Oprah says women could "midwife" election for Obama

The main goal of the fundraiser for Barack Obama was to build a network of women to help the Democratic presidential candidate through the final weeks of his campaign. But at the high-priced, crowded forum on women's issues in a downtown Chicago hotel, it was Oprah Winfrey who rocked the house.

Though the media mogul's remarks were closed to non-fundraisers, several attendees took notes and relayed her remarks Friday afternoon.

Women would "midwife" the election, Winfrey told the crowd. Obama is "a leader [who] has risen up among us," said Chicago attorney Mina Mehta, quoting Winfrey, who also said Obama supporters were in the last 6 miles of a marathon.

"It really was motivating," Mehta said. "Very inspiring."

Hundreds of professional women — the Obama campaign said it was more than a thousand — paid $1,000 to $28,000 for seats in the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers ballroom to hear speeches by Winfrey, Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, Obama's wife, Michelle, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

Attendees included John Rogers, CEO of Ariel Capital Management LLC, Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel and senior Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett ("We're in the home stretch," she told reporters before disappearing inside). Barack Obama was to address the group Saturday.

Biden talked about the working class, opportunity and health care. He invoked his recent vice presidential debate with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin—"at least I think it was a debate," Biden said to laughter — and discussed squaring off on women's issues against a woman.

"Being a woman is not the same as being there for women—they are two different things," Biden said. This crowd cheered. Biden vowed he and Obama would carry forward their issues.

"Talk to your friends and your neighbors and your colleagues," Michelle Obama urged in her address. "Sit down with your mothers and your fathers and your sisters and your girlfriends and tell them about the issues at stake in this election." via