WASHINGTON — With the debt deal signed, President Obama jetted off yesterday to his hometown for a Chicago-style 50th-birthday party and fund-raiser — even as the pact failed to settle the nation’s economic jitters.
Obama nearly had to cancel his star-studded bash last night at the historic Aragon ballroom on the eve of his actual birthday.
But with the debt ceiling raised, he was able to go ahead with the glitzy event, featuring entertainment by Jennifer Hudson, Herbie Hancock, rockers OK Go and more than 1,700 revelers who paid upwards of $50 or more to attend.
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At a second event, 100 well-heeled donors forked over as much as $35,800 apiece to privately dine with the president.
“This past week was a frustrating week,” Obama told another group of supporters on a conference call. The 2012 election “may be important than the last one,” he said.
Republicans, who call Obama the “campaigner-in-chief,” ripped his birthday fund-raisers while the nation battles high unemployment, They also cited recent promises the president made to get Washington focused again on boosting the economy and creating jobs.
“He’s tried all week now to play this spin that now the White House is pivoting to jobs, which they’ve tried many times before, and the first job Obama is interested in is saving is his own,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.
Around the country, top surrogates in the Obama orbit held birthday-themed fund-raisers, including Gov. Cuomo in New York.
Obama had to scrap 10 fund-raisers during the debt crisis, and was mostly holed up in DC for a month.
Before hitting the road, the president took out key members of his staff for hamburgers as a reward for the months they spent slogging through endless debt negotiations with Republicans.
“Michelle eats here all the time, but I don’t get out,” he told customers at Good Stuff, a Capitol Hill burger joint.
He even offered a shake to Andrew Parker, an 11-year-old seated at the next table.
“Choose any milkshake,” Obama said, according to the boy. “I guarantee this table isn’t going to drink them all.”
Earlier yesterday, Obama continued his battle with Congress by slamming lawmakers for leaving the Capitol without first voting to pass a new funding bill for the FAA.
Without the vote, the FAA has had to lay off 4,000 non-essential workers, delay construction projects. It also can’t collect airline taxes.