President Barack Obama arriving at JFK this afternoon. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

President Barack Obama returned to the city this afternoon for a trio of star-studded fund-raising events.

Mr. Obama's first stop was the West Village home of movie producer Harvey Weinstein and his wife, fashion designer Georgina Chapman, where about 65 people paying between $16,200 and $20,000 gathered around tables draped in white linen to hear the president speak.

Among those spotted in the crowd: Justin Timberlake, decked out in trendy, black-rimmed glasses and slicked-back hair, his wife, actress Jessica Biel, and fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, according to pool reports.

In remarks to the group, the president talked about the Boston Marathon bombing and the West, Texas explosion, and how they had brought the nation together.

"Over the last three weeks, month, you know, the country's gone through some tough times," the president reportedly told the audience members, who were served parfait and finger sandwiches.

"Everybody has the same sense that we live in the greatest country on earth, that we've gone through some tough times, but we're resilient and we can overcome whatever challenges are thrown at us. And there's a desire to get outside of the constant squabbling and bickering and positioning and gamesmanship and get to the business of figuring out how do we make sure that the next generation does better than this generation," he reportedly said.

He also spoke about his second term and how his perspective had changed.

"You start thinking about history and start thinking in longer sweeps of time. And you start saying to yourself, the three-and-a-half years you’ve got is not a lot. More than anything, what I will be striving for over the next three-and-a-half years is to see if that spirit we saw in Boston and West Texas, if we can institutionalize that. If we can create a framework where everybody’s working together and moving this country forward," he reportedly said.

The president then headed to a second home, this time in TriBeCa, for a dinner hosted by Alexandra Stanton, a former advisory to ex-Gov. David Paterson, and her husband, Sam Natapoff. Approximately 60 guests paid between $16,200 and $20,000 to attend the event, a Democratic National Committee official said.

The president once again spoke about the recent events, but also spoke about the immigration bill, the escalating situation in Syria, the Middle East peace process, and his goal of "reinvigorating a sense of hope and possibility" for both Israel and the Palestinians.

"Deep down there is still this incredible appetite for peace," he reportedly told the group, while warning that the "window of opportunity is growing smaller by the day."

After dinner, Mr. Obama was set too head to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for a final event with Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, attended by approximately 140 guests paying between $7,500 and $32,400.

Rep. Steve Israel, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair, and Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair, are both expected to speak.

The president also caused his usual traffic chaos as his motorcade snaked through Manhattan, with residents and tourists snapping photos and shooting videos from behind police barricades.

(photo: chocolatepizza.com)

Long Island Congressman Steve Israel, last seen facing off with Rep. Jerry Nadler over whose Jewish deli was superior, has expanded his competitive food interests to pizza. And at a New York event this weekend for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Mr. Israel presented a chocolate-covered pizza to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to argue the Empire State's pizza is, in fact, better than her native California's.

"It was at the New York Issues Conference this weekend," an attendee told Politicker. "They had a running debate throughout the weekend between Nancy Pelosi and Chairman Israel whether New York wine or California wine was better. And at the end of the conference, at the final event, he said if he can't convince Pelosi that New York wine is better, at least he'll convince her that New York pizza is better."

Ms. Pelosi, it should be noted, is a big fan of chocolate and is known to enjoy “chocolate ice cream, chocolate bars, chocolate truffles, chocolate candy, chocolate cake, chocolate gelato and chocolate milkshakes." Nevertheless, New York-style pizza does not typically have chocolate.

Politico's Playbook, which first took notice of the chocolate pizza gift, reported the conference was attended by Vice President Biden and top DCCC officials as well.

Politicker's source at the event was unable to confirm if Ms. Pelosi actually ate the pizza.

"We could hardly sleep last night. Have you seen this poll?" the email begins before showing the Gallup numbers. 

The DCCC's email, which was ever-so-subtly, entitled, "NEW POLL (bad news)" goes on to frame this as a "critical moment in this campaign."

"We've got one month left until the election, and it's clearer than ever: we will win or lose based on turnout and how well we can respond to the Republican attacks on the air. Will you donate $3 or more to win a Democratic majority for President Obama?"

Gallup attributed the tightening poll numbers to Mr. Romney's debate performance. The president held four to six point leads in Gallup's tracking polls for the eight days before the debate and a separate Gallup poll conducted in the two days following the debate found "those who viewed the debate overwhelmingly believe Romney did a better job than Obama, 72 percent to 20 percent."

Though the folks at the DCCC are clearly nervous about the poll numbers, the Obama campaign seems decidedly calmer about the situation. On board Air Force One this afternoon, the president's campaign press secretary, Jen Psaki, discussed the tightening polls, particularly in the critical swing state of Ohio. Ms. Psaki claimed the Obama campaign never expected to hold on to the wide lead the president was enjoying prior to the debate.

"We've long said long before the debate that we expected the race to tighten and we don't expect that in the polls that showed us 10 points and even more points up in Ohio that that would be the final margin," she said.

Ms. Psaki also said she was confident voters in Ohio and elsewhere would eventually decide the president would be "a better fighter for them in the White House" than Mr. Romney.

"We know there are many other states that we're going to be competing in and fighting for every last vote," said Ms. Psaki. "But the decision-making--the issues that we were debating before the campaign and the choice between the candidates has not changed. And that's one of the reasons the President's message has been so consistent, not just before and after the debate but for months."

Footage from Gary DeLong's new video show the alleged "stalker" following him and his family. (Photo: YouTube)

Gary DeLong says he, his wife and his six year old daughter are being stalked by operatives working with his rival in a California House race. Mr. DeLong released a web video today documenting what he says is his family being tailed through the streets by "a tracker" sent by his Democratic opponent in California's 47th Congressional District, Alan Lowenthal. Footage in Mr. DeLong's ad shows him walking around Long Beach's annual Greek Festival with his wife and child while being closely followed by a young, blonde woman wielding a video camera.

"The lady following Gary? That's not his videographer," text explains in Mr. Delong's video. "Unfortunately Lowenthal and his party bosses felt it necessary to intrude on Gary's quality family time by sending a tracker to record his every move."

Mr. DeLong is a Republican member of the City Council in Long Beach. Mr. Lowenthal is a Democratic California State Senator. Republicans around the country have complained that Democratic House candidates backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have become overly aggressive in their use of "trackers" this election cycle.

"Trackers" are operatives who follow candidates to obtain damaging video footage. They have long been a part of political campaigns, but in recent months, Republicans have accused the DCCC of crossing the line with round-the-clock tracking and filming of candidates' homes that some have described as a safety risk.

Mr. DeLong told Politicker the Greek Festival was the first time he believes he was tracked by the Lowenthal campaign. Though he was initially unfazed by the tracker, but decided to publicize the footage after seeing how other people reacted to the story of his experience with "the stalker."

"It didn't get to me that much, but we saw a lot of people who found it repugnant that that's what my opponent feels he needs to do to win elections," Mr. DeLong explained. "Whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, people are looking for the problems to be solved. When you're doing this kind of stuff, it's not about solving problems. It's disgusting and just inappropriate for 2012."

Though he doesn't know the name of his "stalker," Mr. DeLong said he has seen her several times since the Greek Festival, which occurred on Labor Day weekend.

"That was the first time, but I've seen her many times since. She gets right in your face. She doesn't do it from fifteen feet away. You're talking to your wife and she's just two feet away," said Mr. DeLong.

We reached out to Mr. Lowenthal to inquire about the stalking allegation. As of this writing, we have yet to receive a response.

Watch Mr. DeLong's video about his "stalker" below.

James Carville (Photo: Getty)

Democratic political consultant James Carville warned Democrats to expect a tough presidential race in a fundraising email entitled "nightmare" that he wrote on behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Mr. Carville, a television pundit and key strategist on President Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign blamed his nightmare scenario on a "plot to buy the election" enacted by the Koch brothers, "big-oil" billionaires and Republican super PACs.

"I want to tell you that President Obama has a second term in the bag. I want to tell you that the Koch Brothers are giving up their plot to buy the election," Mr. Carville wrote. "But here’s where things really stand: We’re gonna have to go through hell and high-water to win this damn thing It’s gonna be hard. Every big-oil billionaire and Republican Super PAC is throwing the kitchen sink at President Obama."

Mr. Carville also warned Democrats "if we don’t fight back, it’ll be over long before November" and promised that "every dollar" raised will "go straight to the front lines" to "back up President Obama with a Democratic majority" as well as "organizers on the ground and ads on the air hitting Republicans."

Read Mr. Carville's full email below:

"From: James Carville dccc@dccc.org 

To: XXXXXX

Subject: nightmare

XXXXX--

I wish I had good news for you.

I want to tell you that President Obama has a second term in the bag. I want to tell you that the Koch Brothers are giving up their plot to buy the election.

But here’s where things really stand: We’re gonna have to go through hell and high-water to win this damn thing. It’s gonna be hard. Every big-oil billionaire and Republican Super PAC is throwing the kitchen sink at President Obama.

If we don’t fight back, it’ll be over long before November.

Contribute $3 or more to back up President Obama with a Democratic majority. Get your donation in today and it'll get matched >>

Every dollar we can muster will go straight to the front lines -- organizers on the ground and ads on the air hitting Republicans where it hurts.

If you’re with us, then give what you can today:

http://dccc.org/Now-Or-Never

C’mon now!

James"

(Photo: Facebook)

Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, fresh off his dominating June 26th primary victory for Congressman Ed Towns' seat, looks like he's already set to be a player down in Washington D.C.

For one, Mr. Jeffries has been named a "Majority Maker" by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a title that carries the expectation of raising campaign cash for Democrats in competitive districts. And, as POLITICO reported it, "Those who participate might get plum committee assignments or general gratitude from important friends when they arrive on Capitol Hill."

"I plan to recruit volunteers, raise money for Democratic candidates and campaign in districts where that would be helpful to secure a Democratic majority," Mr. Jeffries explained to us yesterday evening. "The people in the 8th Congressional District will benefit if the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives. The agenda advanced by radical Republicans is hurtful."

And he's already been put to work. He recently penned an op-ed for Politics365, a news site aimed at communities of color, urging readers to not only support President  Barack Obama, but to pay attention to downballot congressional races as well.

"Log onto www.HavehisBack.com and pledge that you will vote for President Obama and Democratic candidates for Congress this November," Mr. Jeffries wrote to conclude his piece. "The President has done everything to look out for us. Now it’s time for us to look out for him."

Mr. Jeffries is technically still running for his first term in an overwhelmingly Democratic district, but as the party's nominee, he's guaranteed to cruise to victory, barring some sort of exceptional natural disaster.

The candidate insists he's taking the general election seriously, however, and told us that he's a "good multi-tasker" as he begins to look nationally as well.

A Macau casino. (Photo: Getty)

It looks like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will probably win the award for the most creative press release title this week.

"Foreign Chinese prostitution money is allegedly behind the groups funding Congressman Michael Grimm’s (NY-11) Republican Majority," a statement sent out by the organization began.

The press release, sent out earlier this afternoon, proceeded to a fairly generic attack that has nothing specifically to do with Mr. Grimm: Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is investing a lot of money into Republican efforts, Mr. Grimm is a Republican and Mr. Adelson allegedly approved of prostitution at his casinos in the Macau province of China.

The Politicker undoubtedly received the statement about the Staten Island congressman because we are based in New York City. Our colleagues around the country are likely enjoying similar Chinese prostitution proclamations about other GOP incumbents occupying districts targeted by the DCCC this year.

"It’s past time for Congressman Grimm to reject the support of these groups funded by foreign money from a Chinese prostitution strategy,” Jesse Ferguson, a spokesperson for the group, declared.

And there you go.

The DCCC wants to know what Sebastian knows and when he knew it. (Photo: Human Society)

Yesterday, Congressman Michael Grimm declared his love for his pooch Sebastian and encouraged his entire staff to bring their dogs to his Washington D.C. and district offices for Take Your Dog To Work Day, a fairly innocent and non-threatening endeavor. Nevertheless, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, always aggressively eager to highlight the serious fundraising allegations leveled against Mr. Grimm, has done it again and seized upon Mr. Grimm's puppy love to push their message.

"Congressman Grimm’s latest excuse not to talk about his legal and ethical problems?"  the DCCC proclaimed in a statement this morning, pumping up the news of the continuing FBI investigation. "He is too busy playing with his puppy, trying to lighten the mood of staffers worried about impending interviews with the FBI."

Josh Schwerin, a regional spokesman for the Democratic organization, proceeded to hypothesize on whether Sebastian was among those questioned by federal investigators.

“Today Congressman Grimm is taking time off from throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars at his legal team to pretend the world is all puppies and rainbows,” he mused. “Unfortunately for Staten Island voters, Congressman Grimm’s record of voting to drastically cut Medicare is not nearly so sunny and will last long after the FBI finishes its investigation. Today’s event does raise one new question, has the FBI interviewed Congressman Grimm’s teacup yorkie yet?”

For his part, Mr. Grimm has discussed the fundraising allegations multiple times in previous months, and in a statement provided by his lawyer earlier this week, declared the ongoing FBI inquiry as unsurprising as he had brought the allegations to federal agencies himself when they first emerged.

"I look forward to a speedy resolution and am confident that I will be fully vindicated," he said.

George Pataki (Photo: Getty)

In a fundraising solicitation for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee yesterday evening, Rep. Joe Crowley opened the request by declaring, "Every New Yorker should know about this."

What does every New Yorker need to know about? Why it's a Wall Street Journal report of former Governor George Pataki opening up a Super PAC to impact New York's Congressional races.

"The new Republican Super PAC is named 'Tipping Point,' which is ironic considering these New York House races could be the tipping point that throws Republicans out of the Majority," wrote Mr. Crowley.

(Mr. Pataki may have been considering New York's importance in losing/keeping the Republican majority himself when he named it.)

One of the email's chief complaints is where the new Super PAC will be doing it's fundraising. Mr. Pataki told the Wall Street Journal he would be soliciting small and large contributions, and billionaire John Catsimatidis, who told the publication he hadn't spoken to Mr. Pataki about the endeavor, indicated he would support the PAC if asked.

Mr. Crowley, the finance chairman at the DCCC, understandably wants to turn Mr. John Catsimatidis' potential support for "Tipping Point" into a fundraising mechanism for his own organization and framed the issue as one of transparency against "secret billionaire donors."

"They may have secret billionaire donors but we have grassroots supporters from Buffalo to the Bronx ready to take the fight to the Republicans, demonstrated by the fact that 90% of our contributions from New Yorkers are $100 or less," he wrote, implying, of course, that the email's recipient should join the cause.

View the full text below:

Colin --

Every New Yorker should know about this.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that former Governor Pataki just launched a billionaire-backed Super PAC to defeat New York Democrats. That means New York’s airwaves will be filled with smears and dishonest attacks from Republicans desperate to save Speaker John Boehner and Republican Leader Eric Cantor’s House Majority.

We have to fight back with the facts.

Will you help us reach 2,012 New Yorkers standing with Democrats nationwide in 2012?

Donate $3 or more right now to stand with Democrats in New York and across the country against Republicans’ Super PAC attacks >>

The new Republican Super PAC is named “Tipping Point,” which is ironic considering these New York House races could be the tipping point that throws Republicans out of the Majority.

The math is clear: The fight for the House goes straight through New York. They may have secret billionaire donors but we have grassroots supporters from Buffalo to the Bronx ready to take the fight to the Republicans, demonstrated by the fact that 90% of our contributions from New Yorkers are $100 or less.

Let’s stand together to call out Republicans’ attacks on Medicare, seniors, and women and stop more tax cuts for billionaires like Donald Trump.

http://dccc.org/NY-2012

Thanks,

Joe

The DCCC used the presidential primary coming to New York later this month to highlight a possible fallout between Mitt Romney and Mr. Grimm following allegations of illegal fundraising to create a poster similar to the movie He's Just Not That Into You.

“Congressman Grimm is ‘persona non grata’ in the Romney campaign," Josh Schwerin, a spokesman for the DCCC, said. "Yet he refuses to accept that while he is head-over-heels for Mitt Romney ... the feeling just isn’t mutual.”

Mr. Grimm has fiercely denied these charges, and despite a few weeks of bad headlines at the start of the year, no new substantive developments have occurred and his reelection campaign has mostly been focused on a regular rollout of labor and party endorsements.

Nevertheless, it's obviously to the DCCC's advantage to continually remind everyone of the initial allegations, which they've been attempting to do steadily. This isn't even the first time they've PhotoShopped him on a poster.

"Now that the campaign has entered Congressman Grimm’s backyard and is still not allowing him to represent Romney ahead of the April 24th primary, will Grimm finally admit that his party’s standard bearer wants nothing to do with him and his multitude of scandals?" Mr. Schwerin asked at the end of today's statement.

Mr. Grimm will face off against Democrat Mark Murphy in November.