Obama Says Democrats Must "Show Up" in Nebraska (to raise money?)

The Associated Press reports:

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says it gets a little lonely sometimes being a Democrat in Nebraska.... But Buffett had plenty of company Wednesday night at an Omaha fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama....  

The total raised wasn't immediately available, but the minimum price to get in was $500 per person, and organizers estimated the crowd at about 200. About 40 of those people attended an earlier reception, and each donated at least $2,300.  

Obama said two Nebraskans - U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson and former Sen. Bob Kerrey - are proof that a Democrat can win in a historically red state. "We can elect Democrats here, but we've got to show up," Obama said.

Offering some further details, the Omaha World-Herald reported:

The Illinois senator was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters: 9-year-old Malia and a very sleepy 6-year-old Sasha. Attendees included some of Nebraska's top Democrats, including Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey, former Lt. Gov. Kim Robak, Omaha attorney James Martin Davis and State Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha.

Using the numbers provided, we're looking at Obama receiving somewhere around $172,000 from his Omaha fundraiser - not bad by Nebraska standards, but a drop-in-the-bucket where Buffett is concerned.

Buffett hasn't made any official endorsement of Obama and has also hosted a New York City fundraiser for Sen. Hillary Clinton. But, it's great his legendary status as the Oracle of Omaha was at least enough to entice Obama to show up. And, this was not the first time Obama's appeared in Nebraska after holding a community rally in North Omaha and serving as keynote speaker at the Nebraska Democratic Party's Morrison-Exon Dinner in May 2006. Long time readers may even remember the NNN interview with Barack Obama from that event.

John Edwards also made a fundraising appearance in Omaha earlier this summer, while New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson spoke at a National Conference of the Young Democrats of America hosted by Nebraska Young Democrats in May. So, honestly - at least, more than in years past - Nebraska is seeing a little bit of love from the Democratic Presidential candidates.

Of course, they still don't seem to be very concerned with or aware of the presidential caucus being planned by Nebraska Democrats for Saturday, Februrary 9th, 2008. But no one knows quite how things will shape up in the 2008 primary. It does seem a long-shot, but these candidates might still come back to Nebraska - hopefully asking for our vote.