The Right Party

Esprit gets between Clinton and his Calvin.

#167 Ron Burkle, 44, Los Angeles, Calif. Party: D. $132,000 total contributions.

View Burkle’s itemized contributions.

Food 4 Less supermarket mogul Ron Burkle threw the Hollywood political event last September, raising $4 million from a guest list that included Steven Spielberg (#52), Lew R. Wasserman (#18), Rob Reiner (#205), and Sharon Stone. Partygoers enjoyed a show starring the Eagles (with #51 Don Henley), co-host Barbra Streisand (#364), and emcee Tom Hanks (not to mention comic relief by Mother Jones‘ Paula Poundstone).

Bill Clinton was also in attendance, and according to a DNC source, co-host David Geffen (#42) arranged to have close friend Calvin Klein seated next to the president. Esprit co-founder Susie Tompkins (#90) noted the two men together and worried that the president would be photographed next to Klein, whose CK Jeans ad campaign had been lambasted as kiddie porn by conservatives — and both Clintons. Aides swapped the president’s seat, and the first lady wound up sitting next to Klein. No photos or reports of the incident ever surfaced.

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