December 12–19, 1996

hit and run

Clinton's The Man

The deluge which soaked last Saturday's Army/Navy football tilt (Dec. 7) was one thing. The splash President Bill Clinton made with Middies and Cadets at the 97th annual battle was another. The "very, very private" pre-game bite Clinton had with a handful of city Democratic leaders, however, may have topped both.

Carol Ann Campbell, secretary of the Democratic City Committee (DCC), reports that 20 party officials and standard bearers joined the president for 30 minutes inside an umpire's room at the Vet. Campbell reports Mayor Ed Rendell provided the breakfast spread, while the politicos chipped in with good cheer, best wishes and loads of admiration.

Clinton, adds Campbell, savored the attention.

"The president exuded warmth and love," says Campbell. "He's such a down to earth, sweet man."

Bob Brady, the DCC's chairman, notes the "laid-back" session gave many of Philly's strongest Clinton backers some private time to relish the president's re-election. By all accounts, Clinton, who Brady says was not pompous "at all," truly enjoyed the pow-wow.

Philadelphia Congressmen Bob Borski, Chaka Fattah and Tom Foglietta all traveled from Washington to make the scene as did outgoing Housing and Urban Development secretary Henry Cisneros. Others in attendance included David Cohen, Rendell's chief of staff, City Councilman Michael Nutter, plus prominent Democratic fundraisers Tom Leonard and Ken Jarin.

— Scott Farmelant