Boxer, in Tight Race, Gets First Lady’s Aid

Hillary Rodham Clinton came to California on Friday for the first time since her husband’s public admission of infidelity, stumping for a candidate who has a lot to lose from a presidential scandal: U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Liberal and strongly feminist San Francisco is crazy about the first lady--with more than its share of official Hillary fan clubs--but tends to be smitten with Boxer as well. Well-wishers holding signs expressing love for the first lady and for Boxer pressed against barricades in front of the downtown Hilton Hotel next to pickets with “Impeach Clinton!” signs.

Inside the Grand Ballroom milled a sold-out crowd of 1,100 dinner guests who had paid at least $250 each to “join First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton” in supporting Democrat Boxer in her close match with Republican challenger Matt Fong, California’s treasurer.

The response had been overwhelming. Half the tickets were sold before the invitations ever reached mailboxes, and the event outgrew one giant room and was moved to the largest ballroom.

Even then, dozens had to be turned away.

Bette Landis said she felt lucky to be among those inside. Landis, a member of a San Francisco Hillary Rodham Clinton fan club, described the first lady as “absolutely fabulous,” but quickly added that she supports Boxer too.

Others said they were particularly motivated to come by recent polls showing Boxer in a close race with Fong.

“This race shouldn’t be this close,” said Peter Henschel, a former deputy San Francisco mayor, shaking his head.

Boxer campaign strategists said it was unclear who was the bigger attraction, noting that some of those who RSVPd were repeat guests from one of three pre-primary events featuring the first lady and Boxer.

“The combination is a tremendous draw,” said Boxer campaign manager Rose Kapolczynsky.

The dinner of herbed chicken and polenta was organized weeks before Clinton’s apology to the American public for his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky. And Boxer is by no means shunning the president even now, repeatedly saying she needs the financial infusion from his expected October visit on her behalf.

She plans to attend a private Democratic fund-raiser with the president today in Beverly Hills.

The timing of an appearance with the distaff side of the White House couple could not have been better for Boxer. As the stoic wife, Hillary Clinton is no longer fair political game for Republicans.

Even Fong, who has made campaign hay criticizing Boxer for partisan “hypocrisy” because she remained loyal to President Clinton through the summer, backed far away from any slight to Hillary Clinton.

“We hope the first lady has an enjoyable stay in California,” said Fong spokesman Steve Schmidt. “Matt Fong does not have an issue with the first lady or with the first lady campaigning for Barbara Boxer.”

At a news conference earlier in the week, state Republican Party Chairman Mike Schroeder said: “Hillary hasn’t done anything to disgrace herself.”

Friday’s dinner was the last leg of the first lady’s three-day swing on behalf of Democratic congressional candidates, which began Wednesday in New York. At each stop, she has urged voters to push for Democratic control of Congress to preserve recent gains in areas such as the economy.

The trip was organized around those considered to be in trouble, a camp that includes Boxer, who polls show could lose to Fong if Democratic voter turnout is as low as expected. A recent Los Angeles Times poll also found that Boxer has been hurt by President Clinton’s disclosures.

Although resolute that she does not consider the president a liability, Boxer used her potential loss in a low turnout as a rallying cry for her supporters, saying it is their responsibility to get people out to vote.

“Get your friends out on election day if you have to go pick them up, dress them and take them to the polls!” Boxer said.

At a news conference before the dinner and again during her speech, Boxer bemoaned how difficult it is to get her message out because of the intense news coverage of the president’s troubles. Hillary Clinton alluded to the same phenomenon, saying, “It is hard to get through the blizzard of stuff that’s out there in the atmosphere.” It was her only mention of the situation.

The first lady’s message Friday was not to let conservative Fong move the country backward from what she called the Democrats’ gains on the environment, education and health care reform.

“The progress that has been made is threatened if the Republicans are successful in preventing Barbara Boxer from continuing her work,” Clinton said, adding later that Boxer is “not anybody’s puppet.”

Northern California has become a more frequent stop for the first lady since her daughter, Chelsea, enrolled at Stanford University in 1996. And Boxer is related by marriage to the first lady, whose brother is married to Boxer’s daughter. She attended Friday’s dinner with her 3-year-old son, Zachary, whom both grandmother Boxer and aunt Clinton mentioned in their speeches.

Combined with her three previous trips for Boxer, the first lady will have raised more than $1 million for the candidate once Friday’s checks are cashed. The Hilton dinner was expected to raise $400,000, but because of campaign finance limits, just half of that will go to Boxer’s campaign; the other half will go to Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts that are likely to benefit her.

As the two women left the podium Friday night to a standing ovation, they paused to strike the campaigning politician’s pose--arms linked and held high in the air--but with a difference: Boxer wrapped one of Clinton’s hands in two of hers, then the two hugged briefly.