Elton to play fundraiser for Hillary
British pop legend Sir Elton John has stepped into the political limelight for the second time this year by agreeing to raise funds for Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign for President of the United States.
The multi-millionaire singer-songwriter said in a statement: “I’m not a politician but I believe in the work that Hillary Clinton does.”
Last month Sir Elton and his civil partner David Furnish held a dinner at their London home to introduce potential donors to Brian Paddick, a friend of the couple and the Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of the city.
Sir Elton will play a Hillary fundraising concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 9th.
The battle between former First Lady Clinton and her Senate colleague Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for President continues to be the most closely fought in a generation and the most acrimonious in decades.
The most recent spat was about her influence, or lack of it, over the Northern Ireland peace process.
The claim and counter-claim has no doubt been heightened by the St Patrick’s Day celebrations across America at the weekend.
While there is no doubt that her husband, then-President Bill Clinton, was instrumental in bringing peace to the province in the 1990s, recent claims that Mrs Clinton played a pivotal role have been mocked by the Obama camp.
“In President Clinton’s own book about his work in Northern Ireland, he did not talk about any particular contribution by Hillary Clinton,” Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said on Saturday.
“I helped the peace process in Northern Ireland, which is what I have also said for many years,” Mrs Clinton claimed.
“And that’s been validated in many different settings by many different people who were part of the process.”
Mrs Clinton, 60, has used her time as First Lady to burnish her credentials as a foreign affairs expert, in contrast to her 46-year-old opponent.
Many have questioned how the role of Presidential spouse carries any diplomatic or political duties.
