By CARL CAMPANILE and MAGGIE HABERMAN
June 1, 2008
Both Al Gore and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine talked up the need for Democratic Party unity yesterday at a Manhattan fund-raiser that brought together big names from both Barack Obama's and Hillary Rodham Clinton's camp.
"There's no reason that the two political candidates - the best we've seen in our party - can't get together in the next few days or weeks to unite our party to defeat the Republicans in November," the former vice president said at the soiree in a private apartment on Central Park South that raised more than $1.3 million.
When asked if he was backing either candidate, Gore said, "I'll know when I'm ready to endorse."
Corzine, a big Clinton supporter added, "We need to unite the party when the time is right."
In an effort to foster solidarity on a day when the Michigan and Florida delegates were awarded at half-strength after a contentious Democratic National Committee meeting, Corzine said he "cared deeply about individuals in this race," but added, "you have to care more deeply, in the end, about the country."
Orin Kramer and Maureen White, chief fund-raisers for Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton respectively attended the $28,500-a-head dinner.
They were joined by liberal philanthropist George Soros, socialite Patricia Duff, and Dem big and Clinton supporter Robert Zimmerman, as well as about 50 other well-heeled guests.
Additional reporting by Melissa Jane Kronfeld
