Selma

Asked whether he had finally killed off the notion that he had trouble connecting with black voters,  read more »

I talked yesterday with U.S. Representative and civil rights icon John Lewis, whose political support has been the prize in a very public tug-of-war between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Assessing their performances in Selma this weekend, Lewis said that both candidates convinced him of their civil rights chops, but, for the moment, neither is getting his endorsement.  read more »

Obama's enthusiastic reception by the largely black audiences this weekend, Lewis said, "tends to demonstrate more than ever before that he can, and did, relate deeply and strongly with the African American community, I think he made it very clear in his message at Brown Chapel A.M.E Church, he said in effect that without the civil rights movement and without the march 42 years ago that he wouldn't be where he is."

Fresh (more or less) from his apperance in Selma this weekend, Barack Obama is swooping down on Clinton turf for a number of New York City fund-raisers, kicking off this evening with an event hosted by Antonio "L.A." Reid, one of the country's most powerful African-American record executives.

Judging by the host committee, the event, which has a "suggested" entrance price of $2300, seems geared toward a combination of prominent black businessmen and young mover-shakers.

Ray McGuire, a prominent Wall Street banker, is part of the host committee, as are fund manager Tracy Maitland and former Motown Records president Andre Harrell.

The list also features a number of prominent baby bundlers, including Jonathan Soros (son of George), James Rubin (son of Robert), Joshua Steiner (colleague of Steve Rattner), Wall Street wunderkind Eric Mindich and former John Kerry fund-raiser Jamie Whitehead.

Obama will be back this Friday for a reception (hosted by many of the same high-rollers) at the Grand Hyatt.

-- Lizzy Ratner

While the coverage of the Clintons this weekend centered around the symbolically crucial visit to Selma, their money machine was busily -- and quietly -- pumping away close to home.

On Saturday evening, Bill Clinton donned his best-supporting husband hat and headlined a Hillary fund-raiser at the Fifth Avenue home of super market magnate John Catsimatidis. Tickets cost $4600 a person (in other words, it required donors to max out their contributions for both the primary and presidential election), and between 50 and 60 big spenders showed up. Contacted by phone, an unusually reticent Catsimatidis refused to talk specifics, but he did confirm that the event took place and that the food was good.

"Yes, we had the President at my home," he said. "How did you find out? Nobody found out."

As for who attended the shoulder-rubbing fest, Mr. Catsimatidis would only say, "We have a broad reach."

He predicted that he'll end up raising more than a million dollars for Hillary 08.

-- Lizzy Ratner

The Daily News says that Barack Obama trumped Hillary Clinton in Selma, while the Times says that they united.

Rudy Giuliani's son, Andrew, told ABC he has "problems" with his father, but that he still might make a great President.

That's after Andrew told the Times that his relationship with his father has suffered and that he doesn't intend to campaign with him.

John Edwards will mail 70,000 campaign videos to people in Iowa.

Hillary's people "exploded" at Eliot Spitzer for being slow to endorse her, according to Fred Dicker.

In an op-ed piece, Eliot Spitzer said the state's health care system is in critical condition.

Spitzer is the target of another round of television ads, this one from the state's major teacher's union.

Al Sharpton is joining in, too.

Mike Bloomberg defended his education reforms during visits to two black churches yesterday.

In an op-ed piece on Sunday, Richard Brodsky said the legislature is doing well, and said, "We won't be steamrolled."

Al D'Amato is lobbying for on-line poker.

Christine Quinn said she'll march in a gay-friendly parade in Dublin.

A photographer honored by Councilman Hiram Monserrate is awaiting extradition from Colombia for child pornography.

NJ Governor Jon Corzine may have given more financial gifts to his ex-girlfriend, the head of a powerful union, than was disclosed earlier.

And Tom Suozzi hired five former campaign workers a year after announcing a hiring freeze for Nassau County.

-- Azi Paybarah

A subplot to all the political theater that will taking place in Selma this weekend is the notion, suggested by at least one of Barack Obama's supporters, that Hillary Clinton latched onto the commemoration of the famous bridge crossing late in the game -- well after it became clear that it could be a watermark campaign appearance for Obama.

Artur Davis, the Alabama Congressman and Obama supporter who will be introducing the Illinois Senator in Selma on Sunday morning, gave me this version of the chronology:

"I invited Senator Obama to come very soon after he announced his exploratory committee, and reiterated the invitation after he made his formal announcement. I made it to him in person and he said this is something I want to do. And then we proceeded to work staff-to-staff, to work out the logistics. So Senator Obama accepted when I first put the request to him and I believe that was right after he announced in early February. So that's Senator Obama's end of it.

"Now, I know we learned through various sources on Sunday night that Senator Clinton was going to be coming. And that was in the press on Monday. So those facts speak for themselves."

(I asked the Clinton campaign how and when the invitation was extended to her and when she accepted. They haven't yet responded.)

Davis, whose district includes Selma, also made a prediction about the apparent shift in black support from Obama to Clinton:

"There has been significant movement towards Barack Obama in the black community, which is exactly what I expected, and it will become even more pronounced. The numbers are 44-33 now. I predict those numbers will be 60-something to 20-something by the summer."

--Jason Horowitz

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