The Nearly $100 Million Man
A CBS News tally of President Clinton's fund-raising so far this year shows that he has set record numbers for a two-term president during his eighth year in office.
As of Sunday night, Mr. Clinton had attended 185 fund-raising events generating $98,438,000 for the Democrats and their candidates.
Of those totals, 33 events were for the U.S. Senate bid of Hillary Rodham Clinton, generating $6,370,700 for the first lady's campaign in New York.
With more fund-raising scheduled Monday, the president is expected to bring his total number of events this year to 188 - generating $98,823,000 for the Democrats overall and $6,420,700 for his wife's Senate bid.
The first couple campaigned together around the Empire State over the weekend. Calling himself "cheerleader-in-chief," Mr. Clinton raised more than $500,000 for the first lady's campaign on Sunday.
"This is the first time in 26 years they're having an election, and I'm not on the ballot," the president told an audience at a $50-a-head fundraiser at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., where he shared the stage with Mrs. Clinton and their daughter, Chelsea.
"But I care more about this election than any one I've ever been involved in," the president said.
"I care about what happens in the presidential race because everything we worked for is on the line," he added, "and I care about the Senate race because ... I have never known anyone else in public life who has the combination of brains and heart and caring and tenacity and ability to imagine solutions and get people together to get things done than Hillary."
In a day that took him to fund-raising stops in western and northern New York State, the president raised $530,000 for the first lady's campaign coffers. Mrs. Clinton also appeared separately at churches in the New York City area and a Million Mom March in
Westchester County, not far from the First Family's home in suburban Chappaqua.
The first lady's opponent, GOP Congressman Rick Lazio of Long Island, campaigned in Rochester, N.Y., where he criticized Mr. Clinton for traveling on behalf of his wife's candidacy.
"The Middle East burns, and the president is flying around at taxpayer expense to campaign," said Lazio.
Giving a rousing half-hour speech at the Hofstra fundraiser, where he was greeted with cries of "Four more years!" the president spoke at length on what he said is at stake in the election between Vice President Al Gore and Republican Gov. George W. Bush of Texas.
And when Mr. Clinton referred to Gore and his running mate, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, he repeatedly added his wife's name to the ticket.
"If you want to build on the progress of the last eight years, you've got to vote for Al Gore and Joe Lieberman and Hillary," the president said, citing the administration's record on gun control, education, environmental protection and other issues.
"What bothers me aout this election," he said, "is I keep reading that there's all these sort of undecided voters who don't think there's much difference between the two candidates for president or much difference between the two parties and may not show up or may show up and make the wrong decision."
The first lady also emphasized a drive to get out the vote when she spoke at the Hofstra rally. She referred to media reports that said Lazio planned an ad blitz blasting her failed efforts at health care reform early in her husband's administration.
"If that's what he wants to spend his time doing, that's certainly his choice," she said. "But I'm going to talk about what we're going to do in the year 2000, 2001, and 2002."