Oprah's mansion bash for Obama sold out; $2,300-per-person fund- raiser in Santa Barbara on Sept. 8

WASHINGTON -- Some rank-and-file potential donors to a Septemberfund-raiser hosted by Oprah Winfrey for Democratic White Househopeful Sen. Barack Obama at her California estate are being toldthe event is sold out.

Meanwhile, in other California 2008 presidential contest news, aforum on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues will beattended by seven of the eight Democratic contenders on Aug. 9 inLos Angeles. Singer Melissa Etheridge will be among the questionersat the forum sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and LOGO, thenew channel with programming aimed at a gay and lesbian audience.

Some members of the Illinois senator's national finance committeehave been given a quota of only seven tickets (minus one forthemselves) for the $2,300-per-person Sept. 8 bash-for-cash atWinfrey's home in Santa Barbara.

There's a waiting list, but since there probably will be few no-shows at the glitzy Winfrey party, contributors are being steered toother, smaller Obama events. Before Winfrey's reception, Obama willvisit a Winfrey neighbor in Santa Barbara, Nancy Koppelman, aDemocratic and human rights activist, for a lunch for about 100donors.

The gay and lesbian forum will be the third time in one week mostof the Democratic contenders are on stage together. The major rivalsmeet in Chicago on Aug. 4 for the YearlyKos convention and return onAug. 7 for the AFL-CIO forum in Soldier Field before meeting in LosAngeles to discuss gay issues.

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