Oprah Winfrey plans to hold a Sept. 8 fundraiser for Democratic hopeful Barack Obama at her palatial estate near Santa Barbara, Calif., according to campaign spokesman Dan Pfeiffer.Obama has raised more than $58 million for his White House bid. Forbes magazine estimates that Winfrey, the Chicago-based host who boasts a lot more, including a magazine, is worth $1.5 billion.
Obama already enjoys the support of Hollywood moguls like David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Winfrey’s fundraiser is another chance for him to tap into money in California, which was his top donor state from April through June with a total take of $4.2 million.
Winfrey is a well-known fan of Obama, calling him “my favorite guy” and “my choice” on CNN’s “Larry King Live” last year before he announced he would run for president.“