Amost all eyes on Hil as Clintons wow 'em

BY HELEN KENNEDY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
New York Daily News

BUFFALO - More than 250 reporters are covering the Democratic Party's state convention, with correspondents flying in from Japan, Pakistan, India and Germany to chronicle Sen. Hillary Clinton's renomination.
But when Clinton's challenger held a news conference yesterday, one lone TV camera showed up to document the moment, along with just a half-dozen scribes.

Anti-war activist Jonathan Tasini, who is trying to force Clinton to debate her support for the Iraq war, only had four supporters with him as he stood outside a convention hall where he is worse than unwelcome - he's ignored.

"As a Democrat, it makes me feel sad," he said. "How are we different from Republicans if we're going to squelch debate?"

Late last night, Tasini was engaged in furious eleventh-hour deal making, offering to abandon his attempt to get his nomination to the floor in exchange for an early morning vote on a resolution calling for the withdrawal of troops.

But state Democratic Chairman Denny Farrell was set on blocking Tasini, and Clinton forces came down hard on anyone backing his nomination.

Meanwhile, Clinton arrives this morning, along with her husband, daughter and mother. "Eliot who? The Clintons are coming to town," read the page one banner in the Buffalo News.

Clinton will host a breakfast and then accept her renomination,formally launching her reelection campaign.

Even fate served to underscore the point that Clinton already seems larger than her office. Yesterday, Clinton was attending the funeral of former Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen in Houston with former Presidents, secretaries of state and Lady Bird Johnson.