Major Hillraiser, Chile Amb. Guerra-Mondragon is now Hot for Obama

From NBC's Chuck Todd
One of the things that both Dem campaigns are always nervous about is defectors. In particular, Clinton is more vulnerable to this problem since she's the candidate that is trailing. Well, NBC News has learned that a major fundraiser for Hillary Clinton, former Amb. to Chile Gabriel Guerra-Mondragon is leaving the campaign to join up Barack Obama's campaign. Officially dubbed a "Hillraiser," Guerra-Mondragon raised nearly $500,000 for Clinton's campaign, according to some estimates. He has been informing people inside Clintonworld this week in what's been described as some tough conversations. A formal announcement of a role for Guerra-Mondragon on Obama's national finance committee will be made next week.  Guerra-Mondragon was appointed Amb. to Chile by Pres. Clinton in '94 and served until '98.

They’re called “Hillraisers”…the people who raise the big bucks for Hillary Clinton’s campaign. And based on recurring reports of money problems–unpaid bills, personal loans from the candidate, etc.–she can ill afford to lose any of them.

But NBC news was the first to report that Gabriel Guerra-Mondragon who has raised an estimated $500,000 for Senator Clinton is leaving to join Barack Obama’s campaign as a member of his national finance committee. A formal announcement is expected this week. Guerra-Mondragon has reportedly become concerned about the increasingly negative tone of Clinton’s campaign.

He is a former ambassador to Chile who was appointed by President Clinton in 1994 and joins a growing list of Clinton people who don’t like what they see in Hillary’s campaign. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and former labor secretary Robert Reich both are supporting Obama.

It’s interesting to note that no one is leaving Obama’s campaign to join Clinton.