Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 9, 1994 TAG: 9408110013
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Kathleen Wilson
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
``She was very subtle,'' said Jennifer Hunt, the waitress who served that table on Saturday evening, July 30. The woman wore a simple beige skirt and a floral blouse.
Her hair?
``A simple blunt cut bob.''
She ordered the Chicken Foresteria, with mushrooms and artichokes sauteed in white wine and fresh lemon juice. Garlic bread.
The table shared an antipasto before the main course and consumed two bottles of wine: The Torressella chardonnay ($17.50) and the Fontana Frascati ($13.50).
Jennifer got tipped the standard 15 percent, but she didn't mind.
``It was $13 in my pocket.''
Who was this subtly dressed, Chicken Foresteria-eating, chardonnay-sipping Roanoke visitor who ate at Luigi's the night before President Clinton's health care caravan rolled into the Star City?
``Hillary Clinton,'' swears Jennifer.
``Hillary Clinton,'' assumes Maristane Marquis, a member of the family who owns and operates the Italian restaurant.
News of Hillary's night on the town in Roanoke was all over the Roanoke City Market on Sunday afternoon. Joe Turner told me first, and then sent me to the Mill Mountain Theatre box office, where Jennifer also works.
Jennifer had just left the box office for her shift at Luigi's, but fellow box office worker Luke Church told me that yes, indeed, Hillary had eaten at Luigi's.
When I later found Jennifer preparing Luigi's dining room for the dinner crowd she told me that just moments after the woman left the restaurant, several of Jennifer's friends declared, ``See? I THOUGHT it was her!''
But was it?
I'm a believer after spending Sunday afternoon tracking Jennifer down.
But my cynical colleagues in the newsroom just laughed. They bet that I couldn't get the White House to confirm this. Seemed more than just a little inconceivable.
Because according to Jennifer and Maristane, she didn't arrive with a large Secret Service entourage. Maristane said that the big guy came in alone and cased the joint looking for the most private table. He insisted, in fact, that his party get just that table, because he was bringing Mrs. Clinton to dinner, and he insisted that their waitress not be told.
They wanted no publicity.
Maristane also told me it's not uncommon for famous people to eat at Luigi's when movies are filmed nearby.
``The director,'' she said, searching for the right name. ``You know, the director. The one with the fish. He ate here four or five years ago. The director with the fish ...
``You mean Steven Spielberg?'' I asked.
``Yes, the guy with the shark. He ate here.''
But, what about Hillary?
Just where was Hillary Clinton on July 30? Her daily itinerary, we've always assumed, was public knowledge.
``We are not at liberty to give out that information,'' I was told by the first person I spoke with in Hillary's press office in Washington.
``I CAN tell you that she had no public agenda that weekend and that she was NOT in Washington,'' was the response from the second call made to her press people.
Well, could they tell me where she was, if she wasn't in Washington?
``No, I'm sorry I can't,'' the woman said apologetically. ``We`re not allowed to give out that information.''
So I quit monkeying around with the first lady's people.
I called the president's press office.
``You'd have to speak with her press office.''
``I tried that,'' I explained. ``All they would tell me was that she did not have a public agenda that weekend and that she was not in Washington.''
When I asked them where she was, they told me they were not allowed to tell me.
``Well, I don't understand that,'' said the press officer. ``It should be accessible public knowledge. I don't know why they're telling you that.''
So we called Chuck Robb's office, where Peggy Wilhide told me that Hillary's press people are ``incredibly hard to work with and rarely release any information about her whereabouts.''
Next stop, the Secret Service office in Richmond, which serves the Roanoke Valley.
Ron Shell, special agent in charge of the Secret Service in Richmond, and I had this Dr. Seuss-like dialogue when I reached him.
``Have you heard what I've heard?''
``No, I haven't heard a word. And I won't say a thing until I hear what you heard.''
Nope. Ron Shell had no knowledge of the First Lady eating Italian in Roanoke.
``Normally, we'd be notified of something like that,'' he said.
Then he hesitated. ``At least I hope we'd be notified,'' he said, his voice trailing off.
A national database search reminded us that the Clintons and the Gores were in Independence, Mo., the morning of July 30, joining the bus caravan called the Health Security Express in Harry Truman's hometown.
Where did the Clintons go after Independence?
According to his press officers, the president returned to Washington immediately after the stop in Independence.
But what about the first lady?
``You'd have to ask her office.''
by CNB