August 11, 2011

The President Wears Prada II

As The Country Faces Fiscal Calamity, Obamas Schedule Has Been Chock Full Of Intimate, Special Access Gatherings With Celebrities
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The Vogue Editor-In-Chief Is Co-Hosting A Fundraising Dinner With HBO Exec Harvey Weinstein For The President. (Caitlin McDevitt, Obamas Most Fashionable Fundraiser, Politicos Click, 8/5/11) AS AMERICANS FACE MORE TROUBLING ECONOMIC NEWS, OBAMA TAKES COVER AT SWANKY FUNDRAISERS
The Wall Street Journal: The Unemployment Rate Still Leaves Almost 14 Million Americans Who Would Like To Work Without A Job. The unemployment rate, which is obtained from a separate household survey, dropped to 9.1% last month from 9.2% in June. That still leaves almost 14 million Americans who would like to work without a job. (Luca di Leo and Jeffrey Sparshott, Payrolls Grow As Unemployment Ticks Down, The
Wall Street Journal, 8/5/11)

WSJ: [T]he Labor Market Remains Weak. (Luca di Leo and Jeffrey Sparshott, Payrolls Grow As Unemployment Ticks Down,
The Wall Street Journal, 8/5/11)

73 Percent Of Americans Say The Country Is On The Wrong Track. (Steve Holland and Kristin Roberts, Most Americans
Believe U.S. On Wrong Track: Reuters/Ipsos Poll, Reuters 8/10/11)

This Is The Highest Figure Measured So Far Since Reuters/Ipsos Began Polling American Public Opinion In February 2009. (Steve Holland and Kristin Roberts, Most Americans Believe U.S. On Wrong Track:
Reuters/Ipsos Poll, Reuters 8/10/11)

Only 9 Percent Believe The Economy Is Starting To Recover. (CNN/ORC Poll, 1008 A, MoE 3%, 8/5-7/11) Down From 24% In April. (CNN/ORC Poll, 1008 A, MoE 3%, 8/5-7/11)

More Than One Third Of Likely Voters Believe Americas Best Days Are Over, According To A New Poll For The Hill. (Elise Viebeck, The Hill Poll: One In 3 Voters Say The US Has Passed Its Peak, The Hill, 8/1/11)

But For Obama, The Campaign Must Go On

On The Day The Market Fell Over 600 Points, Obama Ran Off To Meet With Donors. But with the White House appearing unsure of what to say or do next, it's not going to read well in the history books that on the day the market fell over 600 points, an hour after the closing bell, the president headed to a DNC donor-maintenance event. (First Thoughts: Does Obama Bring Congress Back, MSNBCs First Read 8/9/11)
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By The Way, Was Any Thought Given To The President Deciding Against Showing Up At The Two DNC Events Last Night? (First Thoughts: Does Obama Bring Congress Back, MSNBCs First Read 8/9/11)

TONIGHT, OBAMA HOBNOBS WITH FASHIONISTAS, FINANCE EXECUTIVES AND ENTERTAINMENT MOGULS
Vogue Donors Arent Dismayed By Americans Economic Woes
Anna Wintour Will Host Another Fancy Fundraiser For Barack Obama. (Amy Odell, Anna Wintour Will Host Another
Fancy Fundraiser for Barack Obama, New York Magazine, 8/5/11)

Obamas Expensive Affair With Heavy-Hitters From The Worlds Of Fashion, Movies, And Finance Is Billed As A Small Dinner And Discussion. The expensive affair billed on an invitation obtained by Page Six as a small dinner and discussion is planned to bring together heavy-hitters from the worlds of fashion, movies and finance at the West Village home of Weinstein and his fashion designer wife, Georgina Chapman, on Thursday. (Harvey Hosts O Money Meal, New York Posts Page Six, 8/5/11) Wintour, A Fashion Queen With Notable Pull, Has Bundled More Than $500,000 For Obama So Far. Wintours political endorsements might not carry as much weight as her fashion advice, but her pull is notable: She recently landed on the list of Obamas top bundlers who have raised more than $500,000 for his re-election effort. (Caitlin McDevitt, Obamas Most Fashionable Fundraiser, Politicos Click, 8/5/11) Anna Calls, They Come Running, Said A Source. The Fashion People Have To Contribute Which They Apparently Did Despite The Market Being In Free Fall This Week. (Harvey Hosts O Money Meal, New York
Posts Page Six, 8/5/11)

Yes, But Why Wouldn't They Want Some Face-Time With Obama? Even If It Costs A Year's Worth Of NYU Tuition? Must Be A Real Arm Twist. (Amy Odell, Anna Wintour Will Host Another Fancy Fundraiser for
Barack Obama, New York Magazine, 8/5/11)

Last Year, The Fashion Industry Shelled Out $30,400 A-Piece To Meet With Obama. One evening last summer, Anna Wintour outfitted her home with extra air conditioners to host a dinner for the president and a whole host of fashion people, who paid $30,400 a piece to attend and to lend their fiscal support to Obama and the Democrats. (Amy Odell, Anna Wintour Will Host Another Fancy Fundraiser for Barack Obama, New York Magazine, 8/5/11) This Year, The Cost Of Keeping Company With Obama Is $71,600 Per Couple. This year, she's partnered with Harvey Weinstein to host the same type of dinner for the POTUS, though it will be at Weinstein's house instead of hers, and the price per couple is $71,600. The event is said to be sold out, with $2 million raised! And the guest list includes not just the fashions, but entertainers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Alicia Keys. (Amy Odell, Anna Wintour Will Host Another Fancy Fundraiser for Barack Obama, New York
Magazine, 8/5/11)

AND OBAMA HAS PLENTY OF CELEBRITY FRIENDS

The Campaigner-In-Chief Has A Black Book Full Of Big-Name Donors
In A Sequel To President Obama's Celebrity-Laden 2008 Campaign, Many Of Hollywood's Biggest Stars Are On His Donor Rolls Again In 2012, According To The Latest FEC Records. (Christina Wilkie, Obamas
Early Donors: Hollywood Stars Contribute In Droves, The Huffington Post, 8/5/11)

Obama Is No Stranger To Raising Money From Hollywoods Elite Circles. Since April, big-screen stars George Clooney, Will Ferrell and Tom Hanks have all contributed to Obama's re-election campaign, as have Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Garner, Michael Keaton and Eddie Murphy. Small screen stars also donated in droves, including talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, 30 Rock's Alec Baldwin, Glee's Jane Lynch, House star
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Jennifer Morrison, Lost creator JJ Abrams, Monk star Tony Shalhoub, Yeardley Smith (aka Lisa Simpson), The Big C's Oliver Platt, Frasier star David Hyde Pierce and former ER star Anthony Edwards. (Christina
Wilkie, Obamas Early Donors: Hollywood Stars Contribute In Droves, The Huffington Post, 8/5/11)

In Addition To The Actors, Movie Producers And Studio Executives Also Dot The Donor List, Like Brian Grazer, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks' Jeffrey Katzenberg, Disney Chairman John Pepper And Sex And The City Co-Creator Michael Patrick King. (Christina Wilkie, Obamas Early Donors:
Hollywood Stars Contribute In Droves, The Huffington Post, 8/5/11)

And While It May Come As Little Surprise That Hollywood's Elites Are Backing A Democratic Candidate, The Sheer Number Of Headlining Stars Who Have Donated To A Candidate This Early On In A Presidential Campaign Is Unprecedented. (Christina Wilkie, Obamas Early Donors: Hollywood Stars Contribute In Droves, The
Huffington Post, 8/5/11)

Whom He Doesnt Hesitate To Call

Obama Rewarded His Loyal Celebrity Friends With One Of His First Fundraising Trips Of The Cycle. On the money front, Hollywood has proven to be unfailingly loyal to democrats -- a reason why Los Angeles is among Obama's first stops for campaign cash.(Ted Johnson, Obama Looks To Hollywood's Deep Pockets, Variety, 4/18/11) Obama Kicked Off His Celebrity Campaign Tour In L.A. At The Sony Backlot, With Jamie Foxx As A Special Guest. On Thursday, Obama will trek to Sony Pictures Entertainment in Culver City for a late-afternoon backlot rally with a capacity of 3,000 and Jamie Foxx on the bill as a special guest; tickets range in price from $100 to $2,500 for VIP seating.(Ted Johnson, Obama Looks To Hollywood's Deep Pockets,
Variety, 4/18/11)

Then Obama Enjoyed A Dinner With L.A.s Moguls. A second dinner will follow at the Brentwood restaurant Tavern. Among those expected are such moguls and major L.A. figures as Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Lynton, Berry Gordy, Elon Musk and Russell Goldsmith, as well as the two Southern California finance co-chairs for the Democratic National Committee, Capital Group's John Emerson and Tennis Channel CEO Ken Solomon. (Ted Johnson, Obama Looks To Hollywood's Deep Pockets, Variety,
4/18/11)

During His April Trip, Obama Spent Three Times As Much Time Campaigning For His Reelection Than Taking Questions On Spending Cuts. By the time he leaves California on Friday, Obama will have spent three times as much time campaigning for his reelection than taking questions on spending cuts. (Matt
Negrin, 6 Fundraisers, 2 Town Halls On Trip, Politico, 4/21/11)

Obama Spent The Night Before His Birthday Fundraising With Jennifer Hudson At A Birthday Rally And 100 High-Dollar Donors At A Private Dinner. On the eve of his actual birthday, Obama was heading home to Chicago for fundraisers, including one where local favorites Herbie Hancock, Jennifer Hudson and the band OK Go were to entertain donors who paid $50 to $35,800, the legal maximum. Later, Obama was to speak to about 100 high-dollar donors at a private dinner. (Julie Pace, Obama Returns To Chicago To Resume
Fundraising, The Associated Press, 8/3/11)

Then Spent His Birthday At A Star-Studded Barbeque. After sending the White House press corps home early at 4 p.m., the president welcomed politicos, celebrities, donors and close friends for dinner in the Rose Garden and music in the East Room. (Jennifer Epstein, Inside Obamas 50th Bash, Politico 8/5/11)

Celebrities On Hand Included Jay-Z, Hanks And His Wife Rita Wilson, Basketball Stars Charles Barkley And Grant Hill, Comedian Chris Rock, Actor Hill Harper And Oprah Winfreys Best Friend, Gayle King. (Jennifer Epstein, Inside Obamas 50th Bash, Politico 8/5/11)

See The First Installment Here

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