Bill Clinton surprises customers at Barnes & Noble in McAllen

McALLEN — Don’t ever let it be said that President Bill Clinton doesn’t know how to make an entrance.

Known for reaching out to the common man, the popular world leader stunned shoppers at Barnes & Noble book store on Nolana and North 10 Street on Monday evening, breezing through shortly after 7 p.m. and mingling with the crowd.

Clinton was in town for a high-dollar fundraiser at local construction czar Alonzo Cantu’s home on Dove Avenue, helping his wife, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, raise money for her presidential campaign.

The event at Cantu’s home was private, but Clinton surprised everyone with an impromptu visit honoring the McAllen community at large.

The store was relatively empty until Clinton’s visit — then swarms of customers showed up after those already there started making calls to their friends on cell phones.

“It was great,” said shopper Jaime Ayala, who got an autograph from Clinton. Ayala said he was killing time in the store while his daughter went through a tutoring session across the street.

During the president’s 30-minute stay, the store sold dozens of copies of his book Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, released earlier this year. Customers snapped up copies so Clinton could sign them.

The president also bought a Starbucks coffee and browsed through other books.

Monday’s visit was one of a string of local appearances Clinton has made since his first bid for the White House in 1992.

“(McAllen)’s treated me well, and it’s treated my wife well,” Clinton said in a quick comment.

A high-dollar hotbed

In fact, this year, Rio Grande Valley power brokers have made $587,566 in contributions to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Bill Clinton’s trip this week is just weeks before key presidential primaries start in Iowa and New Hampshire, where Hillary Clinton is the frontrunner in a crowded field of Democrats vying for the White House.

Cantu, president of Cantu Construction and Development, lives in a large estate, and already hosted a $2,300-a-plate dinner for Sen. Clinton in March. A spot at last night’s fundraiser cost between $500 and $1,000.

Earlier Monday, Cantu declined to give details on the event, which was closed to the press.

"I want to keep this private," he said, following the trend he has set with previous fundraisers.

Cantu — who owns a large stake in Doctors Hospital at Renaissance and Pharr-based Lone Star National Bank — has hosted several key Democratic presidential hopefuls in the last year, including John Edwards in September and Sen. Clinton herself during another fundraiser in March. At that event, Cantu was able to round up enough of his friends, family and business associates to help raise nearly $800,000 for the former first lady.

Cantu and Clinton

Cantu has hosted one or both of the Clintons several times since 1998, when he first hosted the couple during Bill Clinton's second term as president.

His political capital has steadily risen on the national scene since then, even garnering a front-page story in The Washington Post on Sunday. Everyone seems to marvel at how a region known for its high poverty levels can pull in such big dollars for national candidates.

Just last week, Republican candidate former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani came to McAllen for his own fundraiser, though Cantu did not orchestrate that visit and it was more of a public event.

Monday’s private dinner was so exclusive not even Hidalgo County Democratic Party Chairman Juan Maldonado could get in.

I “can't afford a ticket,” he said. But he said he is glad national heavyweights are finally noticing the Valley.

Sylvia Saenz, Alonzo’s sister and co-owner of a chain of local pharmacies, did attend Monday’s dinner.

She said she is a “big supporter” of the Clintons.

“I’ve always voted Democrat and I think (Hillary) has the experience and the knowledge,” Saenz said. “When you remember when (Bill) was president, we had great years for our economy.”

Saenz also hosted Bill Clinton at a fundraiser at her home in 2000.

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Ryan Holeywell covers PSJA and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.

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Kyle Arnold covers business, the economy and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4410.