LONDON -- A media tycoon named Murdoch is throwing a huge gala in support of Barack Obama's campaign for the Democratic nomination.
That would be television tycoon Elisabeth Murdoch, daughter of News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch. She's hosting a fundraiser for Obama later this month at her London home.
The invitation to the April 28 event at Murdoch's west London house lists Murdoch as one of eight "event chairs." The others include Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Warner Bros. U.K. managing director Josh Berger and U.S.-born chef Ruth Rogers.
The 20 "event hosts" include art collector Kay Saatchi, fund manager David Blood and Elizabeth Saltzman Walker, fashion director of Vanity Fair magazine.
Rupert Murdoch is a well-known conservative, and his New York Post newspaper was a longtime foe of the Clinton administration. Earlier this year, the Post endorsed Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.
News Corp. is one of the world's largest media empires, and owns the Times and Sun newspapers in Britain, British Sky Broadcasting and the Fox News Channel.
Elisabeth Murdoch, 39, is a former managing director of Sky Networks who left her father's company in 2000 to start her own television production company, Shine Ltd.
Obama Raises More Than $40M In March
Meanwhile, the Obama camp said it raised more than $40 million in March with the help of more than 218,000 new donors.
The amount is less than the record $55 million he raised in February, but still a sizable amount that sustains his place as the fundraising leader among all presidential candidates.
Clinton is expected to have raised about $20 million in March, but her campaign has not announced any totals. Details of its March fundraising will be made public in official reports filed with the Federal Election Commission April 20.
The Obama campaign reported having nearly 1.3 million donors overall -- a vast network of contributors that the campaign can tap for additional funds in the weeks and months to come.
Ashcroft Apologizes For Slip
Former Attorney General John Ashcroft spoke to a college crowd at Skidmore College in upstate New York on Wednesday, and drew some jeers for calling Obama "Osama."
After a 30 minute speech, Ashcroft fielded questions from the audience, and was talking about the USAPatriot Act, which he co-authored, when he referred to Obama using the same first name as the mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Video from the event showed Ashcroft quickly correcting himself, then hearing a negative reaction from the crowd and apologizing for the error. He had to wait a moment for the crowd to settle down before he could continue with his remarks.
"I did not mean that. I am sorry about that. I apologize," he said.
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Video: Obama: 'I Accept'
