Clinton fund-raisers show Indian-Americans 'clout

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (Reuters) - President Clinton began a two-day California fund-raising swing Saturday with stops in Silicon Valley that highlighted the growing clout of Indian-Americans.

"I hope you'll continue to support the fund-raisers, but I want to see more Indian-Americans in the government, on the boards, on the commissions, coming to us with specific ideas that ought to be broadly spread," Clinton said at a $400,000 Democratic Party fund-raiser hosted by high-tech entrepreneur Vish Akella.

Like Akella, many of the donors at the event were immigrants from India or descendants of immigrants. They have been an important element of the U.S. high-tech industry's growth.

Improved U.S.-Indian relations, cemented with reciprocal visits this year by Clinton and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, have heartened many Indian-Americans.

"Indians have arrived," Akella said in introducing Clinton. Clinton illustrated their rapid rise by citing an exchange in the receiving line at the fund-raiser.

"I met one person who came through the line and said, 'I can't believe it, I've been here one month and I'm meeting the president."'

Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is seeking a U.S Senate seat from New York, have also turned to Indian-American leaders for financial support.

Another Indian-American high-tech executive, Jessie Singh, later hosted a fund-raiser for Democratic congressional candidate Mike Honda.

Honda, a state assemblyman, is seeking an open seat in a race regarded as a key target in the Democrats' campaign to recapture the House of Representatives. The race is expected to cost millions of dollars to run.

"The stakes in this particular race are quite high," Clinton said.

Clinton was to fly to Los Angeles later Saturday for a round of fund-raisers set to take up the rest of the weekend, demonstrating that despite the administration's recent criticism of Hollywood marketing practices, Hollywood's money spigot remains open.

Gore raised $4.2 million at a Beverly Hills fund-raiser Monday. The vice president also was in Silicon Valley this week, raising $3.25 million at an event featuring a performance by singer Elton John. Clinton is to appear at two Democratic fund-raisers Sunday plus a fund-raiser for the League of Conservation Voters. On Monday, he was to travel to New Mexico to deliver a speech on domestic violence and attend a fund-raiser for state political candidates.

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