I'm a little late to this; the report is dated June 7th so these events have already occurred.
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- President Obama is a stalwart friend of Israel. That’s the message some top Democratic Jewish figures are promoting to push back against the notion that Obama is out of step with the pro-Israel and Jewish communities.
Within the next two weeks, two figures associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee -- past AIPAC president Amy Friedkin and board member Howard Green -- will be among the hosts for a major fundraising event for the president, charging $25,000 per couple. The target of 40 couples -- bringing in $1 million -- is close to being met, insiders say. Notably, the organizers have received a nod from the AIPAC board's inner circle to solicit donations.
And there's more at the Washington Post:
.... The West Wing charm offensive shows how Obama’s White House, which has eschewed Clinton-style traditions of feeding donor egos with Lincoln bedroom overnights and frequent phone calls from the president, is adjusting itself for a campaign that needs to overcome low approval ratings and a sour economy.
“They were more skewed toward their base,” said Steven Green, a former Samsonite chief executive and donor to Bill and Hillary Clinton’s campaigns who hosted an Obama fundraiser in Miami this month. “Now they realize that there is this large group of donors out there, and for better or for worse, they need to cater to them. To be frank, I think it’s somewhat new to them, and they’re not quite sure how to address that donor base. [The donors] are pretty high-maintenance.”
“Now they realize that there is this large group of donors out there, and for better or for worse, they need to cater to them. To be frank, I think it’s somewhat new to them, and they’re not quite sure how to address that donor base. [The donors] are pretty high-maintenance."
The push comes as Obama’s campaign has roared to life in recent weeks and strategists prepare for a summer of staff hirings and field office openings across key battleground states.
It is an unusually early move to establish the ground-level infrastructure that past campaigns typically put in place in the final months before an election.
A key player in the closed-door donor recruitment is White House Chief of Staff William M. Daley.... Daley and other officials have ... tried to help court Jewish donors who have expressed frustration with Obama's Middle East policies, according to people familiar with the discussions.
In one case this month, White House adviser Valerie Jarrett spent an hour visiting a major pro-Israel donor identified by the campaign as a potential financial supporter....
Obama, along with his potential GOP rivals, has been pressing hard for dollars to make a strong showing when the first major fundraising quarter of the 2012 campaign ends Thursday. The president’s team has set a goal of raising $60 million between the campaign and the Democratic National Committee during the three-month period.
Gd save us... from this Lost Tribe.
* * * * *
An airplane was about to crash. There were 5 famous passengers on board but only 4 parachutes left.
The first passenger said, "I'm Kobe Bryant, the best NBA basketball player. The Lakers need me. I can't afford to die..." So he took the first pack and left the plane.
The second passenger, Hilary Clinton said, “I am the wife of the former president of the US . I am also the Secretary of State. For the sake of international stability, I need a parachute.” She took the second parachute and jumped out of the plane.
The third passenger, President Barack Obama said, "I'm president of the United States of America. Our country needs intelligent solutions, and as a former Harvard Law School professor, I am the only person who can offer those solutions. Americans can't afford for me to die.” So he quickly grabbed the pack next to him and jumped out of the plane.
The fourth passenger was the Pope and he turned to the fifth passenger, a Rabbi, and said, “I am old and frail so I don't have many years left. As a good Catholic, I will sacrifice my life and let you have the last parachute."
The Rabbi turned to him and said, "Thank you, but it's really OK.... there are enough parachutes for both of us. America 's most intelligent president has just taken my Tallis bag."
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