‘You’re the Tie-Breaker’: President Obama Praises Celebrities at Fundraiser With Sarah Jessica Parker and Anna Wintour
- Posted on June 15, 2012 at 11:57am by
Erica Ritz
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Michelle and Barack Obama arrive in Manhattan for a campaign fundraiser (Photo: AP)
(The Blaze/AP) — President Barack Obama soaked in the support — and the campaign cash — of Manhattan’s elite entertainers Thursday as his re-election teamsought to fill its fundraising coffers.
The president and first lady Michelle Obama made a rare joint fundraising appearance when they visited the home of actors Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. The intimate dinner banked about $2 million, with 50 people paying $40,000 each.
The dinner was the Obama campaign‘s latest attempt to bank on celebrities for fundraising help in countering the growing donor enthusiasm from Republicans supporting Mitt Romney’s presidential bid.
Speaking in a dimly lighted, art-filled room, Obama told supporters they would play a critical role in an election that would determine a vision for the nation’s future.
“You’re the tie-breaker,” he said. “You’re the ultimate arbiter of which direction this country goes.”
Watch the original invite to the dinner, below:
Among the celebrities on hand to hear Obama’s remarks were Oscar winner Meryl Streep, fashion designer Michael Kors and Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who moderated a private question-and-answer session between the president and the guests. Broderick, who was starring in a Broadway musical, was absent.
The president and Mrs. Obama also headlined a second glitzy fundraiser in Manhattan Thursday night that included a performance from singer Mariah Carey and remarks by singer Alicia Keys. The 250-person dinner yielded the Obama campaign at least $2.5 million.
While Democrats have long held political and ideological ties to the TV and movie industry, the dynamic is different this time for Obama. His own celebrity has faded a bit after more than three years in the slog of governing, and some reliable donors have gotten so used to seeing him, they want more — like a real movie star.
What’s more, Obama’s team is being outraised by Republicans in a new, freewheeling environment, one in which wealthy donors can give unlimited amounts of money to outside political groups, known as super PACs, that can have huge sway over the presidential race.
As one counter-response, Obama is borrowing on the power of entertainers to give big bucks themselves and to encourage others to give what they can.
The strategy holds the potential for peril. It allows opponents to paint Obama as hobnobbing for dollars with middle-class angst riding high. The Republican Party lampooned Obama as tone deaf when his campaign promoted the Parker/Wintour event on the same day news broke of climbing unemployment.
Pressed about Obama’s relationship with the stars, his spokesman, Jay Carney, fired back: “Two words. Donald Trump. Next question?” Romney has received fundraising help from Trump, the camera-finding real estate mogul whom Obama has dismissed as a carnival barker.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Meryl Streep both attended the fundraiser (Photos: AP)
From Tinseltown to Broadway, Obama has surrounded himself with blockbuster names lately: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, Spike Lee, Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Cher and many others who make more in one year than most people do in a lifetime.
Obama played basketball with a Batman (Clooney) and a Spiderman (Tobey Maguire), all in one game. He held a private chat in Los Angeles with some of the town’s younger stars last week, including Jessica Alba and Jeremy Renner. He has had some of the most popular musicians in the business perform at his fundraisers, such as Alicia Keys, Cee Lo Green, Dave Matthews and the Foo Fighters. For his gig with Obama, Jon Bon Jovi even caught a ride on Air Force One.
In a tough economy, one way Obama tries to make it work is by raffling access for smaller donors, both to dinners with the president himself and to private affairs like the one at Parker’s house.
Robin Hunt of Baltimore won an online contest to attend Thursday’s dinner. She brought her mother, Elvita, a voter in North Carolina, a key election battleground state.
The contests typically ask donors to give $3 or whatever they can spare.
The Obama campaign calls it a way to lure donors who may not otherwise be involved in politics at all.
But implicit in the arrangement is that access to Obama, the president of the United States, is not enough of a draw. Obama’s campaign has gone so far as to make its next “Dinner With Barack” raffle more enticing by telling would-be donors that they can help pick Obama’s guest — naming Clooney and Parker as examples.
All the star wattage comes as Obama’s campaign is warning supporters that they need to give or Obama could lose. Central to Obama’s strategy is having a larger number of people giving small-to-medium donations. His campaign says 98 percent of donations received in May came in amounts of $250 or less.
“The other side has the money,” campaign manager Jim Messina said in one appeal to donors. “They know they can buy the election if they spend it.”
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Hawaii_Conservative
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:22amI can’t till wait D.C. decides who of the actors in Hollywood will be on the silver screen in the future and certain people aren’t on the list.
Report Post »ourig
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 5:14pmwhy would i want to have diner with this woman and obama …………..
Report Post »Maji
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:26amTo be popular with these women,show up at this party wtih a pocket
Report Post »full of “sugar cubes”!
Zurich
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 4:34pmI don’t need to watch any movies anymore, because I am “just doing fine”…….let’s see how this is going to work for Hollywood in the future when nobody goes to watch their nonsense.
Report Post »ltoney65
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:12pmI;m with you. Hit them in the pocket book. As far as I’m concerned, they are traitors!!!! They have all forgotten where they came from and how they become what they are. We made them and without us there would be no movie stars. Stand by your convictions and stop paying to see their flicks.
Report Post »LeadNotFollow
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 2:42pm…
Sarah Jessica Parker, Meryl Streep, Anna Wintour, and Michelle Obama.
Sheesh! Back that camera off a bit. Why are Liberal women so ugly?
Is Michelle Obama pregnant? She sure has a big pot-belly lately.
Report Post »greatgrandma
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:50amGosh I really hate to see this.Meryl Streep? I luv her movies. Sarah Jessica Parker, never liked her. All these Hollywood people I used to adore are nothing but sluts for Obama, and I am lumping the male stars in that group too. So long Hollywood, your movies stink anyway, nothing new under the sun.
Report Post »Bluebonnet
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 3:44pmI’m with you on that on grandma. I can‘t stand any of the Hollyweird types and certainly don’t watch them at movies or on TV.
Report Post »I heard someone say on radio yesterday that Sarah Parkers house was trashy/sheik. And that english woman moved her furniture out and had other stuff moved in. Cleaned everything in the house like it was really dirty? Any news on this?
Bryan B
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 4:24amWhat I used to make in a year, is what they paid for a plate of food…..
Report Post »Bryan B
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 4:56am*use
Pray for Jett……
Report Post »Leader1776
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:55am@Bryan
You hit the nail on the head. Most of us here hate the way both major parties operate and the process and how its gotten out of hand. This too is not how the founders intended the offices to be secured.
Yes, the OWS crowd is just about gone, but you’d think there would be some outcry from them about the real one percenters at these fundraisers. I guess its OK to have a shallow life as a one percenter as long as you’re part of the movement to take OTHER one percenter money.
Report Post »voxpopuli2012
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 9:03pmI would like to see the Blaze or some other outlet publish a full list of the celebs supporting Obama, so I know what movies/shows to avoid.
Report Post »OhCanada
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 9:55pmNarcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder[1] in which the individual is described as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power, prestige and vanity. This condition affects one percent of the population.[2][3] First formulated in 1968, it was historically called megalomania, and it is closely linked to egocentrism.
Report Post »MIBUGNU2
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:25am@voxpopuli2012
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 9:03pm
I would like to see the Blaze or some other outlet publish a full list of the celebs supporting Obama, so I know what movies/shows to avoid.
Here is a partial list..Check out this link for starters..
http://www.listal.com/list/democratliberalleft-actors
Report Post »CulperGang
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:48pmMillions of WORKING peoples lives were disrupted, and fustrated by traffic tie ups and redirects of streets closed of for these inconsiderate POS of humans. SEND the reptile a check the next time.
Report Post »Jessica Lipshits do you know barry hates Israel? this ****** just gave money to a person who is looking to destroy Israel.
DIR
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 6:58pmI understand that Anna Wintour has come out with a line of designer douche bags which can easily be converted into a whoopie cushion, all emboldened with your choice the likeness of herself, Cher, Juliea Roberts, Ellan, Mike Moore (he’ll be on the bag marked XXX large), and of course, for those who want that equestrian touch, Ms Ed (Sara Jessica Lipschitz) the taking horses @ss all designed to help raise money for O’s going away campaign. Each designer bag is said to come with a scratch and sniff certificate of authenticity.
Has anyone else noticed that Anna looks like a huge fly when decked out in her signature sunglasses. On top of it, it‘s like she’s buzzing around Obama as though he’s a huge steaming pile. If he wins reelection I’d be surprised. I wonder if all these idiots will be part of the crying game when O looses.
Report Post »MIBUGNU2
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:14pmGOOD GAWD !! Take all the make-up off these folks
Report Post »and they don’t look so good…………………………………
Liked the “Clooney Look” when Waters mentioned
O’Blamer, “PRICELESS”…”That‘s President O’Blamer
to you, DUDE”..Hollyweird Suck AZZes !!!! We want
a President NOT a F’N Gay Rock Star……………………
MIBUGNU2
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:43amBotox would be a good thing to invest in… with all these women
Report Post »and pelosi using the stuff by the gallon.. Wintour is trying to look
like JLo for Gawd Sakes !! O’Blamer can say anything to these
Clowns and they will just shower him with money, “pathetic”
The man cannot run on his merit or his record……………………….
myway
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 6:45pmYAH! You elites will make the difference!
Report Post »CoyoteDKM
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 6:25pmNotice, he isn’t saying this to the American people in a speech, he’s saying it to Anna Wintour and her hollywood asshat friends: “You’re the tie-breaker,” he said. “You’re the ultimate arbiter of which direction this country goes.”
Tells you how things really stand in his mind.
Report Post »CoyoteDKM
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 6:23pmOf course its not the American people who are the “tie breakers”, like the entire structure of the country is supposed to make happen, because we’re too stupid. No, we are sheep to be led, not listened to. Almighty hollywood and the “elite” are the one who REALLY call the shots. Bow down before your masters, even obama bows to them.
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 6:22pmYes, indeed. Hollywood has so many intellectuals as we have seen in the past comments of these outstanding people! He is a desparate fool just as Hollywood is full of foolish idiots. Shallow individuals who have greatly prospered under Capitalism. They don’t even know what they are advocating, just too stupid. Thats what he needs, stupid people.
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