Obama shells out cash for Hillary’s campaign debt

Obama personally donated $2,300 to the Clinton campaign as a way to encourage other donors to help minimize the overall campaign debt incurred by Hillary’s presidential run.

Report from Yahoo News:

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama told Hillary Rodham Clinton’s top financial backers Thursday that he personally has donated $2,300 to her campaign and more significantly has asked his biggest donors to help pay off her more than $20 million debt.

Obama made the announcement at a meeting with Clinton donors who have been frustrated that the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting had not done more to help her pay the bills even as they are expected to help fund his campaign.

The size of Obama’s donation is the most he can contribute under federal law.

He received a standing ovation from the crowd of more than 200 when he said he would enlist his supporters to help pay off her debt, said Tom McMillen, a retired NBA player and former Democratic congressman from Maryland who attended. The meeting was closed to the media.

“It was really about unifying the party,” McMillen said.

Clinton adviser Terry McAuliffe said Obama himself wrote a check to Clinton.

“When the two of them walked into the room, the room erupted,” he said. “This campaign has ended. Hillary Clinton has said we’ve all got to get together.”

McAuliffe said after speaking, Clinton and Obama took questions ranging from helping with the debt to promoting a joint ticket.

The meeting was part of a two-day effort to show unity between the former rivals who competed fiercely for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Report on the Clinton/Obama relationship from CBS News:

She has quite a hefty tab run up and I think I’d be begging as well to have some of that debt neutralized by donors.