Clinton shows up, big bucks follow

The Democratic party's fundraiser-in-chief, former President William Jefferson Clinton, will show up in downtown Cincinnati mid-afternoon Tuesday to make the dollars rain down on 1st District congressional candidate John Cranley.

The 42nd president is in Columbus today, but scoots down I-71 tomorrow for a fundraising luncheon at the Millenium hotel; and all reports indicate that area Democrats are knocking each other over to get a chance to see their hero in action.

It's an expensive affair, with a quite complicated pecking order:

Those who raise $10,000 for the Cranley campaign get to be "co-chairs" of the event, which means they get in not only for the general luncheon but a VIP reception, and can have their pictures taken with Clinton.

A couple coughing up $4,200 gets to be "co-hosts,'' get to go to the reception and get one photograph with Clinton.

What is the difference between being a "co-chair" and a "co-host"? Apparently, $5,800.

A $1,000 contribution gets you into "priority seating,'' which presumably means up close; $500 buys you "preferred seating" and $250 buys you a ticket to "general seating," which probably means you are real close to the kitchen.

Cranley's opponent, Steve Chabot, has had his own fundraising visits from White House denizens, including Vice President Dick Cheney and First Lady Laura Bush. Today, Chabot pals around with another fellow with an office in the White House, budget director Rob Portman, Chabot's former colleague from the congressional district next door.

It must be a slow day at the White House, because Portman will be spending late Monday afternoon campaigning door-to-door with Chabot on the west side.