HILL IN 9/11 'SHOP' CHOP AT W.

Source: http://www.nypost.com/seven/03192007/news/regionalnews/hill_in_9_11_shop_chop_at_w__regionalnews_stephanie_gaskell__post_c...

HILL IN 9/11 'SHOP' CHOP AT W.

By STEPHANIE GASKELL, Post Correspondent

March 19, 2007 -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton last night used a celeb-studded Midtown fund-raiser to blast President Bush for telling New Yorkers to "go shopping" after 9/11.

Clinton, introduced at the event by ex-prez hubby Bill, said Bush should have played a bigger role as the nation - and New York, in particular - struggled to heal.

"What were we asked to do? Go shopping," she said. "I think America is ready to be asked to do something besides 'go shopping.'

"We are still waiting to be asked to play a part."

At a news conference a day after the terrorist attacks, Bush declared, "We cannot let the terrorists achieve the objective of frightening our nation to the point where we don't conduct business, where people don't shop."

Clinton raised more than $1 million last night at the Sheraton New York Hotel where participants included Ron Howard, Chevy Chase and Ron Perelman.

She spoke for about 30 minutes, vowing, if elected, to "reach out to the rest of the world" to "regain America's standing."

The candidate wants her army of deep-pocketed supporters to help her keep bringing in campaign cash before the Federal Election Commission deadline at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, mystery continues to surround the "Hillary 1984" political ad circulating the Internet, in which Sen. Clinton is portrayed as a Big Brother lecturing to a sea of drones in a remix of Ridley Scott's groundbreaking 1984 spot for Apple Inc.

In the video, the Apple logo is an "O" and morphs into BarackObama.com.

A spokesman for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has denied any connection to the ad.