Posted on 10/29/2006 10:34:39 AM PST by free_at_jsl.com
When America's liberal elite were offered the chance to pay up to $500,000 each (about £260,000) to attend Bill Clinton's 60th birthday extravaganza tonight - with the added promise of a private Rolling Stones concert - a packed house was expected.
Wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea sent out about 10,000 invitations to Hollywood tycoons, movie stars, captains of industry and Wall Street - with all proceeds to go to the former President's charitable foundation.
Those who pledged the top price were promised the 'Birthday Chair Package', with the best seating for the concert as well as a chance to have photographs taken with Mr Clinton during a round of golf and a three-day series of cocktail, brunch and dinner parties.
The minimum price, with inferior concert seats and no brunch, was set at $60,000 (£31,000). But with many rich Democrats sending their regrets, The Mail on Sunday can reveal that last Wednesday the Clintons drastically slashed prices to $12,500 (£6,500) for one reception and the concert, or $5,000 (£2,600) for just the Stones.
With the looming possibility of Bill and his long-suffering wife and daughter finding themselves amid a sea of empty chairs at the 2,900-seat Manhattan venue, tickets then went on sale to the public for as little as $1,710 (£900).
And there is a danger that the Clintons' plans may end in a total fiasco, after the Stones cancelled Friday's show in Atlantic City when Mick Jagger complained of a sore throat and was ordered to rest by a doctor.
The supergroup has flown to New York in preparation for today's concert but an insider said it was too soon to know whether Jagger will be fit enough to perform.
A friend of the Clintons said last night: "It is all highly embarrassing for Bill and Hillary. When they created the idea, they thought it would go like wildfire. What's not going to please some who did come up with $500,000 is finding regular Stones fans there who got last-minute tickets on the internet."
A spokesman for the Stones insisted it was always intended that the public could attend and that some seats were left unsold because director Martin Scorsese is making a film about the band. He said: "Scorsese didn't know where he wanted to put the cameras. It wasn't until that was decided that the unfilled seats could be put on sale."
Mr Clinton's Press spokesman declined to comment.
Why pay to see an ASS****, when you can see him almost nightly on the news?
Meadow Muffin
The uncertainty of the appearance of the Stones is probably enough to blame them for less than a success.
Regards, Ivan
Poor Hill/Billy NOT!
Indeed. Theresa Heinz Kerry types can't stand proles.
I can see when the invitations were opened...a gasp took place along with the rolling of the eyes.
If there are still suckers left who believe the Clintons are what they advertise, more power to the Barnums, er, ah, Clintons.
The 'Birthday Chair Package' ?
hmmmmmmm.. I meannn hmmmm?
It's like burning money but, what the hell, we are talking about a money transfer that validates the "trickle down" phenomenon quite nicely, thankyewverymuch.
And a bunch of retards get to say they rubbed elbows with the First Rapist!
A win-win all around...
Bwhahahah!
Oh my goodness, when I think Hillary has gotten wise to how tacky her behavior was in past years, she goes and pushes the envelope of tacky again. Bless her heart.
Which, I believe, is about 8 bucks more than regular Stones tickets. < /sarcasm>
If the Clinton library doesn't have the blue stained dress in it, what could it contain that could possibly be of any importance at all?
The smoking wreckage in New York, Pentagon and Pennsylvania was testament to the Clinton legacy. That was his museum and contribution to this nation.
Were any interns invited?
And I didn't get an invitation.....
Only former interns.
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