Barack Obama visits California today for, of course, more money

Fresh from the clear skies of Montana, Sen. Barack Obama arrives in California today for a $2,300-a-ticket fundraiser this evening at the San Francisco home of oil heir and philanthropists Gordon and Ann Getty.

One goal of Obama's California swing is to gather money from backers of former Democratic presidential candidate John  Edwards, who suspended his campaign several weeks ago. Burlingame trial attorney Joseph Cotchett is among the co-hosts of the Getty reception.

Others helping to organize the early evening event are San Francisco Dist. Atty. Kamala Harris, who's reportedly eyeing a run for state attorney general if Jerry Brown decides to leave that office to re-seek the governor's office, and former and perhaps future Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly.

Both of them are among Obama's original Golden State backers.

--Andrew Malcolm