Only this time, Barack Obama will be a little less subtle about his purposes.  On the second day of the Republican Convention, Obama will do some low-key fundraising … among Hollywood heavyweights … in Geneva, Switzerland.  George Clooney will arrange for a $1,000 a plate reception, but that’s just the appetizer:

Academy award winning actor George Clooney is set to host a fundraiser for Barack Obama in Switzerland next month.

The event, taking place on the evening of September 2 in Geneva, Switzerland will be split into two parts: a reception and a dinner. According to Obama’s National Finance Committee, tickets for the reception where Clooney will speak are going for $1,000, followed by a dinner at the home of NFC member Charles Adams for $10,000 a plate. Space for the dinner is limited to 75 guests.

Let’s hope that Obama remembers to say “merci, beaucoup” as they pass along the checks.  Otherwise we’d be totally embarrassed to have him traveling abroad.

Maybe during the convention, the Republicans can dedicate a large-screen monitor at the Xcel Center to keep track of Obama’s second European jaunt of the campaign.  They could call it, “Where In The World Is Barack Obama?”  The show could track him through the summer houses of the rich and famous Americans who can afford to own villas overseas, and put dollar signs up on a map wherever he stops off for some foie gras.

Shouldn’t Obama be campaigning in, say, America after the convention?  If he’s that hard up for campaign cash, maybe he shouldn’t have broken his promise to stay within the public-finance system for the election.

Update: Hugh Hewitt and Duane Patterson wonder how long it will take before Switzerland goes under the bus.  Hugh says three days, and Duane a week.   I’m betting it will take longer than that.  The Adams dinner alone will raise $750,000, and the Clooney reception could push that close to a million bucks.  That would make it a very expensive road bump.