Obama celebrates 50th birthday with Chicago fundraiser

President Barack Obama returned to his hometown of Chicago Wednesday, to raise money for the 2012 presidential campaign and to attend an early celebration of his 50th birthday, which is today.

About 2,400 supporters paid $50 to more than $35,000 for tickets. About a hundred supporters dined with the President after the concert at the historic Aragon Ballroom.

The dinner featured jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock and singer Jennifer Hudson who led the group in singing “Happy Birthday” to Mr. Obama.

Before the President addressed the in-house group, he spoke via video link-up to supporters at more than a thousand house parties coast to coast.

Making reference to the just-ended, weeks-long, bruising battle with Republicans over the debt ceiling, the President said, “I hope we can avoid another self-inflicted wound like we just saw over the last couple of weeks. We don’t have time to play these partisan games. We’ve got too much work to do … It is going to continue to be challenging every step of the way.”

Mr. Obama then told the supporters at the house parties around the country to begin working on his re-election. In his words, “It starts now.”