The Obama campaign has invited several celebrities speak at events across the country, including Oprah Winfrey, John Legend, Usher, and Chris Rock. But today actor Robert DeNiro surprised supporters and members of the press alike by appearing on stage to help introduce Senator Barack Obama at a rally in Newark, NJ.

The campaign didn’t event hint there would be an A-list Hollywood actor alongside Senators Kennedy and Obama at the home of the New Jersey Nets. The reason per traveling press secretary, Jen Psaki - celebrity appearances aren’t always certain and should the actor have had a change of plans, bad press might have followed.

The normally politically inactive actor made the trek across the Hudson River from his home in New York City to explain why he was speaking out on behalf of Obama. “I’m here because finally one person has inspired me, one person has given me hope, one person has made me believe that we can make a change - that person is Barack Obama.”

DeNiro began his remarks by mocking Hillary Clinton’s argument that Obama doesn’t have enough experience to be president. “Barack Obama does not have the experience to be President of the United States and I can prove that. Remember, he wasn’t experienced enough to vote to authorize the invasion of Iraq,” he said sarcastically. “Instead, even then he voted against the war he said would lead to a war of undetermined length and undetermined costs and undetermined consequences. He just didn’t get it!” DeNiro said as the crowd laughed in response.

“You know, that’s the kind of inexperience I can get used to. That’s the kind of inexperience our country deserves. But if this election were just to be decided on the quantity of experience, Dick Cheney would be our next president. I prefer the quality of Barack Obama’s experience,” DeNiro said to applause.

DeNiro watched Obama’s speech behind security barricades and did not talk to the press corps about his decision. Watch it here:

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Over the course of the last two days, a slew of polls were released showing Sen. John McCain nearly tied with or now edging out Rudy Giuliani in Feb 5 primary states the former NYC mayor’s campaign had considered guaranteed winners (New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware.)

Additionally, the  McCain campaign has issued the following press releases in the last two days:

01.23.08         Delaware Leaders Join Supporters Of John McCain
01.22.08         John McCain Announces Connecticut Leadership Team
01.22.08         John McCain 2008 Announces New York Leadership Team
01.22.08         John McCain 2008 Announces New Jersey Leadership Team
01.22.08         Connecticut State Senator Anthony Guglielmo Endorses John McCain For President
01.22.08         John McCain 2008 Announces New Jersey Legislative Endorsements
01.22.08         Senator Alfonse D’Amato Endorses John McCain For President

Message to Rudy:  McCain is ready for battle on your home turf on February 5th.

Money is still pouring into the Obama campaign - despite the candidate’s New Hampshire loss. According to campaign manager David Plouffe, the campaign has raised $500,000 online since midnight. This is in addition to the $8 million the Obama campaign has raised so far this 8-day long year.

The candidate also hit Boston and New York today for a pair of fundraisers - according to Communications Director Robert Gibbs, the campaign had to cut off admission at the high dollar New York event because there were too many interested attendees.

Senator Obama hit February 5th (aka Tsunami Tuesday) state New Jersey today in between his two East Coast fundraisers, where he was greeted by a couple thousand voters inside the gymnasium at Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City. There were long lines of people who were turned away when the gym hit capacity - Obama told the crowd that some 2,000 were not able to get into the door.

The loud crowd treated the second place New Hampshire finisher with a hero’s welcome. Obama made the best of the disappointing loss. “I have to tell you that one of the useful things - and I told this to my staff yesterday - about yesterday was it reminds us that change isn’t easy,” he told the New Jersey crowd. “Change is always met by resistance by the status quo.” A young man in the crowd bellowed out, “Hillary Clinton is the status quo!”

Obama continued, “You know, there are people who are in power who don’t want to give it up. There are folks who are making money on the way things are working right now. It doesn’t make them bad people - it just means they don’t want a change.”