McCain at Bill Clinton Event
By Katharine Q. Seelye
Former President Bill Clinton is welcoming a galaxy of international stars to the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative later this month, including Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, whom Mr. Clinton has vowed to help Senator Barack Obama defeat in November.
The event, scheduled to run Sept. 23-26 in New York, is nonpolitical and has featured prominent Republicans in the past, including Laura Bush in 2006. Mr. McCain is to deliver the opening remarks; Mr. Obama, the Democratic nominee, is to address the participants by satellite."C.G.I. isn't about politics," said Matt McKenna, a spokesman for Mr. Clinton. "It's about improving lives and solving some of the world's most pressing problems. President Clinton is grateful that both candidates for president are taking time away from the trail to join in that effort."
Mr. Clinton began the initiative in 2005 to bring together influential people to help solve problems in areas like health, energy and poverty around the world. The members have made nearly 1,000 commitments valued at more than $30 billion to provide help in more than 150 countries.
Others scheduled to attend this year include Al Gore, Bono, Lance Armstrong, Barbra Streisand, Muhammad Ali, T. Boone Pickens and Tom Brokaw. Several heads of state are also coming, including Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Gordon Brown of Britain and Silvio Berlusconi of Italy.
BarbraNews.com note: Barbra last attended in 2006.
