Hillary Clinton to raise big bucks in California during Washington's caucus week

Hillary and Bill Clinton have scaled back public events for fundraisers in campaign 2016. But Bill Clinton couldn't resist dropping in on Elliott Bay Books, one of his favorite places, when raising money for the missus on January 8.

less Hillary and Bill Clinton have scaled back public events for fundraisers in campaign 2016. But Bill Clinton couldn't resist dropping in on Elliott Bay Books, one of his favorite places, when raising money for ... more Photo: GRANT HINDSLEY, SEATTLEPI.COM Photo: GRANT HINDSLEY, SEATTLEPI.COM Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Hillary Clinton to raise big bucks in California during Washington's caucus week 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Hillary Clinton will be California-bound next week, doing a succession of big-ticket fundraisers as Washington Democrats get ready to hold their precinct caucuses on March 26.

The ex-Secretary of State does drop in Tuesday for a four- and five-figure money event at the Medina digs of Costco co-founder Jeff Brotman and his wife, Susan. But she'll also jet off to the Bay Area and Southern California to further fill her campaign coffers.

Both the Brotman event, and a Tuesday lunch with ex-first daughter Chelsea Clinton, are closed to press coverage.

The Clinton campaign has yet to announce any public events by the candidate in the Seattle area. Nor has it said whether the candidate will take questions from Washington state media. She took a carefully apportioned five questions before the 2008 caucuses.

The schedule indicates that Clinton's eyes are already on the June 7 California primary, with emphasis on fundraising over public campaigning.

She has a luncheon in Atherton, California, on Wednesday, with tickets starting at $2,700 and rising to $27,000 to become a "co-host."

The tab rises to $50,000 to be a co-host at a "Conversation with Hillary Clinton" later that day in Hillsborough, California. The descending scale does allow for someone labeled a "friend" to get in for $1,000.

It's on to the Southland on Thursday for similar Hillary events in Santa Monica and Los Angeles. The Friday schedule has not been announced.

The Bernie Sanders campaign is drawing contrasts. An email to supporters from campaign manager Jeff Weaver noted that Clinton was raising money in Tennessee while Sanders held a town hall in Arizona, which holds its primary next Tuesday.

She'll be doing a fundraiser in Virginia on Friday while Sanders campaigns in Idaho, Utah and Arizona.

Clinton is taking "checks from high dollar donors who are bundling as much as $27,000," wrote Weaver. Weaver appealed for small donations -- of which Washington state is a leading source -- because Sanders has "no millionaires or billionaires to bundle money."

The Hillary Clinton campaign has a very different flavor from Bill Clinton's campaigns and presidency.

The 42nd president held two day-long issue symposiums in Portland. He used Seattle to host an Asia-Pacific leaders conference. He staged big rallies at the Pike Place Market and a bus tour of Southwest Washington.

And there was the aspect of spontaneity.

Bill Clinton helped push a stuck government van out of the mud by the Columbia River in Cougar. He beamed upon hearing a shouted compliment to the presidential buttocks at a Human Rights Campaign dinner. The Clintons listened as Yelm schoolchildren performed a song keyed to the first lady's book, "It Takes a Village."

That was then. The 2016 Clinton operation is much more opaque and relentlessly money-driven.

Chelsea Clinton has worked (for $600,000 a year) as a special correspondent at NBC News, but disdains the press except for glossy covers of such magazines as Elle.

Bill Clinton has been reined in -- well, almost. He had a closed-door fundraising event in January, but couldn't resist stopping by a favorite Seattle place -- Elliott Bay Books.