.....you POS!
Presidential birthday bashes are nothing new, but in the wake of a months-long debt battle and in the midst of an economy barely chugging along, some see President Barack Obama's Wednesday birthday celebration coming at a terrible time.
"We're nearing a double-dip recession. We've lost 125,000 jobs here in Illinois just since he took office," Illinois GOP chairman Pat Brady said Tuesday.
Mitt Romney tweeted a campaign video painting a dreary picture of Chicago's economy and the message, "@BarackObama celebrates his 50th bday & collects $35,800 checks but IL is struggling due to his failed policies."
Still, there will be plenty of prominent Democrats who will find it in their schedule -- and their pocketbooks -- to attend the festivities.
And there's no secret that the event at the legendary Aragon Ballroom in Uptown is a campaign fundraiser. Tickets for Obama's birthday celebration range from $50 for the concert to nearly $36,000 per person for a private dinner with the President.
Multimedia
PHOTOS: Navy Pier Boat Bash
PHOTOS: Navy Pier Boat Bash
LOOK
PHOTOS
PHOTOS: Navy
Pier Boat Bash
PHOTOS: All White at The Underground
PHOTOS: All White at The Underground
LOOK
PHOTOS
PHOTOS: All White
at The Underground
More Multimedia
Performers include Chicago's own Jennifer Hudson, Herbie Hancock and OK Go. About 1,000 tickets were made available to the general public.
Whatever one's political allegiances, preparations at the theater on Tuesday were in full swing. New neon was installed in the famous marquee, prison crews tackled the job of cleaning the sidewalks, and at a day care center next door, the preschools created a hand-written welcome banner.
Obama is expected to fly into Chicago Wednesday afternoon. He's scheduled to be in Uptown between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., Ald. Cappleman told Uptown's community publication.
It's unclear how Obama will spend his actual birthday -- his 50th -- on Thursday. His first birthday as president was spent on a weekend trip at Camp David.
Source:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/obama-birthday-chicago-126648603.html#ixzz1Tz7R24qX