Top Clinton fundraiser backs McCain over Obama

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-18 09:49

WASHINGTON -- A top Hillary Rodham Clinton fundraiser threw her support behind Republican John McCain on Wednesday, saying he will lead the country in a centrist fashion and accusing the Democrats of becoming too extreme.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain addresses NASCAR fans on September 14, 2008 in Loudon, New Hampshire. McCain bemoaned recklessness and "corruption" on Wall Street and pledged to end the corporate "greed" that he said had damaged the US economy. [Agencies]

Lynn Forester de Rothschild, who splits her time living in London and New York, said she believes that the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, along with other prominent Democratic officials such as the head of the Democratic National Committee Howard Dean, would take the party "too far to the left."

Clinton spokeswoman Kathleen Strand said in an e-mail that the New York senator disagrees with Rothschild's decision to endorse McCain.

"Senator Clinton has been criss-crossing the country and doing whatever she can to make the very clear case that the Obama-Biden ticket represents the new ideas and positive change we need right now, and the McCain-Palin ticket does not," Strand said in the e-mail.

Rothschild, who's a member of the DNC's Democrats Abroad organization, praised McCain for working with Democrats to pass legislation and for standing up to President George W. Bush on the Iraq war strategy.

Rothschild also disputed Obama's argument that a McCain administration would be an extension of Bush's presidency. Democrats cite McCain's own account of having voted in support of Bush's policies 90 percent of the time.

She said the Arizona senator has broken with Bush to support funding for stem-cell research and to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Rothschild said she was also excited by the prospect of a woman being elected to the vice presidency, even though she and Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin disagree on issues. The Alaska governor opposes abortion except in the case of a threat to the mother's life. Rothschild said she supports abortion rights.

She was one of Clinton's top fundraisers, bringing in more than $100,000 for her presidential campaign. She built a multimillion-dollar telecommunications company before marrying international banker Sir Evelyn de Rothschild.