Clinton Joins Mall Crowd for Gift Shopping Spree

President Clinton joined the ranks of last-minute Christmas shoppers Friday with a two-hour buying spree that included clothing and jewelry purchases made with a credit card.

Accompanied by two young aides and a small army of Secret Service bodyguards, Clinton plunged into a lunchtime shopping crowd at a mall in Washington’s fashionable Georgetown neighborhood and headed straight to a music store.

Using a credit card, he purchased some videos there. Then it was on to a historic memorabilia store, men’s and women’s clothing stores, a jewelry store, a toy store, a toiletries store and finally a curio shop.

While Clinton kept his gift list to himself, it looked as if his wife, Hillary, and daughter, Chelsea, will find some nice presents under the Christmas tree Sunday.

One of his purchases was a woven woman’s vest that he found in a store specializing in accessories with a Latin American flavor. Reporters trailing after him also saw him buy a book and some jewelry.

During Clinton’s whirlwind gift-buying excursion, fellow shoppers cheered and shouted: “Merry Christmas, Bill!” and got presidential smiles and waves in return.

While the President was shopping in Georgetown, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea were hunting for gifts across the Potomac River in Alexandria, Va.

A White House spokeswoman said they spent three hours canvassing stores in Alexandria’s historic Old Town district, and completed their Christmas shopping.

The Clintons plan to spend Christmas at the White House with family members.