Fun With Fundraising

Mr. Obama is the best fundraiser the Democrat Party has, but his drawing power isn't what it used to be.

As Mr. Obama is off to MO and NV today to raise money for Sec/State Robin Carnahan (D), running for an open Senate seat there and to help prop up wounded dog Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

But Carnahan's campaign wasn't able to completely sell out the Folly Theater, where Obama will appear for a 'grassroots event' on Carnahan's behalf, at the prices they wanted. Tickets once priced at $250 are now going for $99, while $35 tickets are half off. So come on down!

The 1,078-seat theater was expected to net $250K for Carnahan's campaign, the Kansas City Star reported.

It's just one of Obama's 2 stops for Carnahan; he will appear at a higher-dollar affair at a Marriott hotel in downtown Kansas City -- ironically, the same location where the RNC will host its summer meeting in Aug. But it's telling Obama couldn't fill a theater at the higher price; in '08, just 2 weeks before Election Day, Obama drew 100K to an event in St. Louis and another 75K to a rally in Kansas City, according to an account from McClatchy.

Mr. Obama had 4 total fundraising events scheduled in MO and 2 in NV. VP Joe Biden is also hitting the trail, raising money for Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), a freshman Dem facing a tough re-election bid, in a luncheon event in Portland. Later, Biden travels to the Bay Area for a fundraiser with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA).

I haven't seen drop off like that since George Bush was in office.

And it also makes me wonder, if Mr. Obama's job is to lead - both the country and fundraising, it seems that he's not making a lot of people happy with either of his duties. If he keeps this up, he might have a primary fight to worry about before the general election.

It also makes me think that the Democrats are setting up to surrender all the gains they made in 2008.