Clintons Stop In Idaho Falls Party’s ‘Worker Bees’ Get To Meet First Family

About 50 Idaho Democrats got a chance to meet with President Clinton and his family, and party officials say they tried to give rank-and-file workers a chance to visit with the Clintons.

The half-hour event Thursday morning at the Idaho Falls Airport was a hastily arranged session. Cathy Fuller, party executive director, said since the Clintons have been vacationing in Wyoming, they wanted a chance to meet with him.

It wasn’t approved by the White House until Wednesday, setting off a scramble to get on the invitation list. “Once the word gets out, there’s a lot of people who’d like to meet him,” she said.

Fuller said party leaders decided it would be a good opportunity to give workers and volunteers a chance to meet the Clintons. She said “worker bees and contributors - those kind of folks” were among those invited.

On hand to greet the president besides Fuller were former Congressman Richard Stallings; Edith Stanger, former Bonneville County commissioner who ran for secretary of state last year and Brent Bell, Madison County Democratic chairman.

“I really feel privileged and excited to be invited from this part of the state to meet with him,” Bell said.

“This president hasn’t written off Idaho, the most Republican state in the Union,” said Fred Hoopes, chairman of Bonneville County Democrats.

Eight Air Force Special Police officers from Hill Air Force Base in Utah were detailed to Idaho Falls to help guard Air Force One and its backup plane.

The president left in Air Force One for Hawaii and an event commemorating the end of World War II.