Hillary Clinton Avoids Harry Belafonte

Lloyd Grove reports:

Sen. Hillary Clinton narrowly avoided political disaster yesterday by staying at least 15 feet away from Harry Belafonte at all times during the Children's Defense Fund lunch in the Rainbow Room.

That, presumably, was a safe distance.

With any luck, New York's junior senator won't be captured in any photographs - even those taken with a wideangle lens - cozying up to the tough-talking activist, who last weekend on a trip to Venezuela called President Bush "the greatest terrorist in the world."

In Caracas, Belafonte also lavished praise on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, saying: "We respect you, we admire you" - never mind that Chavez lambasted Jews (in a televised Christmas Eve speech, no less) as "descendants of those who crucified Christ" and "a minority [who] took the world's riches for themselves."

HRC is thinking long term.Who needs a photo with Belafonte?