Happy Birthday indeed.Boston's biggest names in Democratic politics, divided into two camps during the bitter presidential primary, united last night to throw Barack Obama a 47th birthday bash that doubled as a major campaign fund-raiser.
The event, held at the swank State Room near Faneuil Hall, was expected to bring in close to $5 million for Obama and the Democratic Party, which organizers say would make it the biggest political fund-raiser ever in Boston.
Crooner Harry Connick Jr. and his 9-year-old daughter led the serenade of "Happy Birthday" to Obama at a reception of 850 people. Revelers sipped wine and beer in front of stunning, 33d-floor vistas of Boston Harbor. About 250 people paid $15,000 each - $28,500 for a couple - to dine with him afterward.
The private fund-raiser, the Illinois senator's first Boston appearance since clinching the Democratic nomination in early June, was designed to be a coming-together of sorts for local supporters of Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton, whose backers were deeply angry at how they believed Clinton was treated by the media and some Obama surrogates during the prolonged primaries.
Massachusetts, where admiration for the Clintons runs deep, gave the New York senator a lopsided victory over Obama in its primary in February. But with Obama now leading the ticket, Bay State Democrats have joined forces to catapult him into the general election with his pockets full.
"We all wanted to make a dramatic statement that we're with him every step of the way," said Steven Grossman, a leading Clinton fund-raiser and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee....................
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