Bill Clinton Raising Money in Ohio

INDIAN HILL - Former President Bill Clinton made Cincinnati one of the first campaign stops Wednesday in his bid to help his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, follow him into the White House.

The former president mingled for well over two hours Wednesday evening at a $2,300-per-ticket party at the home of an old friend - class action lawyer Stan Chesley, who, in the 1990s, raised millions for Clinton and the Democratic Party.

The event raised about $400,000 for Sen. Clinton's campaign to win the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

"It was a fantastic event; and he stayed a lot longer than anybody expected," Chesley said afterwards.

Chesley said he will follow up later this year with a fundraising event featuring Sen. Clinton.

After mingling with the guests and posing for many photographs, the former president spoke for more than half an hour to the nearly 100 guests who had crowded into the "hearth room" of Chesley's Indian Hill home.

While President Clinton was a frequent guest at Chesley's former home in Amberley Village, this was the first time he had visited since Chesley and his wife, U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott, moved to Indian Hill. Clinton noted the change of address.

"Stan, this is the first time I've been in your new house; and I've got to tell you, your house makes the White House look like public housing," Clinton told Chesley.

Dlott could not stay in the house while the fundraiser was going on because federal judges are barred from participating in partisan political events.

The crowd was a mix of Chesley's fellow trial lawyers and a grab-bag of local Democratic politicians. One prominent Republican was in attendance - former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro, who recently joined Chesley's law firm.

After a 4:30 p.m. arrival at Lunken Airport, the former president spoke privately in the airport's administration building with Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, who said he discussed with Clinton the challenges facing the city.

Mallory said he talked to Clinton about efforts to improve race relations, youth violence, economic opportunity - "all issues that the president has had a lot of experience in dealing with." Mallory made it clear he is not ready to endorse any candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.