Clinton cashes in from A-list

Clinton's $25.8M in record-breaking fundraising comes from a list of nation's wealthy and famous

BY GLENN THRUSH
glenn.thrush@newsday.com


WASHINGTON - Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart famously defined pornography this way: "I know it when I see it."

Four decades later, Hillary Rodham Clinton has issued a concurrent opinion of sorts in the pages of her massive first-quarter campaign finance filing.


Clinton, an outspoken feminist who recently slammed Don Imus for degrading the Rutgers University's women's basketball team, has accepted $2,300 from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.

Less than two years ago, Clinton's Senate campaign rejected a $1,000 donation from Hustler honcho Larry Flynt, whose empire has a decidedly more hardcore edge.

A spokesman wouldn't explain why the candidate believed Flynt's money was dirty and Hefner's was clean.

The Hefner contribution, made on March 28, is one of 60,000 donations logged in Clinton's record-breaking $25.8 million first-quarter fundraising haul filed with the Federal Election Commission on Sunday.

Donations above $100 or more occupy more than 16,000 lines on a spreadsheet, charting Clinton's unique connections with the famous, the rich, the powerful and even her venerable political enemy, Rudolph Giuliani.

"Sopranos" producer Brad Grey, a longtime Giuliani pal acting as a West Coast fundraiser for the former mayor, hedged his bets with Clinton, slipping her $4,600, the records show.

In addition, two top City Hall advisers to Giuliani known for their anti-terrorism and disaster preparedness expertise are supporting the former first lady.

Former city health commissioner Margaret Hamburg, now a scientist with a group that wants to halt nuclear proliferation, gave Clinton the maximum of $4,600. Jerome Hauer, Giuliani's emergency management chief, gave Clinton $2,000.

The former first lady didn't have similar luck with Giuliani's City Hall predecessor David Dinkins. He gave Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd $1,000.

Clinton, who has battled Sen. Barack Obama for the hearts and dollars of the entertainment industry, scored her share of star cash, including Motown founder Berry Gordy ($4,600), Chevy Chase ($4,600), musician-producer Quincy Jones ($4,600), hockey great Mario Lemieux ($2,300), Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning ($2,300), Eagles drummer Don Henley ($2,300) and singer Barry Manilow ($2,300).

Then there are the moguls, including billionaire Warren Buffett ($4,600), Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen ($4,600), News Corp. executive Gary Ginsberg ($4,600), Warner Music boss Edgar Bronfman Jr. ($4,200), who recently held a fundraiser for Obama, and Internet pioneer and Google vice president Vinton Cerf ($4,200).

Ivan Boesky, the once-jailed financier who was a model for Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street," gave Clinton $2,000.

Michael Douglas, who played Gekko, gave her $4,600.

Billy Jean King Backs Hillary Clinton for President

Tennis Legend King Backs Clinton

Billie Jean King, famous for her 1973 victory over Bobby Riggs in the legendary "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match-up, has endorsed Hillary Clinton to be the next president. The endorsement came as part of a "Day of Women's Outreach" organized by the Clinton campaign.

"As a young woman, mother, advocate, First Lady and Senator she has continually shown us she is passionate about improving family issues, healthcare, equal pay and the challenges that people all across this nation face on a daily basis,” King said. “Hillary and I both believe strongly in equal rights and opportunities for all people. She is a winner and I am standing beside her because she has the vision, the drive and the knowledge to lead this country.”

Erin Brockovich Endorses Hillary Clinton

Erin Brockovich endorses Hillary Clinton

She also was pretty clear on how she feels about the upcoming Presidential elections. “I think our country is ready for a change,” she said. “I think Hillary Clinton is a worthy opponent and very capable of winning the Democratic nomination. She would be the person that I am going to vote for.” What?! Someone not under the Obama spell? Shocking.

Timberland Supporting Hillary

In his most innovative collaboration yet, Timbaland is teaming up with Hillary Rodham Clinton to host a $1,000-a-head benefit for the presidential hopeful. The fundraiser, which will be held on March 31st in Miami, was reported by The Miami Herald. The Timba-approved event is a big win for Clinton, who lost out on some Hollywood backing to Barack Obama, in terms of garnering the youth vote. In addition to the acclaimed rapper-producer, Clinton's husband will lend some star power to the event.

Merle Haggard Planning on Writing a Song for Hillary

Haggard is also getting attention for a song he`s not even recorded - "Hillary," an ode to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in which he declares, that "This country needs to be honest/This country needs to be large/Something like a big switch of gender/Let`s put a woman in charge."

"I`m just reacting to the news," explains Haggard, adding that the Clinton campaign camp has been in touch with his representatives. "Never before in history has there ever been a woman anyone seriously thought to be a possible candidate for president. A couple women in the past had that in mind but never had a chance to in."

"(The song) hasn`t got past the studio yet. I recorded it and nobody`s heard it, but they`re talking about it all over the country. It`s got me thinking it might be worth putting out there."