from: CSS-NYS (John Myers)
(Although I do not have much detail at this time, it a good feeling to know at least the subject of school harassment was brought up at a fund raising dinner table with President Clinton...John)

fwd message:
Quad City Times, December 10, 1998
P. O. Box 3828,Davenport,Ia.,52808
(Fax 319-383-2370 ) (E-MAIL: QCTimes@aol.com )

"HELLO, ALAN..." (excerpt)
* What happens when an ex-Quad Citian dines with Clinton and is so thrilled he even takes pictures of the appetizers?

by Bill Wundram

When he woke up on a December morn, Alan L. Light had not the foggiest notion that the next day he would be having supper with President Clinton at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D. C.

There was only one seat left at the table, and a big shot friend of Alan's thought me might enjoy being a guest in the presence of the president.

"I was so excited that it only took me 10 minutes to call back and say yes," says Alan, a long-time resident of the Quad Cities who now lives in Iowa City.

The invite came from a friend, Andrew Tobias. If you're into financial stuff, Andrew is a natinoally known financial author and writer for Parade (Sunday supplement; a few Sundays ago he wrote the cover story on credit cards).

Tobias had organized a fund-raiser for the Democratic National Commitee, where 35 gay and lesbian contributors would have dinner with the president. Each paid $10,000 for the privilege, raising $350,000.

"Andy knows I feel strongly on the isuse of fairness, equality and equal civil rights for the gay community and speak out often on the issue," Light says.

"...I was having major butterflies when it came time for the dinner...Andy introduced me to some people. The first was a name I didn't recognize at all, Steve Grossman. I asked this fellow 'and what do you do?' He said, 'I'm chairman of the Democratic National Commitee."

"I should probably have heard of him, huh?"

"I took a few pictures of the three dozen people there; even a shot of Clinton's smoked salmon appetizer sitting next to name cards. I was to sit four people away from the president. When Clinton came in his hands were sort of swinging at his side, like he was coming in from the golf course. He smiled and said in that southern drawl, 'Hi everybody.'"

"What struck me as I watched him from a few feet away was how big his jaw is. I was seeing him mostly in profile, and that jaw looked just like editorial cartoonists always seem to draw it, jutting out like Jay Leno's."

"Then, the president made his way around the table to meet and shake hands with everyone. He smiled and said, 'Hello, Alan.' He had read my name tag and put out his hand and I shook it. He asked where I was from. I told him Iowa and he smiled."

"The president sat down with us. The main course was filet mignon. Very good. As a fancy ice cream dessert was being served, Andy stood up to say the president would be glad to answer any questions. Iowa (Des Moines) came up in a question about eliminating harassment in the schools."

When the president left he took his time and stopped to visit with anyone who wanted to talk. He had another fund raiser to attend in another of the hotel's ballrooms. Now back home, Light puts it well. "It was an amazing night that I won't soon forget."

[Alan Light is online at LightAlan@aol.com ]

Return to P.E.R.S.O.N. Project Home Page