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Hat In Hand, Clinton To Dine With Top Dems

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 10) -- Going table to table with a collection basket would probably be considered bad form, but President Bill Clinton is expected to lean almost as hard on an elite group of Democratic stalwarts at a dinner Wednesday night.

As the party's debts mount more rapidly than previously expected, organizers of tomorrow's pep rally aim to raise the spirits of the group of 40 to 50 party supporters -- raise them so high that they'll commit to either giving or raising $250,000 apiece over the next two years.

The party has been financially crippled by the storm of controversy over its fund-raising practices during the 1996 elections.

The Democratic National Committee has been unable to reduce the debt it owes from the last election cycle. In fact, the party will report that it owes more than $17 million at the end of June, a $3 million increase from the last report in March, party sources told CNN Tuesday.

A letter from Clinton strategist James Carville claims the money woes are forcing Democrats to "slow and even to stop many of our essential operations" -- a notion that party officials admit is a wee overblown.

The party has trimmed back in some areas, such as its training academies to teach campaign skills, but it still seems able to pay its rent.

Reporters will be able to watch Clinton's speech to the group, but not the following strategy session.

"It wouldn't be appropriate for press coverage because they're going to talk about competitive politics and how we intend to go out and win elections in 1998," White House press secretary Mike McCurry told reporters. "We don't intend to tell Republicans how we plan to do that."

Vice President Al Gore, who will also be present at Wednesday's dinner, is expected to take on a larger role in helping the party erase its debt. He has added several DNC fund-raisers to his schedule recently. Aides say more are likely over the summer.