters, the President is making appearances on candidates’ behalf only when asked and is otherwise confining himself to fund-raising events among the party faithful.

This trip--his first major campaign tour of the season--is expected to be a fruitful one, raising more than $1 million in donations.

However, other presidents have raised far more in similar fund-raising swings. Indeed, some have raised $1 million at one event.

After a stop in Chicago on Friday night, the President headed Saturday for two fund-raising events in Minneapolis--one for the Minnesota Democratic Farm Labor Party and another for U.S. Senate candidate Ann Wynia. He was scheduled to attend a fourth event, for Senate candidate Alan Wheat in Kansas City, before flying to New York today, where he will make one more pitch for funds and meet with foreign leaders gathering for the opening of the U.N. General Assembly. The President will address the assembly Monday.

Even candidates who appeared with the President over the weekend were somewhat cautious in their embrace of him.

Ann Wynia, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Minnesota, lives in one of the most consistently liberal states in the union and is vying for the seat once held by Hubert H. Humphrey. The Senate seat is now held by Republican Dave Durenberger, who is retiring. An earnest, low-key campaigner in the tradition of the state’s Democrats, Wynia is running against conservative Rep. Rod Grams and offers the Democrats one of its best chances to gain a Senate seat.

With Wynia apparently gaining in a close race--a new WCCO-TV poll Saturday showed her leading 44% to 38%--her campaign aides saw a Clinton visit as a moneymaker with minimal political risk.

“I don’t think he’s much of a help, nor does he do much harm--but he does help raise money,” said Kevin Chandler, Wynia’s communications director.

Even so, in her remarks at a fund-raiser that drew about 1,500 people, Wynia made a point of putting some daylight between herself and the President.

While she and Clinton are strongly united in their fervent opposition to Washington gridlock, “there are issues on which he and I will not always agree,” she said.

Minnesota’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, John Marty, skipped Clinton’s appearance at a $1,000-a-plate luncheon, saying it conflicted with his principle of avoiding big-money contributions.

Wheat, the candidate for retiring Missouri Sen. John C. Danforth’s seat, also insisted on some distance. “I hope people understand that members of Congress are not robots. We do not blindly do what the President says.”

Wheat, who has the strong backing from organized labor in Missouri, split with Clinton last fall on the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Wheat has several good reasons to invite a President who makes some Democrats uneasy. With little name recognition, he is trailing far behind his rival, former Gov. John Ashcroft, and needs the attention and money a presidential visit can generate.

In his stump speeches, Clinton focused on progress he has made in 20 months in office. He mostly cited economic issues, saying 4.3 million jobs have been created, $250 billion is being cut from the federal deficit and taxes have been cut for 15 million working families while only the wealthiest 1.2% is paying higher income taxes.

In a speech in Kansas City, Clinton turned up his denunciation of Republicans as a party of politicians who denounce government but won’t give up their jobs, and who prefer obstruction to looking for solutions to the country’s problems.

“They have peddled fear and division and diversion, with unconscionable distortion, for so long that they feel no guilt whatever in whatever they say,” Clinton said.