Happy Birthday, Hillary!
Hillary Clinton celebrates a birthday while raising money for her campaign.
Oct. 25, 2007 — -- Sen. Hillary Clinton will hold a big bash for her 60th birthday tonight, and it is one party that's bound to be more about politics than fun.
"It's hard to avoid a certain birthday when everyone knows about it," she said at one recent public appearance.
Thursday night, Billy Crystal will introduce British rocker Elvis Costello and The Wallflowers to a sold-out crowd at New York's famed Beacon Theater, a real political party.
Call it cashing in on being a baby boomer — tonight, the New York senator will raise more than $1 million for her Democratic presidential campaign.
Movie director Rob Reiner has brought in half a million dollars alone. It's a donation that came complete with his own rendition of "Happy Birthday Mrs. President."
When her husband, Bill Clinton, ran for president in 1992 he was just 45. At 60, Hillary is about the average age for presidential wannabes and right there with millions of boomers.
Sixty, she said the other day, is the new 40.
Bill will be asking people to sign a birthday card and maybe drop a little change too, inquiring, "what's your birthday wish for Hillary?"
And on the eve of this birthday, Hillary will not only stand with him on stage, but she will trumpet the strength of their marriage.
"I think everything Hillary Clinton says is quite calculated … bring up the idea of romance in connection with her husband and look happy and assured about it — goes a long way to reducing some of the suspicions people still hold about 'will we go back into the old soap opera,'" said Gail Sheehy, author of "Hillary's Choice."
In a recent interview with Essence magazine, Hillary said she never doubted her decision to stay in the marriage. She even said that Bill is romantic — buying her impromptu gifts like a wooden giraffe from a shop in Africa this summer.
"In the same way you have to talk about religion when you run, you have to talk about having a wonderful marriage when you aren't even speaking to each other. Is it real? I don't know," said Washington Post reporter Sally Quinn. "But the fact is, it works. And I am not just talking about the Clintons either — it works for every couple that runs for office or politics."
