Obama backers plan Sunday function

By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published September 26, 2008

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Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama hope to raise $100,000 in a one-day fundraising binge Sunday in Olympia.

If you go

Sunday's fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is set for 4 to 8 p.m. at the Olympia Ballroom, 116 Legion Way S.E., Olympia.

On the Web

For more information, go to www.olympiaforobama.com.

Debate to be shown at Washington Center

The third and final presidential debate between Sen. John McCain and Obama will be shown Oct. 15 on the big screen at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. S.E., Olympia.

The free public event will begin at 6 p.m.; doors open at 5.

The topic of the debate is domestic issues.

After the debate, there will be a "community conversation" with audience members commenting.

The League of Women Voters Thurston County, the city of Olympia and The Olympian are presenting the program as a community service. The Olympian's publisher, John Winn Miller, will be the emcee.

CBS will televise the debate from Hofstra College in Hempstead, N.Y.

That would more than double the $77,317 that Obama has raised from Olympia as of Sept. 2 — and dwarf the $39,401 that Republican nominee Sen. John McCain has collected locally.

The money raised Sunday would be used in swing states, such as Ohio, where Obama faces a tight race against McCain.

"We're calling it 'Thurston County is the Well,' " said Stewart Henderson, a blogger and delegate at the Democratic National Convention, who is teaming up with other activists in Olympia. "Our resources aren't needed so much here, but the resources are needed in the 18 swing states. … We're the well that's going to bring water to turn those red states blue."

McCain's forces, meanwhile, had a $1,000-per-person fundraiser Thursday in Hunts Point, near Bellevue. Former Secretary of State Ralph Munro, a major McCain backer from Olympia, predicted that the candidate's wife, Cindy, would bring in "several hundred thousand dollars" at the sold-out event.

President Bush collected upward of $1.7 million at a Hunts Point fundraiser in 2003, according to news reports.

"It's a very close race. People on both sides are charged up, and some are angry. Some may contribute," Munro said. "I know we're getting money in big chunks we've never heard from. People who have children in the military or relate to the military. … I imagine Obama people are seeing some of the same."

Good for fundraisers

Presidential candidates have found Washington a good place to raise money, collecting $12.1 million among 30 hopefuls as of Sept. 2, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics' Web site, www.opensecrets.org.

Obama has raised $454 million nationally, picking up $5.78 million of it in Washington.

Democratic runner-up Sen. Hillary Clinton raised $1.86 million in Washington, $38,215 of which was in Olympia.

McCain raised $230 million nationally, $1.56 million statewide and $39,401 from Olympia, according to CFR.

The Obama event is set for 4 to 8 p.m. at the Olympia Ballroom, upstairs at the former hotel. It is open to the public. Fifty to 100 people will organize food, music and an auction of local artwork at prices of up to $1,000. Donors are being recruited by e-mail and text message, the group's Web site said Tuesday.

The group said Thursday that it already had $8,085 from 39 early donors.

Thurston County Democratic Party Chairman John Cusick thinks $100,000 is an ambitious goal, even for liberal-leaning Olympia. Cusick said he initially worried it might take away money needed locally in other races, but Henderson assured him it would be money that otherwise would not be donated.

It's "professionals in town, doctors and lawyers and government types," who will be donating, Henderson said.

Henderson said a similar effort four years ago called "No Regrets" was aimed at raising $100,000, but ended up turning over less than half of that amount to MoveOn.org.