The Reformers As Fundraisers

Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain are turning their undivided attention to the general election this week, loading their schedules with fundraising events that will fuel their campaign through the summer. But advisers to the White House hopefuls are also working feverishly to square their carefully crafted images as campaign finance reformers with the need to gather tens of millions of dollars.

For McCain (R-Ariz.), that meant opening his fundraising events to reporters and television cameras for the first time, ending what had been a strict closed-door policy when the candidate mingled with donors.

For Obama (D-Ill.), it meant passing up the chance to sock away funds for the general election and continue to collect only half the amount he is legally allowed as he dashes to fundraisers in New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Jacksonville, Fla., in the next two weeks. Aides to Obama said that for now he will continue to forgo the chance to raise $2,300 per donor for the general election on top of the money he is raising for his primary-season account.

Obama's campaign has delayed a decision on whether to accept public financing for the general election, but top donors and aides have urged him to become the first candidate in three decades to turn down public funds. The $85 million federal grant to the candidates is intended to remove questions about the influence of private donations on the presidential contest, and candidates who accept are barred from raising other funds for the fall campaign.

"The campaign hasn't officially made a decision as to whether it will do that or not," said Mark Gilbert, a top Florida fundraiser for Obama. "My guess would be, if they decide to forgo the funds from the government, we would not have any problem raising money for the general."

Should Obama pass up the public funds, an initial infusion of general-election money could flood in from supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), Gilbert said, noting that under federal election law, she will need to return to donors the $25.8 million her campaign received that was earmarked for spending on the November contest. Gilbert said he expects Obama to ask those donors to redirect that money to his bid after Clinton makes her refunds.

Clinton's donors appear to be slowly warming to her former rival. The Clinton and Obama camps are putting the finishing touches on plans for her to introduce her top backers to Obama at a gathering in New York, possibly followed by a similar get-together in Los Angeles, according to sources involved in arranging those events. Obama will also welcome a number of top Clinton donors at the June 19 meeting of his national finance committee after they have committed to raising $250,000 for the campaign, the price of admission to the select group of bundlers.

For some Clinton faithful, though, it might take longer to come around.

"There is no question that the predominant feeling is 'We have to do what's necessary to win in November.' But it's just, we're tired," said Alan Kessler, a Philadelphia lawyer who raised money for Clinton. "We just need some downtime to figure this all out."

Kessler said he plans to sit out a Philadelphia dinner with Obama, scheduled for Friday, for which participants are being asked to "write $10,000 per person or raise $20,000 per person." The event will benefit both Obama and the Democratic National Committee's Victory Fund.

No names have yet been attached to a June 24 Obama event scheduled for the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles -- a venue that can hold 3,000 people. But Andy Spahn, a Hollywood political adviser, said he does not expect Obama to have any trouble filling the space.

"There's huge pent-up demand," Spahn said. "Barack has not been here since the end of January."