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Message: <blockquote data-quote="moreluck" data-source="post: 983353" data-attributes="member: 1246"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2159554/Barack-Obama-New-York-President-jets-evening-star-studded-fundraisers.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">(Daily Mail)</a> — Tonight is set to be a busy night for Barack Obama, as he speaks at not one but two A-list fundraising events in Manhattan. However, the President’s re-election campaign will not have to pay the full cost of his jaunt to the Big Apple, as he is combining the trip with an official event which will be charged to the taxpayer. Before the fundraisers, one at Sarah Jessica Parker’s house and one at the five-star Plaza Hotel, Mr Obama scheduled a visit to the World Trade Center site. Mr Obama has now held more fundraising events than the last six presidents combined, leading to his opponents coining the derisive nickname ‘Campaigner in Chief’. He frequently combines the events with his official duties, which allows his re-election campaign to defray the President’s travel costs by charging part of them to the public purse. For a trip like today’s, involving both official duties and campaign events, a formula is applied so that the campaign pays part of the costs – but it still works out cheaper than making a trip purely for campaigning. The World Trade Center, which Mr Obama has visited several times before, is a major building project and recipient of generous federal aid, as well as an iconic national memorial. It is unclear what prompted the President to return to the site on this occasion. Some New Yorkers reacted with anger at the prospect of footing the bill for Mr Obama’s fundraising visit to the city. Lauren Greenwood, a 28-year-old who works in medical sales, said that while she had no objection to the President attending campaign events, ‘it shouldn’t be on New York taxpayers’ dollars to support him having parties.’ </blockquote>

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