Opinion: At John McCain’s fundraiser tonight, a pin can be had for $2,300

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Once upon a time, not all Republicans loved John McCain. One, cited in a 2001 New York Times story, was a fellow Arizona resident named Jack Londen.

‘’I’m so disappointed that John McCain was elected as a Reagan Republican but is acting like some kind of Democrat,’’ Londen was quoted as saying. ‘’He fell in love with seeing his name in headlines with the Eastern liberal press.’’

And what is Londen doing tonight? Opening his Phoenix-area home to McCain for a fundraiser headlined by President Bush.

Londen, no doubt busy making arrangements for the event, could not be reached for comment on his change of heart.

But the get-together he’s hosting attracted an extra dose of attention because of a late change of plans. Originally, the fundraiser was to be held at the Phoenix Convention Center (which is a bit bigger than Londen’s home), and pesky reporters wanted to know why it had been moved.

Some speculated McCain did not want to be photographed with the unpopular president, even as he received the benefit of Bush as a draw for the....

... Republican faithful, among whom he remains popular. Others had a different take.

‘We believe that they canceled the fundraiser at the convention center and changed the venue to a house party because of poor ticket sales,’ said Dana Marie Kennedy, spokeswoman for the Arizona AFL-CIO.

Not at all the case, according to McCain spokesman Brian Rogers. He said the campaign ‘has a policy that fundraising events are closed press. To keep consistent with that policy, the campaign requested the event be moved to a private home. It’s as simple as that.’

Of course, that doesn’t explain how the event got planned for the convention center in the first place. Mere details.

For a mere $2,300 check to the McCain campaign itself, attendees can receive a lapel pin promoting his candidacy.

But the Republican National Committee, which can accept much larger sums than individual candidates, is soliciting checks for as much as $140,200 from couples.

Ultimately, much of the money donated to the committee will be spent to help McCain, who trails Barack Obama badly in contributions that go directly into coffers that each candidate controls.

With the president’s help, by contrast, the RNC has been much more successful than the Democratic National Committee in raking in the cash.

According to the RNC, Bush has held 19 fundraisers for the GOP in the first four months of this year, raising $36.6 million.

From Arizona, the president travels to Mitt Romney’s spread outside Park City, Utah, where he will be the featured guest at another fundraiser benefiting the RNC.

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo Credit: AP