Obama turns birthday bash into fundraiser

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama turned his 50th birthday into a 2012 campaign fundraising bonanza, buoyed by a hometown crowd after what he called a frustrating period locked in a debt battle with Republicans.

Obama’s big birthday comes just days after he reached a deal with Republicans to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and avert a calamitous government default. While the mood around the White House hasn’t exactly been festive since the deal was reached — Obama didn’t get much of what he wanted — there was plenty of celebration there yesterday for the president’s 50th.

Senior members of Obama’s staff toasted the president in the Blue Room of the White House and on Wednesday night he celebrated with family and friends, including some coming in from his hometown of Chicago. He will cap the festivities with a weekend trip to Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland.

An administration official said the Obamas were paying for the president’s birthday party at the White House.

First Lady Michelle Obama used her husband’s birthday as an opportunity to both poke fun at his greying hair and rally support for his re-election. In an email to supporters — subject line “Grey Hairs” — Michelle asked supporters to sign an electronic birthday card for the president. When they do so, the campaign gets valuable contact information for its databases.

“I see Barack make choices he knows will affect every American family. That’s no small task for anyone — and more proof that he’s earning every last one of those grey hairs,” she wrote.

The president also used his re-election campaign as an opportunity to start his birthday celebrations early.

He headlined birthday-themed fundraisers in Chicago on Wednesday night and spoke via video conference to supporters holding their own presidential birthday events around the country.

With the cloud of uncertainty that surrounded the debt debate now lifted, Obama had a wide smile on his face for much of the night.

He got another birthday serenade from musicians Jennifer Hudson, Herbie Hancock and the band OK Go, along with the crowd of about 2,400 gathered at Chicago’s historic Aragon Ballroom.

Returning to the campaign trail after a month spent locked in debt talks, Obama used his appearances to defend his economic record, saying he inherited severe challenges from Republican president George W Bush, including an economy that was worse than he and his aides had realised.

The United States is suffering under a 9.2% jobless rate and economic growth has slowed to a crawl.

The debt crisis that brought the country to the brink of default has also contributed to a sagging stock market.