President Obama isn't wasting any time when it comes to getting back on the campaign trail after finally getting a debt deal signed yesterday. Obama is headed to Chicago for a birthday party/fundraiser where attendees can pay anywhere from $50-35,800 to be there.
The money flows to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint account for Obama’s re-election campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
Guests will be entertained with performances by Chicago-native musicians Jennifer Hudson, Herbie Hancock and the rock group OK Go.
The president will also address the crowd around 8:15 pm ET, but will likely not be catching the musical show, a campaign aide said.
Before the speech, Obama plans to hold an exclusive, live-stream video teleconference with thousands of volunteers celebrating his birthday at one of 11,000 grassroots meetings across the country.
After his address at the Aragon, aides say, he will meet privately with a smaller group of VIP attendees, between 80 and 100, before returning to Washington for the night.
Republicans have unleashed a barrage of criticism against the president for making the trip, accusing him of hypocrisy during tough economic times.
“With 9.2 percent unemployment, he could work on creating jobs, but I suppose the White House is thinking he should stick to the part of his job he really likes,” said RNC spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski in an email statement.
GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney also took a swipe at Obama for the trip, publishing an online video Tuesday that highlights a spike in Chicago’s unemployment rate and falling housing prices over the past three years.
