Clinton and Vilsack and Money

July 16, 2007 | 9:08 pm

What an amazing set of coincidences happened in recent weeks!

You remember Tom Vilsack, the Democratic former governor of Iowa who mounted a short-lived campaign for president but ended it in February after running up a large debt?

Well, his endorsement and Hawkeye supporters would be valuable to any candidate seeking to win the Iowa caucuses next January. Many candidates sought it. But Hillary Clinton won that endorsement.

And now guess what Federal Election Commission records reveal. Shortly after Vilsack endorsed Sen. Clinton, a whole bunch of donations from Clinton supporters began flooding in to retire Vilsack's debt.

In May and June alone at least 45 Clinton donors contributed $87,000 to Vilsack's account, 60% of the money he raised in the second quarter. Vilsack used the money to pay bills including a $55,000 payment to himself for a personal loan he'd made to his campaign. He still has a debt of $148,000.

A Clinton spokesman denies there was any deal for the endorsement. A Vilsack spokeswoman maintains the endorsement came because she is "the best person to be president."

Times correspondent and campaign finance expert Dan Morain has all the details in his story up on this website and in tomorrow's Times. He's also got new figures on Clinton's overall fundraising.

--Andrew Malcolm