President Clinton got in plugs for his Senate-candidate wife Hillary from Harlem to Queens yesterday as he went to two public schools to pitch programs to relieve overcrowding and put music back in the classroom.
Clinton quickly grabbed the chance when a man in the crowd at Jamaica’s PS 131 waved a “Hillary” sign – “That’s not a bad idea,” said the president, who also got in a plug for Vice President Gore.
At Harlem’s PS 96, Clinton hailed his wife as a friend of music education as he wowed the kids by showing up with singers Billy Joel and Brian McKnight.
The president is making a lot more public appearances in New York, now that wife Hillary is running for Senate and they have a home in Chappaqua – and he almost always manages to drop the name of his Senate wannabe wife.
The year 2000 isn’t even half over but the president and his giant motorcade have already spent 23 days in the city and suburbs, compared to just 16 for all of 1999, according to White House records.
New York is the president’s “most frequently visited state,” said White House spokesman Jake Siewart.
In Queens, Democratic congressmen, Schools Chancellor Harold Levy and teachers union chief Randi Weingarten – a big Hillary backer – stood by the president’s side as he claimed Republicans are a roadblock to building more schools.
“The [GOP] leadership of the House is trying to keep these good people from having a vote on school construction,” he said at overcrowded PS 131, where 862 kids learn in a school built for 560.
Board of Education lobbyist Steve Allinger pinpointed Mrs. Clinton’s Senate rival, Rep. Rick Lazio (R-L.I.) as one of those who isn’t co-sponsoring the school construction bill that Clinton backs. But Lazio aides note he co-sponsored a different construction bill and will back this one if it comes to the floor.
In fact, most New York Republicans have broken with their leadership, and back earmarking more money for school construction. National GOP leaders say it would create a wasteful bureaucracy and meddle in local affairs.
No Republican elected officials were on hand to hear Levy effusively praise Clinton as a friend of education.