BIRMINGHAM — Michelle Obama, wife of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, raised more than $250,000 for her husband’s general election campaign at a fundraiser here on Monday.
The fundraiser, held in Mountain Brook, lasted from just after noon until 3 p.m. and required a $1,000 per-person donation, $10,000 if you were hosts. Birmingham lawyer and former chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party Giles Perkins provided his home and served as host to Mrs. Obama and hundreds of supporters who attended the event.
Alabama Democratic Party Executive Director Jim Spearman and former Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington were among the dignitaries attending the event.
After arriving at Birmingham International Airport, Mrs. Obama was escorted to the fundraisers in a black Chevrolet Suburban, flanked by two state troopers and several police cruisers. Mrs. Obama entered the home through a private entrance and did not make any public appearances while in the state.
This was Mrs. Obama’s first trip to Alabama since her husband announced his run for the White House in February 2007; Mr. Obama made a campaign stop here in February, preceding the Super Tuesday primaries.
While Mrs. Obama’s husband won Alabama’s presidential primary in February by 18 points, many analysts do not expect him to carry the state’s nine electoral votes come November.
Most Alabama polls show presumptive GOP nominee Sen. John McCain leading Mr. Obama by an average of 12 to 16 points.
“Unless there is a terrible calamity within the McCain camp, he shouldn’t have any trouble carrying Alabama,” said Hillary Dome of the Gallup.
The latest Gallup poll shows the Illinois senator with a 46 to 43 percent lead over McCain nationwide.
The last time Alabama went for a Democrat was in 1976 for Jimmy Carter.
However, the Obama campaign is not giving up hope of taking Alabama in the fall.
“The demographics of Alabama are changing,” said Paul Bishop, former Alabama Democratic Party liaison.
“Having said that, this year is different. I think people in Alabama are going to take a hard look at both of these men and make the best decision for the country.”
Mr. Obama does not have any campaign stops scheduled for Alabama in the next three weeks, but will make a public appearance tomorrow with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
This will be the first public appearance between the two since Clinton conceded the primary race to Mr. Obama earlier this month.
The two will appear together, first at a private fundraiser then in a public forum in Unity, N.H., where each won 107 primary votes in the New Hampshire primary.
McCain was in Alabama in April to attend a fundraiser in Homewood.
