White House team in LV paving way for Clinton’s visit

Tuesday, March 23, 1999 | 11:01 a.m.

A White House advance team was in Las Vegas today planning President Clinton's fund-raising trip here this week as the president dealt with the worsening Kosovo crisis.

There was no word today on whether the crisis would force Clinton to cancel Thursday's visit, which was expected to raise as much as $400,000 for the Democratic National Committee.

But White House spokeswoman Elizabeth Newman said this morning: "At this time, we are planning on coming out."

The White House had not yet released an itinerary for the president's trip, but Secret Service agents from the president's detail were here to work out the logistics of the trip. The visit is expected to take Clinton to both sides of the sprawling metropolitan area.

Political sources here said early plans call for the president to touch down on Air Force One at McCarran International Airport late Thursday afternoon. A motorcade was expected to take him across town to attend a $2,000-a-person cocktail reception for about 70 supporters at the home of Dr. Elias Ghanem near The Lakes.

From there, Clinton's motorcade was expected to travel back across the city to the Green Valley home of Las Vegas Sun Editor Brian Greenspun for a $25,000-a-couple dinner. About a dozen couples were planning to attend.

The president has been Greenspun's guest during previous trips to Las Vegas. Greenspun, a close Clinton friend, has been mulling over a possible Democratic Senate bid in 2000. If he decides to run, he would have to switch parties. He's currently a Republican.

Clinton planned to stay overnight at the Sun editor's home and play some golf Friday morning before heading to Los Angeles for more fund-raising activities. On a previous trip to Las Vegas, Clinton ended up golfing with Greenspun, then-Gov. Bob Miller and former NBA superstar Michael Jordan.

All of the proceeds from this week's Las Vegas events are slated to go to the DNC as it prepares for the crucial 2000 election.

Clinton has been on a fund-raising tear this year while fighting the partisan effort to impeach him. The New York Times reported this week that he has raised $9 million for the Democratic Party since mid-January, compared to $4 million at this time in 1998, an election year.

Democratic Party officials believe the impeachment has energized donors unhappy about the way the president has been treated by the Republican-controlled Congress. Clinton was acquitted Feb. 12 at his impeachment trial in the Senate.