Obama Fundraises at 50th Birthday Shindig
President Barack Obama will be celebrating his birthday in his hometown of Chicago at two parties, which will double as fundraising events for his upcoming reelection campaign.
The president turns 50 on Thursday, but will be in Chicago on Wednesday for the festivities.
The main event will take place at the historic Aragon Ballroom. Approximately 1,000 guests who paid between $50 and $35,800 will be treated to dinner and a concert.
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Jennifer Hudson, Herbie Hancock and band OK Go, all of whom are native of Chicago, are expected to perform.
A campaign aide told ABC News that the president would most likely not get to enjoy the performances.
Obama will be addressing the crowd at approximately 8:15 p.m. and will also hold a live-stream video teleconference for volunteers who are hosting grassroots meetings all over the country to celebrate the president's birthday.
After the main party, president Obama will attend a smaller, private affair and greet between 80 and 100 VIP guests.
He will be returning to Washington D.C. late Wednesday night.
Tea party activists are scheduled to protest outside of the party. Many republicans have taken to criticizing the president’s decision to attend the festivities.
“With 9.2 percent unemployment, he could work on creating jobs, but I suppose the White House is thinking he should stick to the part of his job he really likes,” RNC spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski said in a statement.
In an online video Tuesday, GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney commented on the president’s trip by discussing the high unemployment rates and falling housing prices in Chicago over the past three years.
While making no comments about the criticism, White House representatives say the economy and job creation is the president’s first priority.
“The president’s number one focus is jobs, jumpstarting our economy. He’s going to be looking forward to traveling around the country and having that conversation,” senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett told MSNBC.
