First Lady Interviews Election Strategists

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday interviewed two political operatives at the White House about working to get her elected to the Senate, and the worst-kept secret in Washington and New York became that much more public.

While key advisors to Clinton confirm that she is a breath away from declaring her candidacy for the seat being vacated by Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.), they also say she is purposely being elusive about her final decision, to be certain that she is prepared for the public reaction.

“She’s lining up people who are going to do the nuts and bolts of her campaign,” said an advisor familiar with Tuesday’s meeting at the White House. “It’s significant that she’s looking for the people who are going to do the real work, not just the strategists, but the people who do the nitty-gritty.”

The two potential campaign workers Clinton spoke with Tuesday are both experienced in New York politics: one in fund-raising, the other in grass-roots constituent work.

Clinton is planning within a week to inform Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-N.Y.) of her decision, according to another advisor to the first lady. There was speculation that Clinton, who is scheduled to be in New York City today for a series of events, would meet also with Lowey, who has expressed interest in Moynihan’s seat. But that meeting was put off so that the intense chatter about the Senate race would not overshadow the substance of Clinton’s remarks today when she gives the commencement address at the City University of New York and attends two fund-raising events.

One of her advisors said, “Other than her husband, probably one of the first people she will tell if she’s running--and it sure seems she is--is Mrs. Lowey, out of common courtesy.”

Clinton is not expected to take the next step, the announcement of an exploratory committee, until early July, after she returns from a trip abroad.

But even that is short of a full-blown announcement. She’ll travel June 15 to 30, first through Europe with her husband to the summit of G-8 leaders in Germany. She will then split off for a solo tour through Israel, Jordan and Morocco.

By her return, advisors expect to have a “skeletal list” of people for an exploratory committee.

“Then someday she’ll actually announce she’s running,” said a source. “But by then the world will know it.”