DEMOCRATS CLOSING RANKS WITH CLINTON.

Byline: Rick Orlov and Jesse Hiestand Daily News Staff Writers

Phone calls to San Fernando Valley area members of Congress are showing a swing toward President Clinton since broadcast of his taped grand jury testimony and Democrats have turned upbeat about his fund-raising visit to California that will start Friday.

With the boost for Clinton, Lt. Gov. Gray Davis, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, has decided to join the president at fund-rasing efforts after all. And Republican Gov. Pete Wilson said Wednesday that he believes the GOP should spare the country further turmoil by finding a punishment short of impeachment.

Republican and Democratic congressional offices in the area reported Wednesday that the public attitude toward the president has changed noticeably since Monday's broadcast of his four hours of testimony.

The office of Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard, a House Judiciary Committee member, received about 1,000 calls at his district office in Oxnard from people weighing in on the president last week - about 700 favoring impeachment and about 300 opposed - but since Monday those two sides are in a dead heat, said administrative assistant Joel Kassiday.

Added David Foy, a spokesman for Rep. Howard ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, whose district includes the north San Fernando Valley: ``People who want him out are very adamant'' but have dropped from 87 percent of callers last week to about 65 percent this week.

On the Democratic side, Tom Waldman, press secretary to Rep. Howard L. Berman, D-Mission Hills, also a member of the House Judiciary Committee, which is reviewing material from Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, said there has been a backlash against Republican tactics.

``The majority (of callers) are not pleased with the release of the videotape,'' he said.``The general tone was that this was taking things too far, that it was an effort to get the president and was beyond the scope of the charges and more of a personal attack.''

Confidence rising

Those trends, as well as public opinion polling, are giving Democrats more confidence that the president and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's fund-raising events in the state Friday and Saturday will help the party's candidates in November and spur a higher Democratic voter turnout.

Clinton has been popular in California - he was the first Democrat since President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 to carry the state - and he is going to two past bastions of support in the Silicon Valley and Los Angeles.

``What I'm hearing is, What's the fuss?'' said Rick Reidy, an investment banker and former Democratic Party official. ``It seems to be much ado about nothing.

``Of course, California is a lot further removed from the Beltway, both geographically and psychologically in terms of lifestyle. The fact he committed adultery is not quite as shocking out here.''

Reidy said he believed the videotape of the president's testimony will help Clinton.

``It gave him a short boost, but in the long run it helps because there was not one question about Whitewater, Filegate or Travelgate. It was all about sex.''

Republican consultant Dan Schnur said he believes the swing for Clinton will be short-lived.

``It is a measure of how far this president has fallen . . . the fact there are no new embarrassments is a cause for celebration,'' Schnur said. ``What's more telling is the fact he is keeping such a low profile this trip. Normally, the president brings not only money, but attention. This trip, he's doing a lot more privately.''

All three fund-raisers he is attending - Friday in Silicon Valley and Saturday in San Diego and Los Angeles - are private.

The Los Angeles event has a price tag of $5,000 a person, with proceeds going to the Democratic National Committee. It is being held at the Westside home of Haim Saban of Saban Entertainment Co., which produces the ``Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.''

Helping Boxer

Hillary Clinton, in contrast, is going to be highly visible at an open event for Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is running for re-election Nov. 3 in a close race against Republican state Treasurer Matt Fong.

California Democratic Party political director Bob Mulholland believes this is the start of yet another political comeback for Clinton.

``The polling that has been released over the past couple of days shows voters think this was done by Republicans for political purposes,'' Mulholland said.

He said the president's fund-raising events have sold out, showing the depth of support for Clinton.

``The president said a couple of weeks ago that adversity brings out your friends,'' Mulholland said. ``Well, he's got a lot of friends in California.''

Davis, who received Clinton's help in raising about $3 million recently, also is coming around for him. Aides said Davis, who initially indicated he was not sure whether he would attend the Los Angeles event, now say he will be at the fund-raiser.

Wilson, a longtime Clinton critic, offered a tempered view.

In Culver City, where he signed education legislation into law, the governor said censure of the president ``probably would be preferable'' to impeachment and called for other Republicans to stop their push to oust Clinton.

``I'd like to spare the country that,'' said Wilson, who served in the U.S. Senate before he was elected governor. Although Clinton had ``weakened and demeaned'' his presidency, Wilson said, his GOP colleagues should look to ending the turmoil over the scandal.

Daily News Staff Writer Terri Hardy contributed to this report.