Clinton’s fund-raising talk excites attendees

By David Skolnick | March 12, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

The Canfield event raised more than $100,000.

CANFIELD — Former President Clinton engaged a crowd of about 100 to 150 people — most of whom paid between $1,000 and $2,300 each — with reasons why they should support his wife’s presidential bid.

Clinton spoke Tuesday for about 90 minutes at the Canfield house of local businessman Bruce Zoldan.

“If the Secret Service had not asked for a last question, he’d have been here for another two hours,” Zoldan said.

Those in attendance asked Clinton a variety of questions on issues such as the war in Iraq, terrorism, global warming and stem-cell research.

“He gave in-depth answers to all the questions,” Zoldan said. “It was an unbelievable event; very memorable. All who were here were enormously impressed with President Clinton.”

The event was expected to raise $100,000 for U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., who won last week’s Ohio primary by 10 percentage points over U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

Though Zoldan didn’t count the cash, he said the amount raised surpassed the $100,000 goal.

Harry Meshel of Youngstown, Mahoning County coordinator of Clinton’s presidential campaign and a former Ohio Senate president, said the candidate’s husband did “a terrific job explaining why Hillary should be president.”

Clinton didn’t take the time to eat at the event, Meshel said, so a doggie-bag with lamb, shrimp, mushrooms and other foods was packed for him.

As for the length of time Clinton spoke, Meshel joked that “those who sat down really enjoyed it. Those of us who were standing got a muscle pull. He was very generous with his time.”

Middleweight boxing champion Kelly Pavlik of Youngstown gave Clinton a pair of autographed boxing gloves. He gave a pair to Clinton’s wife when she campaigned in the area.

“I thought it was pretty neat,” Pavlik said of Tuesday’s event. “It was a pleasure to meet him. He talked about her policies and why he thinks she’s going to win.”

Zoldan said the ex-president was very complimentary of Obama as well as U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican presidential nominee, and President Bush.

This was Clinton’s first visit to the Valley since 1996 when he campaigned during his successful re-election bid.

Clinton’s wife visited the area three times leading up to last week’s primary. But her husband campaigned elsewhere in Ohio.

“He said he’d be back,” Zoldan said of Clinton.

Clinton didn’t speak to reporters camped outside Zoldan’s 11,871-square-foot house at the end of a cul-de-sac.

Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains, a Boardman Democrat, first met Clinton during the then-president’s visit to the Valley in 1996.

Six months later, Gains was shot in a failed Mafia hit.

“I told him that I don’t want to have a repeat of that,” Gains quipped.

Gains said he was extremely impressed with Clinton. “He was as charismatic as he ever was,” the prosecutor said.

Clinton spent the early part of Tuesday campaigning in western Pennsylvania for his wife. He’s to appear today in Erie and Johnstown.

The next big-state Democratic primary is Pennsylvania on April 22.

skolnick@vindy.com