Rivals to raise money together for Democratic Party

By Brian C. Mooney, Globe Staff

Despite all the acrimony in the Democratic presidential race, leading fund-raisers for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton plan to join forces for a dinner tonight in Boston to benefit the national party.

Steve Grossman, who is supporting Clinton, and Alan Solomont, who is backing Obama, are to co-host the event KO Prime in Boston. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is the scheduled featured guest.

Grossman, a former national party chairman, and Solomont, a former national fund-raising chairman, are close friends but this is not the first time they are on opposing sides in a primary campaign. In 2004, Grossman was national co-chairman of Dean's campaign for president, while Solomont raised millions for Senator John F. Kerry.

At the same time tonight about 10 blocks away at the Westin Copley Place hotel, former president Bill Clinton is to headline a $500-a-person fund-raiser for his wife's campaign.