Bill Clinton's Sales Pitch

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Hat in Hand

As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was welcoming Afghanistan's president to the State Department, her husband was asking for money to help pay off his wife's lingering 2008 campaign debts.

Former President Bill Clinton wrote in an e-mail sent out today: "How would you like the chance to come up to New York and spend a day with me?" He's pushing a raffle contest for people to contribute at least five dollars.

Federal records show Mrs. Clinton's campaign tab now sits at $771,000, down from $845,000 at the end of last year.

Flashback

About 3,000 Buffalo residents have received bills informing them they owe money for a fee that was imposed back in 1976.

The tax was repealed after only a year. The city's top legal adviser told the Buffalo News that since it was upheld in court, the fees cannot be waived. But local media report the mayor didn't even know about the bills, and the city has ruled that the fees do not have to be paid until a sale or refinancing.

Couples Retreat

And finally, a new book about President Obama's first year in office includes a claim about a conversation between French first lady Carla Bruni and Michelle Obama.

The Daily Mail reports author Jonathan Alter reveals Bruni bragged she and President Nicolas Sarkozy once made a head of state wait while they were having sex, and, "Bruni wanted to know if — like the Sarkozys — Michelle and the president had ever kept anyone waiting in that way. Michelle laughed nervously and said no."

Apparently the Sarkozys are notorious for being behind schedule. Two years ago, the anniversary of the 1918 armistice signing that was supposed to be reenacted at the start of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, was held up until 11:10 a.m. because the couple arrived late to the ceremony.

— Fox News Channel's Lanna Britt contributed to this report.