Obama and Biden have done well more than two dozen fundraisers for
candidates for the House and Senate, the Democratic campaign committees
and the two Democratic gubernatorial candidates running this year. About
half of them have come in the last month, and the pace is quickening.
This
week, the leaders of the Democratic Party with the Midas touch will be
on the road raising money for
the Democrat in New York’s 23rd district
special election, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and other
candidates. The White House has not released a full schedule for the
week.
On Friday night, the president will travel to Connecticut to raise money for embattled veteran Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd.
On
Oct. 26, the president will be in Miami raising money for the
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), for which committee
chairman Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) is trying to raise extra money by
circulating a donor e-mail promising them a chance to have their
picture taken with the president.
The extra push comes as
Democrats find themselves increasingly endangered by tough policy votes
on issues that are further dividing the country politically, like
healthcare.
While Obama has been a popular draw for Democratic
candidates since he gave the speech that introduced him to the world at
the Democratic presidential convention in 2004, he now has the full
weight of the White House behind him.
Even former President George W. Bush at his nadir of popularity would sell out Republican fundraisers.
But
Obama continues to enjoy immense popularity despite the beating his
administration is taking from critics on both sides of the aisle.
Even
though analysts say Democrats are treading in increasingly dangerous
water, Obama and Biden have helped the Democratic campaign committees
keep their edge to try to maintain majorities in the House and Senate.
But
perhaps troubling for the party and the White House is the fact that
the Republican National Committee (RNC) is increasingly outraising the
DNC.
One DNC aide, speaking on background, noted that the DNC
has still enjoyed significant fundraising "despite the fact that we, at
the president's request, have not accepted a dime from lobbyists or
PACs."
Hari Sevugan, a spokesman for the DNC, said the committee
is "appreciative of the support the president continues to receive
around the country."
"I think much of the success can be
attributed to the president's broad appeal and his request that we have a
number of low-dollar fundraisers," Sevugan said.
When asked if
he anticipated an increase in the number of party fundraisers in the
near future, Sevugan noted that Obama is focused on domestic and
national security issues.
"Whenever we get the president, we're pleased, but we understand he's got a lot on his plate right now," Sevugan said.
One
question that continues to be asked is how much Obama will get involved
in next month’s two gubernatorial contests. He has raised money
previously for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and Virginia gubernatorial
nominee Creigh Deeds, but both will hope to get his help as their races
close.
Deeds, who trails in recent polling, has hinted recently
that the president is not done helping out his campaign. Corzine is
neck-and-neck with former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie (R), and seems a
more likely candidate for an Obama bump in blue New Jersey.
In
addition to Obama’s support for Democrat Bill Owens in the New York
special election, he also gave a shout out to the Democratic nominee in a
special election in California on Thursday. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi is a
strong favorite in that race over Republican David Harmer, so more
involvement from the president isn’t seen as necessary.
Source : http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/63615-obama-steps-up-fundraising-push
