Michelle Obama to Campaign Across the Country
First Lady Michelle Obama will hit the campaign trail next month to raise money and advocate for Democrats in key battleground states.
Beginning in mid-October, the First Lady will campaign in Wisconsin for Senator Russ Feingold; in Illinois for Senate Candidate Alexi Giannoulias and Representatives Debbie Halvorson, Dan Seals and Bill Foster; in Colorado for Senator Michael Bennet; in Seattle for Senator Patty Murray; and in California for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Barbara Boxer.
In addition to the those candidate-specific fundraisers, Mrs. Obama will also raise money for the Democratic National Committee's Women's Leadership Forum at events in New York and Los Angeles.
Her role in the fall campaign was first reported by CBSNews.com and CBSNews Radio's Peter Maer in late August. Today, the White House officially announced her schedule but promised that more events will be added, especially in the last week before November's midterm elections.
A senior Obama administration official said the schedule reflects "what we believe is most effective use of her time in the run up to the election" within the confines of the first lady's official priorities and her need to have time for her children.
Like she did in 2008, the first lady will use her appearances to talk about the issues near her heart, in part through her perspective as a mother. She will advocate for candidates but not attack Republicans like her husband and Vice President Biden have been doing.
"She's campaigning to advocate, to rally voters behind specific candidates based on what we can do together to build a better future," said the White House official.
The First Lady will also continue her public events, among them her "Let's Move" campaign to combat childhood obesity. She will have some official events as she campaigns, such as upcoming events in California that will soon be announced.
"She is very excited about this, from the beginning, she's wanted to hit the campaign trail," said a White House official.
