Hillary: There is no place like Nebraska

Human Events, Mar 24, 2000 by Gizzi, John

Nebraska holds a unique distinction among the 50 states. According to the Omaha World Herald, it "is the only state that President Clinton has not visited during his seven-year tenure."

And there's little mystery about why Nebraska is what state Republican Chairman Chuck Sigerson calls "the Clinton-free state." Republicans hold all statewide offices except the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey. They also hold all three U.S. house seats. Voters here picked George Bush over Clinton in 1992, and Bob Dole over Clinton in 1996.

So it was a bit of a surprise when Hillary Rodham Clinton dropped into Omaha for about six hours on March 9 to raise money for her New York Senate bid.

At a private $1,000-per-plate dinner at the estate of InfoUSA founder Vin Gupta, the First Enabler emerged with more than $100,000 in Nebraska cash. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who cohosted the event, also accompanied Mrs. Clinton on a shopping spree at his Borsheim's Fine Jewelry and Gifts store. She emerged from the store with three shopping bags, and, according to the World Herald, later told guests at the dinner that she "may have left as many dollars in Omaha as she would take back to New York"

Although Mrs. Clinton ducked reporters and photographers during her Omaha pitstop, the pro-life activists in this particularly pro-life city managed to stage a protest march a block from the fund-raiser. They carried signs saying: "Hillary, your village kills the child."

Sigerson and other state Republicans had their own fun with this unusual visit. "So the queen came to Nebraska and is leaving with cash and goodies," Sigerson told HUMAN EVENTS, "but it's typical Hillary: She just associates with multi-millionaires, never has contact with the common folks, and never throws them any crumbs."

Sigerson added that she might have some explaining to do among Manhattan voters for purchasing jewelry in Omaha and bypassing such famed jewelry stores as Tiffany's, Cartier, and Harry Winston.

More pointedly, Sigerson and other Republicans believe the First Lady's trip to formerly "Clinton-free" Nebraska may contribute to the political undoing of Ben Nelson, the former two-term governor who is the certain Democratic nominee for the Senate seat to be vacated by the popular, Congressional-Medal-ofHonor winning Kerrey. Nelson, who lost a previous Senate bid to Republican Chuck Hagel in 1996, is a close friend of the President, and was the first Nebraska Democrat to endorse Bill Clinton for President. He is now state campaign chairman for Al Gore.

"Hillary's visit is just going to remind Nebraskans of how close their own Democratic Senate candidate is to the Clinton-Gore Administration," said Sigerson. "No matter how much Nelson claims to be above partisanship, he cannot avoid caucusing with Democrats like Kennedy, Daschle, and possibly Hillary Clinton. Does Nebraska want our next senator to caucus with Chuck Hagel or Hillary Clinton-who supports agriculture because she eats?"

Nelson, who was in Washington on the day of Hillary's visit, missed her event and would not comment on it.

The day after she departed, Sigerson and Omaha's Republican Mayor Hal Daub donned Yankee caps to announce that another Senate candidate had accepted their invitation to visit Nebraska: New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Mrs. Clinton's likely Republican opponent.

Giuliani's April 19 event will be very different from Hillary's: It's a $25-a-plate spaghetti and pizza night at the Sons of Italy lodge.