President Obama will stop by Austin later today for two separate fundraising events, making his first trip to ATX since last August. Mr. Obama is set to speak at the Austin City Limits Moody Theater around 6 p.m. before heading over to a second, smaller fundraising event at a private Lake Austin home.
Obama's Austin visit will follow a stop in El Paso touring the cargo facility at the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry, which makes up approximately 10 percent of all port of entry traffic around the country. The president is then expected to make a speech highlighting his call for immigration reform, addressing goals for a new immigration push. According to White House officials, Obama plans to discuss how Americans can work together to create Congressional bipartisan consensus on immigration.
Obama has expressed his admiration for our Live-Music-Capital-of-the-World city in the past...
"I just love Austin, Texas," he said while in Austin last year. "I do. Every time I come here, I like the people, I like the food, I like the music. I like that there are a bunch of Democrats here."
Agreed, Obama. What's not to like?
Although no Democrat has carried Texas in a presidential race since Jimmy Carter back in 1976, national political candidates often have potential to collect big bucks from Texas Democratic donors. While some lucky college students scored tickets for $44, most attendees will have paid at least $1,000 for their golden ticket to see Obama at the ACL Moody Theater. Word is, tickets to the smaller fundraiser event following at a private home were even costlier. Ticket price for the dinner event cost more than $35,0000 per person and $50,000 per couple.
Former Aarkansas governor and 2008 GOP presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, announced today he will not be running again in 2012. Despite recent mounting speculation, Huckbee says he will not rebidding for the Republican nomination for president because his "hearts says no."
