CLINTON RALLIES L.A. DEMOCRATS.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

With his term winding down and his legacy at stake, President Clinton returned to Los Angeles, where his popularity remains strong enough that Democratic strategists think he can help Vice President Al Gore and congressional candidates in tight races.

On a whirlwind tour of five events in eight hours, Clinton encouraged a largely African-American crowd at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza to get out the vote. He was introduced by Gov. Gray Davis and music producer Kenny ``Babyface'' Edmonds.

``This is a close election. Every vote counts. There's a clear choice,'' Clinton told the cheering crowd of several thousand supporters.

The choice, he said, was one between continuing the prosperity of the past eight years or choosing a government that will roll back progress made in crime reduction, environmental protection and education reform.

The president later spoke at private receptions in Westwood and Beverly Hills for Democratic congressional candidates Jane Harman, running against incumbent Steve Kuykendall in the South Bay; Gerrie Schipske, challenging Long Beach incumbent Rep. Steve Horn; and Rep. Cal Dooley, whose Fresno seat is being challenged by Republican Rich Rodriguez. He stayed overnight in Los Angeles and was expected to fly early this morning to Oakland.

With less than three months left in his term, Clinton's popularity here was evident by the size of the crowd and the enthusiastic reception.

But several crowd members indicated they were bigger supporters of Clinton than Gore because of his personal charm and his support for the minority community.

``He's the best president we've had in years,'' said Vincent Richardson, 43, a security guard from Crenshaw. ``He did a lot for African-Americans, he stands up for us and everybody.''

The public events in the Crenshaw district and today in Oakland were particularly aimed at African-Americans, who have been stalwart supporters of Clinton and the Democratic Party.

``It's not an issue of having to convert people in the African-American community or any Democratic community to support Al Gore,'' said Eric Bauman, chairman of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. ``It's a question of making certain they go out and actually vote - that nobody gets lazy or buys the media spin that George Bush owns this race.''

Clinton's schedule of events demonstrated the schizophrenic nature of his popularity and effect on the presidential race. While he did speak for three congressional candidates, he avoided the race between Democratic state Sen. Adam Schiff and incumbent Rep. James Rogan, R-Pasadena, who played a leadership role in the effort to impeach the president.

Analysts said that was to avoid dredging up memories of the impeachment battle and to prevent Rogan from gaining a ``David-vs.-Goliath'' sympathy as one congressman getting beaten up by the president of the United States. Some Democrats, however, are confident enough about that race that they say Clinton was not needed there.

Also, at the Gore campaign's urging, Clinton has been generally avoiding the key battleground states, instead allowing the vice president to maintain his own persona.

Lindsey Kozberg, a California spokeswoman for Texas Gov. George W. Bush's campaign, said the president's presence here seems to contradict Gore's attempt to distance himself from Clinton.

``I don't necessarily think there's anything Bill Clinton can do to make California voters more comfortable with Al Gore's vision for bigger government,'' Kozberg said.

And Arnold Steinberg, a GOP opinion pollster based in Calabasas, predicted Clinton's appearance here could hurt Gore nationally because coverage of his visit won't be limited to California.

``I think the lead story tonight is that President Clinton is out campaigning in California,'' Steinberg said. ``If Vice President Gore doesn't want him campaigning in the Midwest, the fact is all those people in the Midwest are going to watch the network news tonight and see President Clinton campaigning for Al Gore.''

But Bauman scoffed at that notion.

``Oh please,'' Bauman said. ``Bill Clinton has a 67 (percent) approval rating in the state of California. He's overwhelmingly popular among Democrats. He's here to energize our base, he's here to raise funds for congressional races that are key to taking back the House of Representatives.''

And Joseph Cerrell, a Los Angeles-based Democratic political consultant, said it's Clinton's personal charm, his ability to work a crowd or a small room, that has allowed him to keep his popularity despite an administration marred by scandal.

Cerrell said he has traveled with every Democratic candidate since Adlai Stevenson, and ``Yes, they've all had their ups and downs, but this guy ranks up there with Jack Kennedy. They fall over him. I watched him in small gatherings - he'll come in where you know the people aren't his kind of people; next thing you know he's charming them.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) President Clinton greets supporters Thursday after campaigning for Democratic candidates in Crenshaw.

(2) President Clinton reaches into the crowd Thursday during a campaign appearance at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer