Debt limit debate puts some Obama fundraising events on hold
Updated 12:55 p.m. ET
The Obama Campaign has cancelled or postponed a number of fundraising events due to the deficit reduction/debt limit stalemate, but Vice President Joe Biden is making time for one this evening.
His schedule now lists a Democratic National Committee event, which is the way the White House refers to fundraisers for the Obama Victory Fund, which raises money for both the Obama Campaign and the DNC.
With the U.S. government headed toward possible default on its debt, the Obama Campaign decided President Obama should not be seen engaged in political fundraising for his effort to win a second term.
First reported by Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times, an Obama Campaign official confirms that a fundraiser last week at the New York City home of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was postponed until sometime next month.
In addition, a fundraising swing through California and Seattle was also set aside.
A major event for Mr. Obama's re-election is still planned for Chicago on August 3rd, the day after the U.S. Treasury deadline for raising the national debt limit to avert default.
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A campaign official says that fundraiser could also be cancelled or delayed if a deficit reduction/debt limit deal is still not reached.
The official also confirmed that fundraising events to be attended by Biden in Atlanta,
Nashville and Dallas were also put off because of the deficit/debt limit stalemate.
But Biden's schedule posted this morning included a DNC event at a posh D.C. hotel. An aide tells CBS News that "all fundraisers are not being cancelled." The aide said the if it's possible for the vice p resident to "make them work within his schedule - they will proceed." The aid said said Biden will continue to help negotiate a solution to raise the debt limit. There's no press coverage of the today's fundraiser by Biden.
But Mr. Obama need not fret about some missed fundraising opportunities. During the first three months of his campaign, April through June, the Obama Victory Fund took in $86.7 million.
That amount - shared by the Obama Campaign and the Democratic National Committee, is over 4½ times the $18.25 million taken in by Mitt Romney's presidential campaign during the same period and 20 times the contributions received by most of the other Republicans hoping to oust Mr. Obama from his job.
