Clinton, Cabinet hit the campaign trail

With Election Day now clearly on the horizon, President Clinton is slated to embark on an aggressive, last-minute fundraising and get-out-the-vote blitz designed to secure congressional control of the House and boost the election prospects of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The president is by far the Democrats' most potent fundraising weapon, and Democrats cannot afford for him to be ensconced in the White House while Congress wraps up its business next week. However, several top Clinton administration officials also plan heavy travel on the congressional campaign trail.

Clinton has raised between $90-$100 million this year on behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee, according to internal White House estimates. This does not include millions more he has raked in at events for individual candidates.

Clocking in infrequently at the office in Washington, Clinton will hopscotch the country on a torrid ten days of trolling for dollars set to begin Saturday. But aides insist that, even in his absence, Clinton will be no less effective waging the budget battle with Republicans.

"He has the ability to do business on the road," said one senior adviser. "He can sign bills and do more continuing resolutions," the adviser added. "Last year, we were in Turkey" as Congress wound down, he noted.

However, Clinton aides emphasize that at least some bets could be off if Clinton's White House and travel schedules are altered by turmoil in the Middle East. Clinton was to launch his fundraising tour today in Missouri, but the day's trip was scrapped late Thursday.

And Thursday evening, Clinton worked the phones with foreign leaders and huddled with top advisers and Vice President Gore, canceling in-town fundraisers for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, ranking Judiciary member John Conyers, D-Mich., and Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif.