Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is scheduled to be in Minneapolis Wednesday for a high-bucks private fundraiser. No public appearances were scheduled.
The event, at the Minneapolis Hilton, is to begin at 4:30 p.m. for a photo reception with a general reception scheduled for 5 p.m.
The cost is $1,000 for the general reception and $5,000 to have a photo taken with Obama. It is $28,500 to have dinner with the Illinois senator, according to Minnesota Obama campaign spokesman Nick Kimball.
Obama was one of the topics for Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Tuesday, during a conference call with reporters. Pawlenty spread the energy policy message of presumptive GOP nominee John McCain and tried to cast doubt on Obama's recent decision to support a limited offshore drilling plan if it would help pass a long-term energy bill. "It's unclear what his commitment really is to offshore drilling," Pawlenty said. "I question that it would ever occur."
Pawlenty, rumored to be on McCain's short list of possible running mates, acknowledged that he differs from the Arizona senator on ethanol, which McCain is opposed to subsidizing.
Pawlenty also said, "conservation can help at the margins, but it isn't going to fundamentally solve the [energy] problem."
Kimball responded that Obama has worked to forge a bipartisan compromise on energy that McCain rejected. "Senator Obama's comprehensive energy plan will help Americans cope with the energy crisis in the short term by providing an immediate $1,000-per-family rebate, and will make the long-term investments we need to break our addiction to oil," he said.
MARK BRUNSWICK AND PAT DOYLE