$10,000 asking price for photo with Michelle Obama at fundraiser

When First Lady Michelle Obama comes home to Chicago on Oct. 25, a group photo with her at a campaign fundraiser won’t come cheap.

The asking price for a ticket to a “family photo reception” is $10,000, according to an invitation to the event. The invitation specifies that there may be a maximum of six guests in the photo.

The first lady is visiting Chicago to attend a summit with Mayor Rahm Emanuel on the problem of food deserts, areas that lack access to nutritious foods. While in town, she will mix those official duties with passing the plate to benefit her husband’s reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

More details about the summit will be released Wednesday, said Kristina Schake, Obama’s communications director.

Obama will be guest of honor at a 5 p.m. fundraiser at the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers union hall, 1340 W. Washington Blvd., according to an invitation for the event.

Admission to the Near West Side event is $100, $500, $1,000, $7,500 or $10,000, the invitation said.

The $100 sum is being solicited by Gen44, which stands for Generation44, described as the “official under-40 fundraising program of Obama for America comprised of the next generation of leaders, young entrepreneurs, social innovators and activists.”

Her Chicago fundraiser will follow one Tuesday at a Detroit hotel, where the asking prices are $250, $2,500 and $10,000, according to an invitation to that event.

Two days later, another Obama fundraising event will take place on Chicago’s North Shore: Billionaire Warren Buffett, who has been attending dinner parties on behalf of the campaign, will appear Oct. 27 at the home of Byron and Tina Trott in Winnetka, according to information the Obama campaign sent to its top fundraisers. Neither the president nor first lady will attend.

The dinner is $35,800 per couple. “Warren will sit at every table and then participate in a Q&A session following,” an email to top fundraisers said.

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