President Obama and his campaign made a desperate last minute push to close the July books on the highest note possible, resorting to a seemingly endless series of gimmicks and pleadings to prod supporters to contribute.

The Obama campaign long ago abandoned hope that it could raise $1 billion, and probably won’t make its downgraded goal of $750 million either. It was outraised by the Romney campaign for the previous two months, and may well get trounced again in July.

Obama staged a desperate race around the country during July to raise money, with the final days of the month including a last minute dash out to the ritzy Virginia suburbs and then a special trip on Air Force One to collect $40,000 a head from the One Percent at a swank New York City fundraiser.

But Obama’s personal touch was accompanied by a series of sometime bizarre tactics to get backers to part with their cash before midnight July 31.

Among the oddest was a demand for booze money dispatched via Twitter.