Oct 24, 2009 11:57 am US/Central
Pres. Obama Helps Raise $600K For Mass. Gov.
BOSTON (CBS) ―
-
-
Gov. Deval Patrick and President-elect Barack Obama on January 19, 2009 in Washington, DC.
Joshua Roberts-Pool/Getty Images
President Barack Obama's visit to Massachusetts is proving lucrative for Gov. Deval Patrick's re-election campaign.
Steve Crawford, a spokesman for Patrick's political committee, said the Friday fundraiser at the Westin Copley hotel will bring in about $600,000 for Patrick, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray and the Massachusetts Democratic Party.
Crawford estimated that about 400 people had given the maximum donation of $500 to Patrick in order to get into the fundraiser. Another 100 to 130 individuals paid $6,000 to get into a small reception.
The $6,000 includes $500 donations to Patrick and Murray and a $5,000 donation to the party.
The cash will come in handy for Patrick, who had just $523,000 as of Sept. 30. Murray had just over $1 million.
Obama said Patrick can be "stubborn like a mule" but is smart and honest and always has the interest of the people of Massachusetts in mind.
Obama said he and Patrick share a lot in common. Both have ties to the South Side of Chicago and both are Sox fans -- although he didn't specify White or Red.
He also praised Patrick's successes, from overhauling the transportation system to overseeing the state's landmark health care law.
Speaking before Obama, Patrick said he hasn't "mastered the ways of a career politician," but said he's campaigning for a second term to create jobs and push for improvements in the schools
Read: How Much Will Obama's Boston Visit Cost?
Watch: What Can President Obama Learn From Gov. Patrick?
Earlier in the day, President Obama got a glance at some of the world's most innovative clean energy technologies during a visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
MIT President Susan Hockfield led the tour Friday, which included a demonstration of a high power battery that uses a biological process, rather than toxic chemicals.
Professor Alex Slocum showcased wind turbines which are anchored in the seabed and can store excess energy.
Obama also saw lightbulbs that can last 10 to 15 years.
At one point, a professor gave Obama a business card that looked like periodic tables.
During his speech at MIT later Friday, Obama joked the cards tell you something about MIT. He said everyone that school hands out periodic tables, and asked "What's up with that?"
Obama's day will not end in Boston. He will also travel to New York and a tour of a small business in Stamford, Conn. In the evening, he speaks at a fundraising dinner for Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd before returning to Washington.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments