Obama proves popular
on fund-raising circuit

CHICAGO » Barack Obama, the Senate candidate from Illinois who made a splash at the Democratic National Convention, might soon be coming to a town near you.

Since giving the keynote address at the DNC in July, the 1979 Punahou School graduate has become a sought-after commodity at national party functions and fund-raisers. With polls showing him well ahead in his race against Republican Alan Keyes, the Harvard-educated state senator is using his star status to lend a hand to other Democrats.

Today alone, Obama is scheduled to fly to Baltimore for his own fund-raiser, then head to Philadelphia to raise money for other Democrats and headline a voter registration rally. Weather permitting, he will end the day in Miami at another get-out-the-vote event.

"Since the day he got in the race, even in the primary, he has proven to be an inspiring candidate," said Cara Morris, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Obama had raised $9.8 million as of June 30, before his convention speech. His campaign did not provide more recent figures.

For a state legislator in his first national race, Obama has been sorting through an unusual number of invitations to headline events outside of his home state. Either he or Keyes will become the nation's only black senator, giving the race instant buzz.

Obama leads Keyes 68 percent to 17 percent in the race for the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, according to a Tribune/WGN-TV poll of 700 likely voters published yesterday.

Obama calls the hype surrounding his candidacy "a little overblown." But he says he is not opposed to using it to help Democrats take the Senate on Nov. 2. Republicans control the Senate, 51-48, with one Democratic-leaning independent.

"I'm doing it because I've served in the majority and the minority in the Legislature, and it's a lot more fun serving in the majority," Obama said. "So I want to help in any way that I can to make sure that we've got a Democratically controlled Senate."

The Hawaii native recently joined a fund-raising committee, called America's Hope for a Majority, with two other Democratic candidates in tight races that could tip the balance of the Senate. Those candidates -- Ken Salazar in Colorado and Betty Castor in Florida -- will appear with Obama today in Philadelphia.

Just this month, Obama has helped the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raise money in New York and Chicago. He's also made his own fund-raising trips to Los Angeles, Alabama and Martha's Vineyard, Mass., in recent weeks.