Obama's Hollywood Fundraiser Nets $9M
Britain's Princes Beatrice passes along The Mall for a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral as part of Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee celebrations, London, Tuesday June 5, 2012. Queen Elizabeth II will make a rare address to the nation at the conclusion of festivities marking her 60 years on the throne. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi) / Tom Hevezi
Barack Obama partied with Hollywood celebrities Tuesday night and with the help of Oscar-winning singer and actress Barbra Streisand raised an eye-popping $9 million for his presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.
The night was split into two glitzy events, a reception and dinner costing $28,500 each at the Greystone Mansion, followed by entertainment by Streisand at the nearby Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. About 250-300 people were expected at the dinner and about 800 at the entertainment, which cost $2,500 a ticket.
Dinner guests seen by reporters, or noted by waiters, included Will Ferrell, Jodie Foster, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Lee Curtis and DreamWorks founders Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Obama took a subdued approach at the fundraisers, reports CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic. "This should be a celebratory evening, we've got 48 days to go in a campaign, a campaign that started 19 months ago, at a time when a lot of folks thought we might not get here," Obama said at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel but he added, "I'm not in a celebratory mood." (Read more of Gavrilovic's report.)
Obama spent more than an hour before dinner getting his picture taken with guests. He said later that people had encouraged him to be tougher and had questioned why he was so calm in a close race against Republican John McCain.
"I'm skinny but I'm tough," he said. "I'm from Chicago and we don't play. Just keep steady."
"If we can cut through the nonsense and the lipstick and the pigs and the silliness, then I'm absolutely convinced that we are going to win," Obama said, referring to some of the offbeat charges raised against him.
"The reason I'm calm ... is I've got confidence in the American people," he said. "I really think they want to see us do better." Standing in the courtyard of the palatial estate, he said his campaign was dedicated to people who need jobs and health care and worry about their pensions and sending children to college.
"It's about those who will never see the inside of a building like this," Obama said.
He said the economic turmoil in recent days had been sobering for America. "It's reminded people that this is not a game. This is not a reality show, no offense to any of you," Obama said to laughter. "This is not a sitcom."
It was a day of contrasts for Obama. Earlier in the day, the Democratic presidential candidate spoke about the public's deepening economic anxieties and portrayed McCain as out of touch with the needs of hardworking people.
Then he flew to California for a night of hobnobbing with Hollywood notables.
McCain groused about Obama mixing it up with celebrities. He told a rally in Vienna, Ohio on Tuesday that Obama "talks about siding with the people, siding with the people just before he flies off to Hollywood for a fundraiser with Barbra Streisand and his celebrity friends. Let me tell you my friends, there's no place I'd rather be than here with the working men and women of Ohio."
A night earlier, McCain was with deep-pocketed donors in Florida and raised $5 million, a fact noted by Obama's campaign.
"I don't know who showed up down in Florida where he raised $5 million but my guess is that it wasn't a lot of nurses, firefighters and police officers," Obama's senior strategist, David Axelrod, told reporters. "The whole corporate lobbying community is rallying to his side. We're going to have to struggle to keep pace. You can't challenge that group and not expect them to have a lot of money."
While the final total was not determined, Obama's campaign did not dispute estimates that the twin events would bring in $9 million for Obama and the Democratic Party. That would be his second-biggest, fundraising day. Obama received $10 million from online donors the day after McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, delivered her speech at the Republican convention.
On another big fundraising night in California, Obama raised $7 million in August in San Francisco.
Obama is financing his presidential race with private contributions after abandoning a pledge to take public financing capped at $84 million. His campaign announced Sunday it had collected $66 million in August, a fundraising record for any presidential candidate in a monthlong period.
By comparison, McCain raised $47 million in August, a personal best for his campaign as well. After claiming the GOP nomination, McCain accepted the $84 million in taxpayer funds allotted by the public financing system for the race.
CBS/ AP The night was split into two glitzy events, a reception and dinner costing $28,500 each at the Greystone Mansion, followed by entertainment by Streisand at the nearby Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. About 250-300 people were expected at the dinner and about 800 at the entertainment, which cost $2,500 a ticket.
Dinner guests seen by reporters, or noted by waiters, included Will Ferrell, Jodie Foster, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Lee Curtis and DreamWorks founders Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Obama took a subdued approach at the fundraisers, reports CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic. "This should be a celebratory evening, we've got 48 days to go in a campaign, a campaign that started 19 months ago, at a time when a lot of folks thought we might not get here," Obama said at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel but he added, "I'm not in a celebratory mood." (Read more of Gavrilovic's report.)
Obama spent more than an hour before dinner getting his picture taken with guests. He said later that people had encouraged him to be tougher and had questioned why he was so calm in a close race against Republican John McCain.
"I'm skinny but I'm tough," he said. "I'm from Chicago and we don't play. Just keep steady."
"If we can cut through the nonsense and the lipstick and the pigs and the silliness, then I'm absolutely convinced that we are going to win," Obama said, referring to some of the offbeat charges raised against him.
"The reason I'm calm ... is I've got confidence in the American people," he said. "I really think they want to see us do better." Standing in the courtyard of the palatial estate, he said his campaign was dedicated to people who need jobs and health care and worry about their pensions and sending children to college.
"It's about those who will never see the inside of a building like this," Obama said.
He said the economic turmoil in recent days had been sobering for America. "It's reminded people that this is not a game. This is not a reality show, no offense to any of you," Obama said to laughter. "This is not a sitcom."
It was a day of contrasts for Obama. Earlier in the day, the Democratic presidential candidate spoke about the public's deepening economic anxieties and portrayed McCain as out of touch with the needs of hardworking people.
Then he flew to California for a night of hobnobbing with Hollywood notables.
McCain groused about Obama mixing it up with celebrities. He told a rally in Vienna, Ohio on Tuesday that Obama "talks about siding with the people, siding with the people just before he flies off to Hollywood for a fundraiser with Barbra Streisand and his celebrity friends. Let me tell you my friends, there's no place I'd rather be than here with the working men and women of Ohio."
A night earlier, McCain was with deep-pocketed donors in Florida and raised $5 million, a fact noted by Obama's campaign.
"I don't know who showed up down in Florida where he raised $5 million but my guess is that it wasn't a lot of nurses, firefighters and police officers," Obama's senior strategist, David Axelrod, told reporters. "The whole corporate lobbying community is rallying to his side. We're going to have to struggle to keep pace. You can't challenge that group and not expect them to have a lot of money."
While the final total was not determined, Obama's campaign did not dispute estimates that the twin events would bring in $9 million for Obama and the Democratic Party. That would be his second-biggest, fundraising day. Obama received $10 million from online donors the day after McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, delivered her speech at the Republican convention.
On another big fundraising night in California, Obama raised $7 million in August in San Francisco.
Obama is financing his presidential race with private contributions after abandoning a pledge to take public financing capped at $84 million. His campaign announced Sunday it had collected $66 million in August, a fundraising record for any presidential candidate in a monthlong period.
By comparison, McCain raised $47 million in August, a personal best for his campaign as well. After claiming the GOP nomination, McCain accepted the $84 million in taxpayer funds allotted by the public financing system for the race.
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Obama first, country second.
Obama is from the Land of Lincoln, but from the Church of Wright.
So here we go. A big article about Obama''s fundraiser that is perfect for "Entertainment Tonight" but irrelevant to the critical issues like the economy.
And the bias is transparent. Where is the Equal coverage of the PALIN and McCAIN fundraisers with their rich fat-cat supporters? They happened within 24 HOURS of Obama''s fundraiser. McCain got TWICE the amount per person than did Obama!
$1 million Sarah.
Tuesday 9/16./08 Sarah Palin held her first solo fund-raiser for the Republican Party last night at an exclusive Country Club in Canton, Ohio,. She was hosted and introduced by W.J. Timken Jr., chairman of the bearing-manufacturer Timken Co. W.J. Timken Jr. told the crowd of more than 100 corporate executives%u2014 eating crab claws and potato-wrapped shrimp %u2014 that he expected their efforts would raise nearly a million dollars for the McCain-Palin campaign.
$50,000 a plate McCain
Senator McCain raised an impressive 5.1 MILLION dollars at his own fundraising dinner late Monday 9/15/08 in Florida, the Republican''s campaign said. Supporters paid 50,000 dollars a ticket to attend the buffet dinner in Miami''s InterContinental hotel.
All of the TOP PEOPLE in the McCain campaign are lobbyists for large corporations, including Big Oil, and FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
Campaign CEO - Rick Davis, Partner at lobbying firm Davis Manafort
National Campaign Director- Christian Ferry, Associate at lobbying firm Davis Manafort
National Political Director- Mike Dennehy, Founder, The Dennehy Group, a New Hampshire lobbying firm
National Finance Director- Susan Nelson - lobbyist working for Loeffler Group LLC. Continued taking monthly lobbying payments after starting with McCain''s campaign.
Senior Policy Advisor- David Crane. Senior Executive at The Washington Group, a corporate lobbying firm with 2006 billings of $10.4 million.
Senior Foreign Policy Adviser - Randy Scheunemann. McCain''s PRIMARY Foreign Policy Adviser. A lobbyist for FOREIGN COUNTRIES, including Georgia (that was just in a war with Russia). OOPS.
National Finance Co-Chair - Tom Loeffler Owns one of the most lucrative and influential lobbying firms in Washington.
Regional Campaign Manager- Doug Davenport ran DCI''s lobbying practice. Was forced to leave when it was exposed that he LOBBIED FOR the REPRESSIVE REGIME IN BURMA.
Campaign Spokesman- Charlie Black - chairman of BKSH & Associates, with lobbying billings of $7.6 million in 2006
Phil "Americans are whiners" Gram - created this economic crisis.
Barack Obama has no lobbyists on the payroll or serving as key advisers.
Look at the failed Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and who ran them.
Hillary and her supporters unfortunatly got shafted by the "Good O''Boy''s". Obama couldn''t take sharing his ticket with a strong woman. Shovenist abound in the Dem party.....
But why is the liberal media still saying that women who supported Hillary won''t go for Palin? I am a Hillraiser woman and I am voting for McCain/Palin and millions more women will shift their vote too! Every woman I know is supporting for McCain even women, who like myself, have been Democrates all of our lives. Obama sucks and why is Michelle Obama HIDING? Barak probably told her to stay home with the kids like a woman should be doing. Obama is such a sexist pig! Why doesn''t Barak send his own brother who lives on $1 a month a little more money? Obviously he has no family values.
I heard that Obama refuses to release a list of his campaign advisors to the media even though he tries to attack McCain about having lobbyists for his camoaign managers. I found out that one of Obamas secret campaign advisors is none other than George Soros the Socialist market manipulator. I am trying to find out who the other "Secret Advisors" are to Obama
$50,000 a plate McCain
Obama-dinner costing $28,500 each.Entertainment, which cost $2,500 a ticket.
Looks like Obama is going on sale, marked-down, discount. Supporters worried, not wanting to pay big money. Barbra as entertainment??? weak.
WE are both on the same side.
I am an Obama Supporter
Tuesday 9/16./08 Sarah Palin held her first solo fund-raiser for the Republican Party last night at an exclusive Country Club in Canton, Ohio,. She was hosted and introduced by W.J. Timken Jr., chairman of the bearing-manufacturer Timken Co. W.J. Timken Jr. told the crowd of more than 100 corporate executives%u2014 eating crab claws and potato-wrapped shrimp %u2014 that he expected their efforts would raise nearly a million dollars for the McCain-Palin campaign.
$50,000 a plate McCain
Senator McCain raised an impressive 5.1 MILLION dollars at his own fundraising dinner late Monday 9/15/08 in Florida, the Republican''s campaign said. Supporters paid 50,000 dollars a ticket to attend the buffet dinner in Miami''s InterContinental hotel,
If I''''m wrong.. make your point? I am kinda sure you aren''''t Graham.........so???? I am not hurting..haven''''t seen the truth yet.
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Posted by rinnie5 at 01:21 PM : Sep 17, 2008
+ report abuse
I''m proud to say I''m a woman, who believes in a "woman''s right to choose", think''s the Iraq war is a complete waste of money, I''m educated, well-read and employed. I don''t need a man to tell me how to vote but I can see bull-*** a mile away. I also recognize mistakes when I see them. Attending an elitist Hollywood fundraiser two days after the stock market drops out is a terrible mistake, not matter what party you represent...enough said!