Clinton Breezily Explains How He Weathers a Storm at Fund-Raiser

CHICAGO — President Clinton, raising $500,000 for Democrats Tuesday night, delighted in defying his “enemies” and found a metaphor for his presidency in the Midwestern storm that rocked his elegant dinner.

“This is the way I live every day in Washington,” Clinton joked to about 70 contributors warily watching their outdoor dinner tent sway in the wind gusts.

“Believe me, I found if you just keep standing up, most of the time the tent won’t fall. And if the storm blows over, you won’t melt. Ninety percent of it is just showing up every day. It gratifies your friends and defies your enemies. It’s a good thing to do.”

It was Clinton’s first fund-raising foray since the Paula Corbin Jones sexual harassment lawsuit was dismissed last week.

The dinner, in the ritzy Chicago suburb of Highland Park, nominally benefited the Democratic National Committee’s coffers, but also was meant to give a boost to Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun’s tough reelection campaign.

For $15,000, guests got to share salmon and banana bread pudding with the president. But the ticket price included just a glimpse of Michael Jordan’s front gate.

Dinner host Lou Weisbach lives next door to the Chicago Bulls legend, whose jersey number, 23, is on the gate at the end of his driveway.