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Chicago hedge fund manager switches from 2008 Obama fan to Romney backer
Four years ago, hedge fund manager Ken Griffin was impressed enough with Barack Obama that he invited him to speak to his employees and helped raise $50,000 to $100,000 for his presidential run. Griffin also hedged his bets by raising a similar amount for Republican John McCain.
But this year, Griffin — ranked by Forbes as Chicago’s fifth-richest man — and his wife Anne, a French-born hedge fund manager herself, are all in with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, telling friends and interviewers they think Romney will better manage the economy.
They co-sponsored a $3.3 million fund-raiser on Obama’s home turf at the Pump Room Thursday night and have emerged as among the nation’s most generous donors to pro-Romney or anti-Obama SuperPACs.
“There are a number of Barack Obama fund-raiser types from four years ago that have come over now to help with Mitt Romney,” Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford said outside the Pump Room fund-raiser for Romney Thursday. “We’ve had time to see what an Obama White House would be, and it’s not quite what some people thought it would be. People see Romney and say, ‘Here’s a businessman who’s got experience’ … I think we’re finding a number of people willing to pony up.”
cfm990
June 16th, 2012
Seems Obama is getting the, John Kerry treatment.
They voted for you, before they voted against you. Kinda sucks, doesn’t it ? Wa Waaa!
reddecaesari
June 16th, 2012
screw you ken and anne.
you were the problem in 2008.
bitterclinger
June 16th, 2012
It’s unreal to think that someone who has made so much money was stupid enough to vote for Jug Ears Ocommie in the first place.
scr_north
June 16th, 2012
Well, here’s hoping there’s more of that in the coming weeks. Also, now is the time to start watching where Obama’s internet money is coming from and whether they turned off the fraud detecting software on the website they use to collect credit card donations. I’d hate to see Mickey Mouse donating again this cycle.
xthred
June 16th, 2012
Because they’re the same. Check out Barnhardt’s vid.
Maudie N Mandeville
June 16th, 2012
This is actually not very impressive. If I were Romney, I’d take the cash, but keep them at arms distance. What are their values next season?
AbigailAdams
June 16th, 2012
What a disgustingly racist thing for them to do!