President Obama will head to Los Angeles next month for a major fundraiser to help House Democrats, gearing up his political activity with less than 100 days to go before the fall midterm elections.
Over the last few days, Democratic political operatives at press events and on calls with supporters have pointedly said they’ve “noticed” that Obama has gotten more aggressive and helpful in recent weeks. It might have something to do with a dust-up between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs earlier this month over how likely it is the Republicans have a chance at seizing control of Congress in November.
Pelosi announced in an email to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee mailing list today that Obama would join her for a swanky top-dollar fundraiser Aug. 16. And one lucky donor and a guest might be whisked away to the city of angels to join them.
“The stakes could not be higher right now for the American people,” Pelosi wrote. “More than ever, Grassroots Democrats like you know your power. Republicans are claiming they have the momentum, but you and I know better. We will never stop fighting to move America forward.”
She added, “Let’s make history together again in these final critical months before November’s elections.”
There’s been tension between Pelosi and the White House as Obama was doing more events for Senate candidates and incumbents than he’d done for House campaigns. This big-time event may turn that around.
The White House provided a memo to TPM a few weeks ago outlining Obama’s schedule.
In total, Obama, Vice President Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and top White House officials and Cabinet secretaries have done 187 political events in the last 18 months, all with the intention of directly supporting candidates on the ballot in 2010 or building up the infrastructure of party committees, the memo detailed. There are 40 or more events scheduled for the coming months.
Obama has done 14 DNC or Organizing for America events but just four events that “benefited either the DSCC, DCCC or both.” But he’s done 10 events for Senate incumbents and candidates – and there are 14 more scheduled or tentatively scheduled. Obama has done four events helping nine House candidates, the statistic that most bothered House political operatives who are the most endangered this fall. (Biden has done 29 events helping 36 House candidates, however.)
