BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Barack Obama partied with Hollywood celebrities Tuesday night and with the help of Oscar-winning singer and actress Barbra Streisand raised an eye-popping US$9 million for his presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.
The night was split into two glitzy events, a reception and dinner costing US$28,500 each at the Greystone Mansion, followed by entertainment by Streisand at the nearby Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. About 250 people were expected at the dinner and about 800 at the entertainment, which cost US$2,500 a ticket.
It was a day of contrasts for Obama. Earlier in the day, the Democratic presidential candidate spoke about the public's deepening economic anxieties and portrayed Republican challenger John McCain as out of touch with the needs of hardworking people.
Then he flew to California for a night of hobnobbing with Hollywood notables.
McCain groused about Obama mixing it up with celebrities. He told a rally in Vienna, Ohio on Tuesday that Obama "talks about siding with the people, siding with the people just before he flies off to Hollywood for a fundraiser with Barbra Streisand and his celebrity friends. Let me tell you my friends, there's no place I'd rather be than here with the working men and women of Ohio."
A night earlier, McCain was with deep-pocketed donors in Florida and raised US$5 million, a fact noted by Obama's campaign.
"I don't know who showed up down in Florida where he raised US$5 million but my guess is that it wasn't a lot of nurses, firefighters and police officers," Obama's senior strategist, David Axelrod, told reporters. "The whole corporate lobbying community is rallying to his side. We're going to have to struggle to keep pace. You can't challenge that group and not expect them to have a lot of money."
While the final total was not determined, Obama's campaign did not dispute estimates that the twin events would bring in US$9 million for Obama and the Democratic Party. That would be his second-biggest, fundraising day. Obama received US$10 million from online donors the day after McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, delivered her speech at the Republican convention.
On another big fundraising night in California, Obama raised US$7 million in August in San Francisco.
Obama is financing his presidential race with private contributions after abandoning a pledge to take public financing capped at $84 million. His campaign announced Sunday it had collected US$66 million in August, a fund-raising record for any presidential candidate in a monthlong period.
By comparison, McCain raised US$47 million in August, a personal best for his campaign as well. After claiming the GOP nomination, McCain accepted the US$84 million in taxpayer funds allotted by the public financing system for the race.
