Obama, Clinton Hit the Big Apple for Big Bucks

Obama Reports 3.1M Donors, Tops ’08

Sep 032012

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — President Obama has amassed a donor base of 3.1 million Americans in his bid for a second term, surpassing his total from four years ago, Obama campaign officials announced on Monday.

An infographic circulated by the campaign on Twitter shows Obama drawing significant support from small-dollar and repeat donors.

Two million supporters have given $25 or less in aggregate, the campaign reports. More than 1.4 million have given more than once this election cycle.

Underscoring the president’s support among women, the campaign said three women donated for every two men.

In 2008, Obama reported 3 million unique campaign donors.

President Obama has said the involvement of millions of grassroots supporters differentiates his campaign from that of GOP rival Mitt Romney.

Through June, the Obama campaign raised 39 percent of its total funds from donors who gave $200 or less in aggregate, according to the analysis of Federal Election Commission data by the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute. Romney raised 15 percent of his funds from the same class of small-dollar donors.

Anti-Obama Group Raising Money Off Events Related to Colorado Shooting Retracted

Jul 212012

Bill Clark/Roll Call (NEW YORK) — Less than 24 hours after a shooting at a Colorado movie theater claimed the lives of 12 people and injured dozens more, a conservative political action committee sent supporters an email using coverage of the event to push for donations.

The Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama released a fundraising letter late Friday afternoon requesting donations over an early report on ABC News that suggested a member of a Colorado tea party group may have been the shooter. The on-air report, delivered by ABC News chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross on Good Morning America, was inaccurate, and Ross issued an apology and a correction later that day.

The fundraising letter, which was written on behalf of Texas Senate candidate Ted Cruz, asked for money to “fight back” against the media.

“We can’t let the media get away with their attempts to smear the tea party,” the unsigned letter read, including a link to a story about Ross’ report from Breitbart.com. “They are trying to silence us and brand us as extremists whose ideals are too radical and dangerous for America. But since they cannot refute our ideas of limited government and liberty, they have to resort to smears, lies and fabrications. Please help us fight back by supporting the most prominent tea party candidate in America right now–conservative Republican Ted Cruz.”

The group is not affiliated with Cruz’s official campaign.

Rob Portman Laughs Off All the VP Talk

Jun 242012

Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press(PARK CITY, Utah) — Sen. Rob Portman’s status as a “special guest” at the posh donor retreat hosted by Mitt Romney’s campaign for his top contributors this evening isn’t going to do anything to quiet all the vice presidential talk about him, but the Ohio Republican answered questions about the veepstakes with just a chuckle.

ABC News caught up with Portman outside the retreat as he crossed the street from the Chateaux at Silver Lake to attend a private dinner at the Golden Hirsch Inn, where he was a “special guest” for donors. Portman said he had just arrived for the latter portion of day two of the retreat.

A staffer with Portman initially told ABC News, “Sorry guys,” as an indication that the senator would not be doing interviews, but Portman seemed eager to talk, even after staff tried to usher him in the opposite direction from the cameras.

Portman continued talking with ABC News as he walked along the sidewalk to the restaurant. The Ohio senator called former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s evening speech “scintillating. It was great as always.” He said Bush delivered a “very positive message about the importance of this election and about Governor Romney. He was terrific.”

Before jetting over to Utah Saturday, Portman, an avid kayaker, participated in the annual Ohio River Paddlefest, a Cincinnati tradition for kayakers and canoers along the Ohio River. Portman said the event was “great” and said his group won their division.

But though he showed off his kayaking talents in Ohio, Portman said he’d stay off the golf course in Utah, where some Romney donors plan to spend Sunday afternoon.

“I’m not a very good golfer,” Portman admitted.

Portman is considered one of the top contenders for Romney to pick as a running mate, and he joined a number of other possible VPs such as former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, at the donor confab here.

Asked if there was any VP talk while he was at the retreat Saturday, Portman responded, “Nah.”

But as he walked away about to enter the dinner, ABC News asked whether he enjoys the vice presidential talk or if he finds the constant questions annoying.

Without uttering any words, Portman waited a few seconds before turning around as he walked, shrugged his shoulders, lifted his arms and emitted a few chuckles.

Obama’s Campaign Manager Addresses Concerns Over Polls

Jun 042012

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — In a new video message to supporters, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina directly addresses concerns over recent polls that show a tightening of the race and offers his outlook on the electoral map.

“Over the past few weeks I’ve had people asking me about all the polls I’ve seen. I say the same thing to all of them: We knew this was going to be a tough race. And once Mitt Romney locked up the nomination, Republicans would get behind him and this race would be tight, just like we always knew it would be,” he says to the camera.

“You know what really matters in a really close election? The unprecedented grassroots organizing we’re doing every day in states across the country. We’re following the strategy we’ve had since Day One, and we can’t afford to lose focus on that,” Messina says.

Turning to the electoral map, Messina most notably sees Wisconsin as a “toss-up” for the general election. He also lists Arizona as a “lean Republican” instead of solid red.

Obama, Clinton Hit the Big Apple for Big Bucks

Jun 042012

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — President Obama and former President Bill Clinton were in New York City Monday night for three splashy joint fundraisers expected to raise north of $3.6 million for the 2012 campaign, according to figures provided by a Democratic official.

The pair started their visit with a private reception at the Manhattan home of hedge fund manager Marc Lasry, where each of the roughly 50 guests will cut checks for $40,000 to the Obama Victory Fund — the most lucrative event of the night.

Presidents 44 and 42 then headed to the Waldorf Astoria hotel in midtown for a splashy 500-person gala that featured a performance by rocker Jon Bon Jovi.

Tickets for the gala started at $2500 apiece, according to a campaign official. The event was also to include three winners of a campaign grassroots fundraising contest that offered the chance for an all-expenses-paid trip to attend for a contribution of as little as $3.

Obama and Clinton will conclude the evening at the New Amsterdam Theater, which is hosting a “Broadway for Barack” concert. An estimated 1,700 fans are expected; tickets started at $250 each.

The concert will feature performances by Nina Arianda, Kerry Butler, Norbet Leo Butz, Bobby Cannavale, Stockard Channing, Chuck Cooper, Neil Patrick Harris, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, James Earl Jones, Tony Kushner, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Hattienne Park, Mandy Patinkin, Patrick Wilson and Jeffrey Wright, officials said.

The proceeds from all three events benefit the Obama Victory Fund, a joint fundraising account that funnels cash to Obama for America, the Democratic National Committee and several state Democratic parties.

The trip, part of a major fundraising push by the president to kick off June, is Obama’s fourth to the Big Apple this year. He will return next week on June 14 for several more fundraisers, including one at the home of actress Sarah Jessica Parker.

With Monday’s events, President Obama has personally attended 151 re-election fundraisers for his campaign and the Democratic National Committee – a record-setting number.

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