Some Clinton fundraisers squeezing money for Obama

Alexander Heckler is working hard to dispel The Rift.

Here at the Democratic National Convention, the youthful and energetic former Florida finance chairman for Hillary Rodham Clinton is handing out party tickets and hard-to-get floor passes to his donors — the traditional thank-you gesture from a money bundler.

But Heckler still has another "ask" to go with his reward.

"These are the donors who we will need to raise money for Sen. Obama," the 32-year-old Fort Lauderdale lawyer said.

Back in Florida, Heckler has joined with other Clinton fundraisers, including Chris Korge, one of her national finance chairs, to raise almost $1 million from Clinton donors for Obama. Obama's Florida team has reached out to Clinton's money people, even offering them office space at their headquarters.

That relationship is hardly the norm. One top Clinton fundraiser, speaking not for attribution because he still needed to work with both campaigns, said Obama's finance team didn't reach out to Clinton's "Hillraisers" at the convention.

Former Clinton bundlers have their hopes set on a post-convention adjustment, when more money will flow to Obama, but also to Clinton to help her pay down her massive debt.

"You've seen the numbers on the donor side, which are nowhere near the potential that could be achieved from the Clinton side," said Hassan Nemazee, Clinton's former national finance co-chairman and now a fundraiser for Obama.

Even Heckler has had to coax reluctant Clinton donors along. His goal is to enlist many of the two dozen Florida fundraisers who each raised $100,000 for Clinton to do the same for Obama.

"The first time we called the list it was tough, the second time was tough, but we've gotten some commitments," he said between bites of an egg-white omelet near Clinton's convention hotel. "Right now we have five or six helping. After the convention we hope to have many more."

Obama can't afford a rift.

Clinton raised more than $210 million in contributions in her failed run for the Democratic nomination. That's a sizable donor base that Obama can now tap.

And despite his prodigious fundraising — nearly $380 million by the end of July — Obama has a large task ahead.

He has chosen to be the first post-Watergate presidential candidate to forgo public funds for the general election, bypassing an $84 million grant for the fall campaign in anticipation of raising far more.

Republican rival John McCain has decided to accept the public money. But he also is getting help from a well-financed Republican National Committee.

Some Democratic fundraisers calculate that that means Obama needs to raise an average of $80 million a month and that the Democratic National Committee needs to raise an average of about $50 million a month between now and the Nov. 4 election.

"We have a greater challenge," Nemazee said over a cola at the Ritz Carlton, the hotel reserved for many Obama fundraisers.

Nemazee himself already has raised half a million dollars for Obama. He is holding a fundraiser next month with Clinton at his home that is expected to raise another half million for the Democratic nominee.

Former Clinton money bundlers now on board with Obama are hoping the unity theme of the convention opens up the financial spigot.

With his Thursday night acceptance speech, Nemazee said he expects Obama to "indicate that unity is not just a one-way street but a two-way street and enable certain people that have not yet been able to become involved to become more fully engaged."

And, Heckler suggested, Florida "should be the poster child for how Clinton donors and Obama's finance team get along."

Kirk Wagar, Obama's Florida finance chair, said the two teams merged well in the state because he and Korge and Heckler have long standing friendships. "We have a level of trust and history that allows us to do it," he said.

Clinton still owed vendors and consultants nearly $11 million at the end of July and Obama has urged his fundraisers to help her pay off the debt. But the money has moved more freely from Clinton donors to Obama than the other way around.

That has not helped inspire some Clinton fundraisers, who also were watching the convention for Obama overtures.

"There has been no reaching out, no deep gestures of appreciation and respect," said Susie Tompkins Buell, a Clinton fundraiser from California. "I'm miffed by this. And she's working her heart out for him."

Obama began his end of the convention bargain on Wednesday, when he made his surprise appearance at the pulsing Pepsi Center.

"If I'm not mistaken Hillary Clinton rocked the house last night," he said above the roar of the crowd. "I think president Bill Clinton reminded us of what it's like when you've got a president who actually puts people first."

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