Former Rivals Rally Together for Big Bucks!
By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
(June 18, 2008) For the first time since the end of an intense and feisty Democratic primary, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will appear together to bring big with big bucks together. But most folks will be watching to see how the two former rivals look side by side.
The joint appearance is targeted to raise money for the general election, and donors received an email invite Tuesday from Clinton National Finance Director Jonathan Mantz, saying:
“As we move forward, we invite you to join us for a National Finance Committee meeting with both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on Thursday, June 26th in Washington, D.C., to discuss how we can work together to support Barack Obama and the Democratic Party.
“Hillary ran for President because she wants to put this country on the right track. She continues to fight and stand strong for our values and priorities and will do everything she can to unify the party and to elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States.”
But how many of the donors will also be checking out the chemistry between the two who battled for the nomination for 17 months. This event is sure to get pundits back to predicting whether Clinton is back in the running for vice president again.
Those invited are being asked to contribute the maximum of $2,300 to Obama’s campaign. It likely Obama donors will also be in attendance to add to the campaign coffers. But questions still remain regarding how Clinton will manage to pay off her own outstanding campaign debt.
Since she suspended her campaign on June 7, she hasn’t said how she would resolve her $30 million campaign debt, including $11 million she loaned herself.
The question now is whether deep-pocket Democratic donors be willing to help bail the former first lady out of debt. This fundraiser could be the first indicator.

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By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer