Obama and Bill Clinton Raise Over $2.1M in a Night | The Blog on Obama: White House Dossier
President Obama and Bill Clinton were expected to collect more than $2.1 million at two fundraisers Sunday evening, each at the home of former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe in the wealthy Washington suburb of McLean, Virginia.
The fundraisers are the second time in just days the Obama 2012 campaign has put the star power of Clinton to use. Friday, it released a video in which Clinton praises Obama for deciding to take out Bin Laden.
The video and the huge sum amassed this evening suggest Clinton will play a key role in the Obama campaign.
More than 500 supporters were expected were expected at an initial reception for which ticket prices started at $1,000 a head. Afterward, the fundraising got serious, as 80 well-heeled donors paid $20,000 apiece for what amounted to a $1.6 million dinner.
Obama, seemingly oblivious to the criticism that has attended his use of Air Force One for fundraising and luxurious vacations, said he will miss the jet when he leaves office.
From the press pool report:
POTUS jokes that Air Force One is one of the perks of being president, and that Pres Clinton misses it. “I’ll miss it too,” he says. Woman in crowd shouts, “But not yet!” drawing loud cheers.
Clinton offered up some of the truth fudging he is remembered for:
Pres. Clinton: “If you go back 500 years, whenever a country’s financial system collapses, it takes between five and 10 years to get back to full employment.” POTUS, Clinton says, “is beating the clock, not behind it.”
The financial system of the United States suffered some blows but of course never collapsed.
Obama took to his familiar theme of blaming Bush for problems, cracking that “Hillary and I have spent the last three and a half years cleaning up after other folks’ messes.”
