Obama Launches 2012 Fundraising Effort in Miami
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press President Obama greets children upon his arrival to Miami International Airport in Miami, Friday, March, 4, 2011.
President Obama officially launches the 2012 money chase in Miami Friday night, offering fundraising assistance to Democratic senators even as his own staff begins the run for $1 billion.
In what are the first fundraisers featuring the president since the midterm elections, Mr. Obama will be the headliner at the Fontainebleau Resort and then will gather for a more intimate fundraiser at a private residence.
The two events are aimed at raising money for Senator Bill Nelson of Florida and, more generally, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which faces the daunting task of defending dozens of open or vulnerable seats in 2012.
They also kick off a renewed effort to woo the high-rollers in a state that will almost surely be critical to Mr. Obama’s reelection campaign. Florida is rich in both money and electoral votes — both of which will be important as Mr. Obama tries to reassemble a winning campaign.
Politico reported Friday morning that Jim Messina, the likely campaign manager for Mr. Obama, has already been crisscrossing the country in search of big-dollar contributions even as the race on the Republican side has yet to develop.
As the big-money race begins in earnest, here’s a look of some of the key players — and components — in a campaign money machine that is tasked with raising close to $1 billion dollars for the president:
Mr. Messina: He served for almost two years as a deputy chief of staff in Mr. Obama’s White House, and has been a “fixer” for the president, dealing with the most politically difficult problems. Messina was recently in Chicago meeting with Democratic donors and scouting space for a campaign headquarters.Julianna Smoot: She served as Mr. Obama’s top fundraiser during the 2008 campaign. Her $75 million haul for Mr. Obama during the first nine months of 2007 helped establish him as a top contender. She is likely to be a deputy campaign manager in 2012. Penny Pritzker: A billionaire from Chicago, she served as the chair of Mr. Obama’s fundraising team but took herself out of running for Commerce secretary when Mr. Obama was assembling his Cabinet. Her family’s financial empire includes the Hyatt Hotel chain. Though it’s unclear what Ms. Pritzker’s role will be, her background, connections and close relationship to the president suggest it will be high profile. Tim Kaine: The chairman of the Democratic National Committee has already spent much of the last two years raising money for the president and the party. If he decides against running for the Senate in Virginia, look for him to ramp up that role.Wall Street: If Mr. Obama wants to raise close to $1 billion, he’ll once again need the support of wealthy friends. The Washington Post’s Jason Horowitz offered some familiar names: Orin Kramer, an investor at Boston Provident; Mark Gallogly a co-founder of Centerbridge Partners; James Rubin, an investor at BC Partners; and Robert Wolf, president of UBS Investment Bank.The Internet: As much as big donors matter, Mr. Obama is likely to rely heavily on the kind of smaller donations that were key to his campaign in 2008. The biggest player in that game? The list of supporters — and their email addresses — now housed at Organizing for America, the DNC’s outreach arm.View the original article here
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