Clinton hits campaign trail for first lady

EAST NORWALK, Conn. - With the election less than three weeks away, President Clinton opened an intense fund-raising push for his wife's Senate campaign, collecting $75,000 Thursday night in the first of more than a half-dozen events for the first lady over the next seven days.

After a day's work in Washington, the president flew to Westchester County airport near the New York-Connecticut line and drove 35 minutes to a $1,000-a-person dinner. Guests dined on caviar and blini canapes, shrimp, smoked salmon and other delicacies.

The president has made a concerted effort to promote the campaign of his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who faces Republican Rep. Rick Lazio on Nov. 7. In 15 recent appearances, Clinton already has raised about $5 million for the first lady.

The president will pick up the fund-raising baton for her again Saturday morning with a reception in Indianapolis. On Sunday, he will return to New York and speak at six fund-raisers for his wife over two days. The president is to return to Washington Tuesday night and then go back to New York the next day for two more days of campaigning and a birthday celebration for Mrs. Clinton, who turns 53.

The president has campaigned for his wife on a populist theme, saying that drug companies and HMOs ''would like to whip her.'' He told a Miami audience recently that many of them ''think it's their last chance at me.''

Late last month, Lazio's campaign reported he had raised $10.7 million over the previous five weeks and still had $6.1 million on hand as the campaign entered the critical final weeks. Mrs. Clinton reported raising $2.6 million during that time and having $2.5 million in the bank.