Vets fault Clinton for fundraiser Campaign - Some Oregon Democrats criticize the N.Y. senator's trip, in part for her support for the Iraq war Thursday, January 26, 2006 JEFF MAPES The Oregonian Not all Democratic activists are pleased that Sen. Hillary Clinton is coming to Portland Friday night to raise money for her re-election campaign in New York. Several Oregon veterans who worked for John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004 -- including Jim Rassmann, who says Kerry saved his life in Vietnam -- issued a letter denouncing the former first lady's support for the Iraq war and accusing her of sucking up money that could go to local Democratic candidates. "As Oregon veterans and members of military families," the letter says, "we are concerned with your fundraising trip to Oregon on two counts: your strong support for the immoral war in Iraq and your plan to take Oregon donations that are needed elsewhere." Oregon Democratic Chairman Jim Edmunson said the state party tried without success to arrange a joint fundraiser that would benefit both Clinton and Oregon Democratic candidates. The veterans "do make a good point," said Edmunson, adding that the event will indeed attract money that could go to local candidates. Clinton's re-election campaign declined to respond to the letter. Ann Lewis, the campaign's communications director, did say that staffers would arrange to "accept any letter people want to get to her." Her campaign also noted that Clinton, who may run for president in 2008, has been one of the nation's biggest fundraisers for other Democratic candidates. Local Democratic officials say Democrats have expressed strong interest in attending Clinton's Friday event at the Portland Hilton. Tickets are $50 a person and $1,000 for those attending a smaller reception where they can have their picture taken with the senator. However, strong anti-war fervor among Oregon Democrats has led to some grumbling about Clinton's visit. All of the state's Democratic members of Congress voted against authorizing President Bush to invade Iraq, and frequent anti-war demonstrations have occurred here. Vietnam veteran John Calhoun, a Portland Democrat who gathered signatures from 31 fellow veterans and one mother of a veteran for the letter to Clinton, said many grass-roots Democrats think the New York senator has not really distanced herself from her initial support of the war. "I think this letter has a lot to do with the tremendous frustration about what is happening in Iraq . . . and the fact that many people in the Democratic leadership, including Sen. Clinton, have not been notably outspoken about what is going on there," said Calhoun. He also said that Clinton doesn't need the money from Oregon for her re-election campaign, which had nearly $14 million in the bank at last report and no strong opponent. Clinton has criticized Bush's handling of the war and said Congress would not have authorized force "based on what we now know." But she has not joined such prominent Democrats as Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., in calling for an early withdrawal of troops. Calhoun and Rassmann, who lives in Florence, were strong Kerry supporters in 2004, even before he won the Democratic nomination. Calhoun said the letter was not aimed at helping Kerry, who has said he may run again in 2008. Jeff Mapes: 503-221-8209; jeffmapes@news.oregonian.com http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1138247703...