President Barack Obama dismissed questions from reporters for a reaction to presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's choice for a running mate as he boarded Air Force One for his trip home to Chicago.
Obama returns to the Windy City on Saturday for four fundraisers, including one at his own home, scheduled for Sunday.
His trip happens to coincide with the same day Romney announced Wisc. Rep. Paul Ryan as his choice for vice president. Shortly after the announcement was made, Obama's campaign manager released the following statement:
“In naming Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has chosen a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy. The architect of the radical Republican House budget, Ryan, like Romney, proposed an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires, and deep cuts in education from Head Start to college aid. His plan also would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. As a member of Congress, Ryan rubber-stamped the reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy. Now the Romney-Ryan ticket would take us back by repeating the same, catastrophic mistakes.”
All eyes will be on the President in Chicago to see if he will give a reaction to Romney's choice while he tries to regain financial ground after trailing his opponent in election fundraising for the third month in a row.
Obama's Chi-town fundraising kicks off Sunday around 3:30 p.m. at the Bridgeport Arts Center at 1200 W. 35th St., for a Gen44 event. Tickets at the base price of $51 have sold out for the event, according to organizers.
The president then heads to a party hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama at his Kenwood home. The price tag to attend is $40,000 per person.
A fund-raising reception at the home of Obama's good friend Marty Nesbitt is planned a few blocks away as well as a dessert reception at Valerie Jarrett’s mother’s house. Tickets cost $5,000 and $1,000 respectively to attend.
