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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

White House Fetes Happy Almost Birthday

Sandra Sobieraj Associated Press

For all the times they’ve jogged along too early in the morning and helped him cheat at golf, President Clinton’s military aides and Secret Service agents took gentle revenge Friday at an early celebration of the boss’s birthday.

About 1,000 Clintonites - from Cabinet secretaries to mail room clerks - crowded the South Lawn to sing “Happy Birthday,” eat cake and poke fun at the president’s recent knee injury.

What does a dutiful aide respond when Clinton yells from the fairway to ask which golf ball is his? “The ball closest to the hole, sir!” his cadre of military aides shouted in unison.

His Secret Service detail debuted a “jog pod” for maximum protection while running - a mobile pup tent surrounded by armed counter-assault agents garbed in black.

Clinton, who turns 51 Tuesday, said he appreciated the roasting and didn’t know how to return the gesture. Pausing, he turned to the military aides and cracked: “But you guys won’t be generals.”

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Education Secretary Richard Riley and Donna Shalala, secretary of Health and Human Services, were among the bigwigs who joined the celebration with first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Daughter Chelsea Clinton dropped by, said White House spokesman Joe Lockhart, who described the revelry to uninvited reporters.

Clinton was treated to an early birthday because the family will be privately vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard starting next week.

The president is hoping to get in some crabbing, too, but if he’s serious about escaping Washington, he’ll mostly want to leave the radio off.

Republican Steve Forbes has bought air time on Martha’s Vineyard next week for radio ads knocking Clinton. Forbes, who’s eyeing another presidential run, accuses Clinton and Congress of doing nothing to stop initiatives in Washington, D.C., and Washington state that would legalize marijuana for medical use.