Nine events in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Georgia and Florida; Anthony performs, co-hosts $40,000/plate dinner...President Obama hits the campaign trail this week for fundraisers up and down the Eastern Seaboard, with visits to New Hampshire and Massachusetts on Monday for four events, and to Georgia and Florida for four more events on Tuesday. He'll be hosted at receptions and dinners by longtime bundlers, as well as by Grammy award-winning pop star Marc Anthony, who earlier this month filmed a campaign video designed to woo Latino voters. (Above: Anthony, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, joined the President when he made his first trip to Puerto Rico in June of 2011)
The President begins his junket on Monday afternoon in Durham, New Hampshire, where he will speak to supporters at 2:05 PM at Oyster River High School.
Then it's on to Hamersley’s Bistro in Boston, Massachusetts, for an intimate, pricey and closed-press meeting with about 25 donors at 5:10 PM. Hosted by Jack Connors of Brookline, a millionaire advertising executive who founded Boston firm Hill Holliday, tickets for the event at the popular South End restaurant are $40,000 per person. Owner/chef Gordon Hamersley is also an avid supporter, and a member of Massachusetts Chefs for Obama, who created a cookbook earlier this year as a special fundraiser. Connors has previously bundled millions for the President.
Next the President will deliver remarks to about 1,800 people at Symphony Hall in Boston at 7:35 PM. General admission started at $250 with top seats going for $2,500. A limited number of $144 tickets were available for younger 'Gen44' supporters.
The President wraps up his Monday with a fundraising dinner for about 100 people at the Weston home of Judith and Douglas Krupp, a real estate mogul and co-founder of the Berkshire Group. Tickets cost $17,900 per person and $35,800 per couple.
The President will spend the night in Boston before heading South for four more events on Tuesday.
Tuesday in Georgia, Florida
The President begins his Tuesday in Atlanta, Georgia, where he will attend a 1:25 PM reception at the Georgia Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, followed by a closed-to-press meeting with supporters at the same location at 2:10 PM. General admission tickets to the first event are $500, and go up to $10,000 for a photo reception and two "preferred viewing" tickets. Late last week, organizers also offered tickets for younger 'Gen44' supporters at $250, in order to increase attendance.
The visit to Atlanta may include a Presidential stop at the set of Legendary Entertainment's Jackie Robinson biopic "42," which is currently filming in the city. The White House contacted the film co to try to arrange the set visit, reports Deadline Hollywood.
The President was last in Atlanta on March 16 for two fundraisers with filmmaker Tyler Perry.
After Georgia, the President flies to Florida, where Anthony is co-hosting a $40,00o/person dinner at the Miami Beach mansion of longtime supporters Abigail and F.J. Pollak, President and CEO of TracFone Wireless. Tickets for the 5:45 PM event were also available for a whopping $75,800 for those hoping to be named co-hosts for the dinner.
The dinner comes ahead of two other fundraisers: The President will attend an 8:30 PM reception at the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach, which includes a concert at the same venue with Anthony.
The Pollacks, especially Mrs. Pollack, have bundled millions for the Obama campaign, as well as helped mobilize Latino voters. President Obama appointed Mrs. Pollack to the commission that is studying the feasibility of building the First National Museum for the American Latino.
The President will return to Washington, DC late on Tuesday evening/early on Wednesday morning, with an estimated arrival time of 12:10 AM Wednesday morning.
Anthony was born Marco Antonio Muñiz to Puerto Rican parents in New York, and opens his campaign video by pointing to Latinos' power as a voting bloc. "Latinos are a force that can and will help decide this election," Anthony says.
First Lady Michelle Obama will be in Chicago on Tuesday for two fundraisers, including a luncheon with 'Glee' star Jane Lynch.
Funds from the President's events will be variously split between Obama for America, the Democratic National Committee and several state Democratic parties.
*Top photo by pool/AP; video by BarackObama.com. Updated with Tuesday times.
