Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in Los Angeles on Friday to raise funds for the 2008 presidential campaign.

Upon arrival, Clinton attended a dinner hosted by billionaire broadcasting mogul Haim Saban aimed at supporters who commit to raising at least 25,000 U.S. dollars each for Clinton's campaign.

This was her second trip to California in nine days.

Clinton will join Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at the City Hall on Saturday for the "Great American Cleanup's National Kick-Off," in her first public appearance in Los Angeles since announcing her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Clinton campaign customarily did not announce her fund-raising events and declines to confirm them to reporters.

Clinton's supporters are hoping to top the 1.3 million dollars Sen. Barack Obama raised at a celebrity-studded reception in Beverly Hills on Feb. 20.

Clinton's visit came two days after the release of a poll that showed her lead in the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination shrinking.

Clinton was supported by 36 percent of those surveyed in the Washington Post-ABC News poll. Obama was second with 24 percent, followed by former Vice President Al Gore, who has said he will not be a candidate, with 14 percent and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards with 12 percent. No other Democratic candidate received more than 3 percent.

When Gore is removed from the field, Clinton leads Obama 43 percent to 27 percent, with Edwards third with 14 percent.

The telephone poll of 1,082 adults, conducted on Feb. 22-25 had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

On the January weekend when she declared her candidacy, Clinton had 41 percent, Obama 17 percent, Edwards 11 percent and Gore 10 percent.

Obama's improved position is credited to his growing support among his fellow blacks. In December and January Post-ABC News polls, Clinton led Obama by 60 percent to 20 percent. In the new poll, Obama led Clinton, 44 percent to 33 percent among blacks.

There has been a string of visits to California by presidential candidates. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards are also scheduled to make appearances on Monday.

Source: Xinhua