A Star-Studded Bash For Hillary's 60th

(CBS/AP)  Friends, family and supporters celebrated Hillary Rodham Clinton's 60th birthday Thursday night with a star-studded fundraiser that bridged generations.

Comedian Billy Crystal and rockers Elvis Costello and the Wallflowers headlined the event at New York's historic Beacon Theater, which raked in more than $1.5 million for Clinton's presidential bid.

Former President Clinton and daughter Chelsea joined the New York senator onstage to thank supporters, who had donated as much as $2,300 apiece to attend. Hillary Clinton's mother, Dorothy Rodham, and brother, Tony Rodham, looked on from the audience.

Bill Clinton noted that his wife was "still looking, I think, very beautiful" at 60 and said she was in the presidential contest for the right reasons.

"Not so much for the old rockers, but for the new ones. Not so much for today, but for tomorrow," he said.

In her remarks, the former first lady noted the presence of Wallflowers lead singer Jakob Dylan, the son of rock legend Bob Dylan. She seemed to share his story as a metaphor for her own presidential effort - that no matter how much her family connections may have helped propel her candidacy, she ultimately will win or lose on her own.

The Wallflowers, she said, are "a wonderful bridge, because we knew it was a talented group that was making it on its own. But the fact that Jakob Dylan, for many of us, was a connection to his extraordinary father Bob Dylan, made it even sweeter."

It was the second major birthday fundraiser for Clinton's campaign this week. Movie director Rob Reiner threw a party for her at his Los Angeles home Sunday night, with several Hollywood celebrities on hand.

The campaign also has used her birthday as an organizing tool, posting a video message on her campaign Web site by the former president urging supporters to send birthday greetings.

On the eve of her birthday, Clinton also got some good news in the form of a new CBS News poll which shows her with a widening lead in the race for the Democratic nomination.

Among Democratic primary voters, 51 percent voters choose Clinton in a hypothetical three-way contest with Sen. Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards. That's the highest percentage since CBS News started asking the question in the spring and an increase of seven points from September. Twenty-three percent back Sen. Barack Obama, while 13 percent support former Sen. John Edwards. (Read more about the CBS News poll)

"If Senator Clinton feels like celebrating her 60th birthday, who can blame her?" said CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield. "She seems somewhere between uncatchable and untouchable."

It's a milestone birthday for the former first lady, who made her debut on the national stage in her husband's 1992 presidential race. Then, the Clintons were portrayed as a youthful power couple who would bring new energy and a generational shift to the White House - a message Democrat Barack Obama has tried to capture this time.

Clinton has joked publicly about her age in recent campaign appearances.

"I have been reminded by some of my friends that when you get to be my age, having so many men pay attention to you is kind of flattering," Clinton said in Iowa this week, referring to her political rivals.

[gunnerv1]

Why are the Chinese so intrested in the Clintons?

[gunownerdan]

~ THE WHITE HOUSE ~
For sale to the highest bidder.

[jbb333]

Happy Birthday, Senator Clinton!
I am very much looking forward to voting for the first woman President in the history of the United States of America. Keep up the great work!

[jacksteen1]

I join with the many Democratic Party faithful in wishing you a very happy birthday, Senator!

May I also add we look forward to seeing you on the morning of January 21, 2009, just before you take your Oath of Office for the Presidency.

The members of the last Republiscum Party administration to smell up Washington for at least the next 20 years are, of course, incensed that your rise in the polls indicates exactly what they fear most; their days are numbered.

They are trying their best, thru their usual fake polls and planted ''news'' articles on each of the networks'' websites, to make Willard Romney''s membership and leadership role in the mormon cult to be somehow mainstream and acceptable to the Christian majority of our Nation. It is not.

Their lies are at an end.

Let freedom ring!

[usaprophet]

If he is elected President, Dr. Paul''s will work to abolish the Federal Reserve System as well as the IRS, returning return our country to the Gold Standard. And rather than our current, Personal Income Tax, which he views as unconstitutional, because it''s is a direct tax that is not equally apportioned as the Constitution requires. He beleives that if taxes are raised from private citizens, it should be done as the Constitution DOES require, in the form of a National Sales Tax. Under this form of taxation, the rich and powerful cannot avoid taxes through their artfully-crafted tax shelters. Everyone would be taxed EQUALLY. This system would benefit all of us, creating more individual wealth, and allowing us to make more decisions for ourselves about our lives. Dr. Paul will also work to abolish the Federal Reserve, a group of private banks which loans our government money that they print out of thin air, making each dollar in your pocket worth less. The Fed is run by unelected officials who are not required to be accountable to we the people. Worse, our economy and our very independence as a nation is increasingly in the hands of foreign governments such as China and Saudi Arabia, which finance our runaway spending. If we don''t cut spending now, especially overseas military spending, higher taxes and economic disaster will be our future. The guidelines we need for governing taxation and spending is called the Constitution. Ron Paul has ACTUALLY read it! ronpaullibrary.org

[okinup]

Happy birthday Hillary! :)

[speakinup]

"HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY HILARY!! YOU HAVE MY VOTE!! YOU GO GIRL!! Posted by lauren0211

lauren. I saw Hillary last night in a 7-11. There was a wet floor sign, so she did.

[wonder25]

I won''t say one mean word about Hillary. In fact, I use her live voice in 2 of my songs on America''s only politically CONSERVATIVE music CD. I did that so I wouldn''t be accused of spin. Oh, Bill, Kerry and others make an appearance, as well. Its music no liberal wants to hear, and no conservative should be without. Call me a neocon and get it over with...

Take a listen @ www.

conservativemusiconline.com

[lauren0211]

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY HILARY!!
YOU HAVE MY VOTE!! YOU GO GIRL!!

[usaprophet]

I support Ron Paul for President. There is something homespun about Paul, reminiscent of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. He communicates with his constituents through birthday cards, August barbecues and the cookbooks his wife puts together every election season, which mix photos of grandchildren, Gospel passages and neighbors%u2019 recipes for Velveeta cheese fudge and Cherry Coke salad. He is listed in the phone book, and his constituents call him at home. But there is also something cosmopolitan and radical about him; his speeches can bring to mind the World Social Forum or the French international-affairs periodical Le Monde Diplomatique. Ron Paul represents a different Republican Party from the one that Iraq, deficits and corruption have soured the country on. His school of Republicanism, which had its last serious national airing in the Goldwater campaign of 1964, stands for a certain idea of the Constitution the idea that much of the power asserted by modern presidents has been usurped from Congress, and that much of the power asserted by Congress has been usurped from the states. Though Paul acknowledges flaws in both the Constitution (it included slavery) and the Bill of Rights (it doesn%u2019t go far enough), he still thinks a comprehensive array of positions can be drawn from them: against gun control; for the sovereignty of states; and against foreign-policy adventures.