Obama Back To Shake NYC Money Tree, May Boost Thompson

(AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Obama is in town today to meet with the FBI agents credited with stopping a terrorist plot to bomb NYC subways. But that pat on the back at FBI headquarters near City Hall is just the morning's agenda; in the evening it's all about the Benjamins. (Or, rather, the Grover Clevelands.) Tonight the President will speak at a $30,400-per-couple dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at Columbus Circle; the event is expected to raise $2 million to $3 million for the DNC. Want to see Barry but dating a deadbeat who can't float the 30 grand for the Mandarin? All is not lost.

Later tonight, Obama will also appear at a health care rally at Hammerstein Ballroom. $100 tickets are sold out, but $250 orchestra tickets are still on sale! Alternatively, you can watch Obama's Hammerstein appearance live online. It's almost exactly one year since then-candidate Obama stepped onstage at Hammerstein and told supporters, "Don't underestimate the capacity of Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Don't underestimate our ability to screw it up. I want everybody running scared."

Obama is expected to make his first public comments in support of NYC Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson at the DNC event, according to the Daily News. Thompson will attend the fundraiser, and Mayor Bloomberg will not see the President today. Governor Paterson, still rumored to be "smarting" from the Obama team's attempt to push him out of the governor's race, was invited but will not attend because he's almost "unilaterally focused on this budget issue," according to an aide. The lavish fundraiser will also funnel money to Bill Owens, a Democrat trying to win a special election in an upstate New York congressional district.

1010WINS notes that because Obama coupled today's fundraising sprint with the official "thank you" to counterterrorism workers, the political campaigns won't have to absorb much of the cost of presidential travel; instead taxpayers will be picking up the tab. The Republican Study Committee, a caucus of House conservatives, issued a statement sneering, "The clock is ticking in Afghanistan. Hopefully the president can still hear it over the ringing of the cash register.''

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By John Del Signore in News on October 20, 2009 9:11 AM

Comments [rss]

dgeee

We've been played by this m*therfucker- 2 wars, 20% unemployment, Guantanamo still open, FBI tapping our phones without a warrant, Bush crime family still living large, trillion dollar deficit... but Wall Street executives are back to their ridiculously large bonuses!

zodak

he is more disappointing than joss whedon's dollhouse.

EastRiver

How many times has the President been in New York since Date Night? The NAACP meeting in July (I believe combined with Corzine appearance), UN meeting last month, Cronkite's memorial, and now this? Good thing we had to pick up the tab for a special night out for the first couple when they easily could have combined it with an official trip.

longacre

Actually the whole day is all about the Benjamins.

The main point of the trip is the fundraising. He is stopping at the FBI because that makes it a Presidential business trip on John Q. Taxpayer's dime. If he went directly to hang out with Corzine, the party would have to reimburse the government for travel expenses.

Comic Book Guy

Reading comprehension FAIL. From paragraph three: "...because Obama coupled today's fundraising sprint with the official 'thank you' to counterterrorism workers, the political campaigns won't have to absorb much of the cost of presidential travel; instead taxpayers will be picking up the tab."

longacre

Oops.

John Del Signore

Counting comprehension fail, but yr right!

verbal

"Don't underestimate the capacity of Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Don't underestimate our ability to screw it up. I want everybody running scared."

Probably the last true statement to come out of his mouth.

You guys still feel that tingle running up your legs?

Tgirl

change...

JacqueMehoff

Get rid of kabul chic karzai, now he's a used car salesman.

nik13

That's his 22nd fund-raiser. No wonder he has no time to achieve anything concrete. $30,400 to hear a fiery speech read off teleprompter? Sheeple.

VanessaNYC

He can shake my tree any day. I'm going to see him tonight.

MT

I'm sorry, but this guy seems more and more like a snake oil salesman. He better have something concrete for NY in his pocket.

Mr. Shankly

Jeeeezus. For that price, the entree better be an endangered species and dessert come with a happy ending.

Re: Afghanistan

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-17-2009/the-unwinnable-war-in-afghanistan