Fundraiser with Obama draws hundreds

ST. LOUIS -- President Barack Obama drew a large crowd and landed big bucks for Democrats during a St. Louis fundraiser Wednesday.

Several hundred people attended a $2,400-per-guest cocktail reception and presidential dinner at a downtown hotel, with premier seating going to couples who raised $50,000. About 800 people secured spots for a $25 donation to a "grassroots reception" that organizers said also sold out.

The first cut of proceeds will go to Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, who was an early supporter of Obama's candidacy and is up for re-election in 2012. But the remaining funds go to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is likely to boost U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan's campaign.

Carnahan, who is Missouri's secretary of state, is the leading candidate for Democrats hoping to pick up the seat of retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Kit Bond. The GOP's leading candidate is U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt.

Carnahan presents herself as a Washington outsider in contrast to Blunt, whose campaign has attempted to paint Carnahan as tied to Obama.

A White House spokesman said Carnahan's trip to Washington was scheduled before Obama decided to come to Missouri and that her campaign has asked Obama to appear with her at an event soon.

David Kimball, a political scientist at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, said a potential side effect of Carnahan not attending the fundraiser is to develop some space from Obama. Kimball said Missouri leans toward the GOP.

The fundraiser had a campaign feel with speeches from Gov. Jay Nixon and St. Louis-area leaders praising McCaskill, predicting success for Carnahan in November and chants of Obama's campaign slogan of "Yes we can."

Obama used his remarks to decry the politics of Washington. He said too many lawmakers were hooked to polls as if they were medical monitors and defended his efforts to overhaul health care.

Before the fundraiser, Obama's made his pitch on overhauling health care during a speech at a high school in St. Charles. Health care legislation has ignited backlash from Republicans and tea party supporters, and highlights one of the problems facing Democratic candidates in November.

More than 2,000 people came to the Republican rally several hours before Obama's speech and cheered while state and federal elected officials condemned the health care bill as unfair and too costly.

U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, in whose district Obama spoke, appeared by video conference along with GOP congressmen from several states.

"It is a clear and present danger to America," Akin said. "It is a threat to our nation -- a threat from within and a danger from Washington, D.C."