Birthday surprise amuses, but Clinton refuses

Woman lifting shirt takes the cake

From CNN White House Correspondent Kelly Wallace and Producer Timothy McCaughan

LAKE PLACID, New York (CNN) -- After the first family greeted dozens of Lake Placid, New York, locals and tourists, President Clinton and the Secret Service were taken by surprise when a woman lifted her shirt, after the president signed it, exposing herself in her bra.

Clinton smiled, backed off and turned away as the woman was taking off her shirt.

Local police immediately detained the woman and were questioning her. The White House referred comment to local authorities.

Before the incident, the Clintons dined at a local restaurant to celebrate the president's 54th birthday and called Al and Tipper Gore to wish Tipper a happy birthday. She turned 52 on Saturday.

Following dinner, the first family dropped in on a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Parlor a half mile away.

The president got a scoop of black raspberry and a scoop of Cherry Garcia. The first lady had a scoop of coffee and a scoop of white Russian.

When asked what he wished for on his birthday, he said, "I think you know." He smiled and put his arm around wife Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is running for a U.S. Senate seat in New York state.

VIDEO CNN's Miles O'Brien reports how President Clinton was surprised by a woman who asked him to autograph her shirt (August 20) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

"I wished Hillary would win her race and Al his," Clinton said.

The president said his birthday had been "fabulous," highlighting his "long walk in the mountains." The first lady said it was a "wonderful long walk in the woods" joined by Chelsea and family pet Buddy, who plunged ahead and "broke the trail for us."

Clinton said he still didn't know what gifts his family purchased for him. "I haven't opened anything yet," said the president. "I put off everything till the end. I like that."

The White House said the president talked to friends and received messages from some unspecified world leaders, but that he didn't do any work on his special day.

Clinton still had politics on his mind, however. When asked what he thought about new polls that show Al Gore leaping ahead of his Republican rival, George W. Bush, he said, "He did a fine job at the convention."

The first family dined at the Veranda Restaurant in Lake Placid. The president chose tuna, Mrs. Clinton had the rack of lamb and Chelsea dined on sea bass.