Clinton’s visit helps Cantwell

By Rebecca Cook

Associated Press

SEATTLE – President Clinton repaid Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell for her loyalty in Congress by headlining a fund-raiser Monday, raising more than $300,000 to help Cantwell pay off her campaign debt.

It was Clinton’s first fund-raising appearance for an individual politician since he left office. Cantwell lost her U.S. House seat in 1994 after voting for Clinton’s budget, which passed the House by only one vote.

“I want to pay a debt to someone who, when it came time to stand up for America’s future, even at the cost of her own career, did it,” Clinton said. He spoke to about 1,400 starry-eyed Democrats, some of whom watched video screens in an overflow room.

In 2000, Cantwell spent $14 million, much of it her own money, to defeat incumbent Republican Slade Gorton and win a Senate seat. But her high-tech fortune suffered when the stock market dropped, and now she’s working overtime to pay off $4 million in loans.

Cantwell supported a campaign finance bill banning soft money that passed in the Senate last year but was derailed in the House. Clinton praised her stand, making the unusual argument that campaign finance reform would make Congress members less tired, and more effective, because they wouldn’t have to fly around the country raising money constantly. Cantwell, for instance, planned to take a redeye flight Monday night to return to the Capitol for a hearing on Enron.

“I’m telling you, half the members of Congress, of both parties, are sleep-deprived,” Clinton said. “We are wearing these people out.”

Cantwell made a point of not accepting political action committee money and soft money from parties during her campaign, pledging she would not be bought by special interests. Soft money donations are unregulated, unlimited contributions made to political parties. The last time Clinton visited Seattle to raise money, during the 2000 campaign, Cantwell didn’t accept the money because she wasn’t taking party cash.

Since taking office she’s enjoyed two Clinton fund-raisers: Monday’s event, and a party at Sen. Hillary Clinton’s Washington, D.C., home. During the first half of 2001 she also took more money from lobbyists – $50,000 – than any other Congress member, according to a review by the Center for Responsive Politics.

“She got elected on a lie,” complained state Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance, who said Cantwell falsely promised voters that her wealth meant she wouldn’t have to spend her time raising money while in Congress.

State GOP chairman Chris Vance today announced the creation of a new Web site, www.cantwellscash.com. Vance said the site is designed to inform the public about Cantwell’s broken campaign promises.

Cantwell said her time spent fund-raising hasn’t stopped her from tackling tough issues. Cantwell spokesman Jed Lewison said the senator is keeping her promise to voters.

“She is one of the most independent senators,” Lewison said. “She only accepts contributions from individuals, so you know exactly where the money came from … the buck stops with her.”

People paid $125 and $250 for tickets to the luncheon, and some paid $1,000 for a special reception with Clinton and Cantwell. Despite Clinton’s scandal-plagued administration, both the crowd at the fund-raiser and the surprised shoppers who met Clinton strolling through Pike Place Market after the speech reacted to him with near-unanimous glee.

“He’s fantastic. I support him every inch of the way,” said Mary Tevaarwerk, a tourist from Wisconsin who shook Clinton’s hand at the market. “He’s staying out of the spotlight to give Bush a chance, but I wish he was still in.”

Clinton resisted the temptation to criticize President Bush. “I’m not president anymore,” he said.

He said that while Democrats and Republicans should stand together on national security matters, Democrats should not hesitate to disagree publicly with Republicans on other policy matters.

“I think being candid is the best policy,” Clinton said.

He said the United States should try to prevent future terrorism by working to reduce poverty, fight disease and support education in poor countries. Specifically, he urged debt forgiveness for poor countries and said the United States should give more money to an international fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

“We must build a world with more partners and fewer terrorists,” he said. “Compared to going to war, it’s cheap.”

Clinton is traveling to California this week to raise money for Gov. Gray Davis and Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Gov. Gary Locke introduced Cantwell and Clinton at the luncheon. After delivering his prepared remarks he was forced to stall for time, and mentioned that he and his wife read and sing nightly to their two children – at the crowd’s urging, he then sang a verse of “Frere Jacques.”