Dems tout good turnout for fundraiser with supporters of Israel

Democrats are boasting of a better-than-expected turnout for a fundraiser featuring President Obama and high-profile supporters of Israel.

A Democratic Party official said that there would be 80 people attending the fundraiser Monday night at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Washington, D.C., all of whom paid between $25,000 and $35,800 -- the maximum to both Obama's reelection and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) -- to attend.

That attendance is 50 percent over the goal for tonight's fundraiser, which was organized by several high-profile Jewish Democrats. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the DNC chairwoman who is Jewish, will be in attendance.

The figure is no doubt being promoted in part to quell any notion that Obama is struggling with Jewish supporters because of his stance toward Israel. Some Republican supporters of Israel were unhappy with the president's speech last month outlining criteria for a Mideast peace process, and raised the specter that pro-Israel donors could bolt to support the GOP.