Clinton supporters beg him to stay

By Major Garrett/CNN

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The recurring but unwelcome refrain of "Four more years!" has become increasingly common as President Clinton works the fund-raising circuit as election day approaches.

	VIDEO
President Clinton hosts celebrity bash for wife's birthday Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

At almost every party fund-raiser the president has attended in the past month, someone in the crowd shouts, "Four more years!" or "Don't go!" as Clinton whips the party faithful into a partisan lather against Texas Gov. George W. Bush and congressional Republicans.

The president almost always demurs, but Wednesday night he told a star-studded audience in New York that they were "off message" in seeking another Clinton term.

Undeterred, actor Nathan Lane openly asked Clinton what he should do in the upcoming election, making it clear he was uninspired by his choices.

"Who should I vote for, Milli or Vanilli?" Lane asked, making an oblique reference to a flash-in-the-pan rock duo. Clinton's reaction could not be detected by reporters, who witnessed Lane's comments at a star-studded fund-raiser here on the eve of Hillary Rodham Clinton's 53rd birthday.

Another member of the audience shouted plaintively to the president, "Don't go!", reflecting the feelings of some Democrats, who appear less than satisfied with Vice President Al Gore's performance on the stump.

But the evening was not entirely devoted to election year angst. Some lighter moments included actor Robert DeNiro attempting to teach Clinton the New York pronunciation of "Forget about it," which reads and sounds something like "fugeddabowdit." At first, Clinton's diction was a bit too precise. Eventually, the president slurred his vowels together just enough to pass New York muster.

Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz and Cher were also among the celebrities there to celebrate the first lady's birthday.