Michelle Obama to fundraise in London

LONDON, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Michelle Obama plans a quick trip to London to raise money for the presidential campaign of her husband, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

Mrs. Obama is due to arrive in England Monday for a $100-per-person event at the Landmark Hotel, The Guardian reported. She will also attend a smaller event for people who have brought in a total of $23,000 in contributions.

Sen. Obama trails Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., in the polls. Even an endorsement from TV talk show star Oprah Winfrey has failed to inject much vigor to his campaign, the newspaper said.

The Guardian suggested that Mrs. Obama, in addition to raising money for the campaign, hopes to burnish his image. Many voters perceive Sen. Obama -- who is still in his early 40s and not yet halfway through his first Senate term -- as inexperienced.

"She will be talking about her husband as the person who knows him best, from her personal perspective, on his judgment, his experience, and his strength as a leader. After all, she has known him for 20 years, and she is going to talk about that consistency," her spokeswoman, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, told The Guardian.