Web Extra
King Barack and Queen Michelle were crowned at the Obama prom fundraiser, “Oproma,” hosted by the GW College Democrats on Saturday night.
About 150 students ate, danced and socialized in the City View Room at in the Elliott School of International Affairs and watched senior James Jones and sophomore Jessica Gordon crowned Mr. and Mrs. Obama. The event raised money for campaign trips to battleground states in support of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama.
“We want to have a big impact on the campaign and want to raise as much money as possible,” said senior Cory Struble, president of the GW CDs.
Struble said he hopes the money raised at the prom will enable the organization to take two buses and 100 people to Ohio next weekend. Most of the remaining funds from $20 Oproma admission fee will also go toward programming and travel costs for CD trips to New Hampshire or Pennsylvania.
Although the event was scheduled to have an open bar, the CDs were restricted by cost and “would have gone bankrupt” had alcohol been provided, said Gordon, CD membership director.
Funds went to a meal of chicken fingers, cheese, chips, salsa and cookies. Condoms and Tic-Tacs were also prominently displayed in the room.
“They’re to protect yourself from John McCain and because we like safe sex,” said Gordon, a sophomore, of the condoms. “Safe sex is the way to go, but if you’re going to get pregnant we’d rather it be Democrats who get pregnant because they’ll make more Democrats.”
The CDs sent mail over the summer to 700 alumni and worked with mtvU and Amazon.com to encourage campaign contributions, but this event marked their first social fundraiser.
Other CD organizations have hosted debate and convention watch parties, but fundraisers are rare among University organizations.
“The event was designed to raise money for out-of-state trips. That’s the impression we’re trying to make,” said junior Eshawn Rawlley, who works in field offices for Barack Obama and serves as communication director for GW Students for Barack Obama “Very few presidents have won without winning Ohio. We’re going to states that could swing either way in this election.”
