Obama inspires Democrats across U.S.

CHICAGO -- Democrat Barack Obama may soon be coming to a town near you -- whether you're in Illinois or anywhere else in the country.\nSince giving the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July, the U.S. Senate candidate from Illinois has become a sought-after commodity at national party functions and fund-raisers. With polls showing him well ahead in his race against Republican Alan Keyes, the young, Harvard-educated state senator is using his star status to lend a hand to other Democrats.\nOn Monday alone, Obama is scheduled to jet to Baltimore for his own fund-raiser, then head to Philadelphia to raise money for other Democrats and headline a voter registration rally. Weather permitting, he'll end the day in Miami at another get-out-the-vote event.\n"Since the day he got in race, even in the primary, he has proven to be an inspiring candidate," said Cara Morris, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "Since March, he has only proven to be one of the most formidable Democratic fund-raisers in the country."\nObama had raised $9.8 million as of June 30, before his convention speech. His campaign did not provide more recent figures.\nFor a state legislator in his first big national race, Obama has been sorting through an atypical number of invitations to headline events outside of his home state. Either he or Keyes will become the nation's only black senator, giving the race instant buzz.\nRecent polls have shown Obama leading Keyes by more than 40 percentage points in the race for the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald.\nObama calls the hype surrounding his candidacy "a little overblown." But he says he's not opposed to using that hype as a draw at events that might help Democrats take the Senate on Nov. 2.\n"I'm doing it because I've served in the majority and the minority in the Legislature, and it's a lot more fun serving in the majority," Obama said. "So I want to help in any way that I can to make sure that we've got a Democratically controlled Senate."\nObama recently joined a fund-raising committee, called America's Hope for a Majority, with two other Democratic candidates in tight races that could tip the balance of the Senate. Those candidates -- Ken Salazar in Colorado and Betty Castor in Florida -- will appear Monday with Obama in Philadelphia.\n"His status is helpful," said Castor spokesman Matt Burgess. "He has been helpful to our campaign and other campaigns as well."\nIt's not hard to get people excited about coming to an Obama event, said U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Cummings is hosting Monday's Baltimore fund-raiser for Obama.\n"It's probably the easiest fund-raiser I've ever done," Cummings said. "I've got people calling me and asking me, 'Can we contribute?'"\nJust this month, Obama has helped the DSCC raise money in New York and Chicago. He's also made his own fund-raising trips to Los Angeles, Alabama and Martha's Vineyard in recent weeks.\nKeyes, a two-time presidential candidate from Maryland who was drafted by Republicans after their primary winner dropped out amid a sex scandal, criticizes Obama's frequent out-of-state appearances.\n"He thinks the people of the state are just his stepping stone for other ambitions," said Keyes, who has been campaigning across the central and southern parts of Illinois.\nObama said his time spent campaigning across Illinois far outweighs his trips out of state, and his job in the Senate would be to work for Illinois. But it can't hurt that he's gaining national recognition and a few IOUs, he said.\n"Should we finish the job here in this campaign and I win the election, I think that I will have a higher profile than the average junior senator, and I think that can be beneficial in terms of leveraging issues and resources for the state," Obama said.