Amid the glitz, a somber message
LOS ANGELES -- Barack Obama has a line he uses lately to slam the Republican philosophy of trickle-down economics. He asks his crowds: How many of you have felt things trickling down? The crowd always lets out a resigned laugh.
But it's not a quip Obama could have used last night, when he headlined two fund-raisers with the people at the top -- the high society of Hollywood and Los Angeles. The first event was at Greystone Mansion, a 55-room, hilltop mansion in Beverly Hills offering an expansive view of Los Angeles. Spotted among the more than 300 people in attendance: Will Farrell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chris Rock, and Jodi Foster.
But Obama, citing the state of the economy, delivered a somber message. "It's reminded people that this is not a game. This is not a reality show, no offense to any of you," he said. "This is not a sitcom."
Obama also asked the donors, who gave $28,500 to get in, to work hard in the next 50 days. But he said he was "confident about winning." "I've looked at John McCain, I've looked at Sarah Palin, I've looked at their agenda, and they don't have one."
The campaign, he said, "is about those who will never see the inside of a building like this and don't resent the success that's represented in this room, but just want the simple chance to be able to find a job that pays a living wage."
The event reportedly raised about $9 million.
Later in the night, Obama spoke to more than 800 people at the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel, where, for a contribution of $2,500 to the Obama Victory Fund, they got a personal concert from Barbra Streisand.
"This should be a celebratory evening," Obama said. But, he added, "I'm not in a celebratory mood."
He mentioned Hurricane Ike, the deadly train crash in Los Angeles, and the uncertainty over the financial markets. Spotted in the audience: Ron Howard, Sarah Silverman, Magic Johnson, and Pierce Brosnan.
Speaking of fund-rasiers, John McCain's campaign is touting the support of Lynn Forester de Rothschild, a top Hillary Clinton fund-raiser and member of the Democratic National Committee's Platform Committee, according to the Associated Press. Rothschild announced her support for McCain today, the AP reported.
McCain will lead the country in a centrist fashion, de Rothschild said, accusing the Democrats of becoming too extreme.
"I believe that Barack Obama, with MoveOn.org and Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean, has taken the Democratic Party -- and they will continue to -- too far to the left," she said, according to the AP. "I'm not comfortable there."
Rothschild is a member of the Democratic National Committee's Democrats Abroad chapter, splits her time living in London and New York, and was one of Clinton's top fundraisers, bringing in more than $100,000. She said she would be stepping down from her position on the DNC's platform committee but will not switch political parties. She praised McCain for working with Democrats to pass legislation and for standing up to President Bush on the Iraq war.
"I just ask, who has Barack Obama ever stood up to? And that troubles me a lot," she said.
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
I always get a kick out of the right wing folks who point to Dems and say "they align themselves with the Hollywood Elite!"
Meanwhile, the Republicans align themselves with the SUPER WEALTHY owners and CEO's of BIG BUSINESS.
GIve me the Hollywood Elite anytime.
It's the SUPER WEALTHY who own BIG BUSINESS who hire those who need jobs. I'd rather align myself with those who PROVIDE JOBS than those who prefer Marxism over freedom.
RAINES + JOHNSON are 2 of 'Incurably-Dishonest'OBAMA's 'economic advisors' - RAINES + JOHNSON are 2 of the 'corrupt cretins' who caused FANNIE + FREDDIE to go defunct!!! DO WE REALLY NEED MORE OF THE SAME??? DEMBHOLES always the smell/stink of cronyism/insiderism at their end!!! Ha.
Who's responsible for the Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac debacle?
Key Obama advisor Jim Johnson, a former chairman of Fannie Mae, quit Obama's staff in June on revelations that he had received a sweetheart loan from Countrywide. Many members of Congress also got cozy deals.
Bill Clinton’s former budget director and current Obama economic advisor Franklin Raines, who served as chairman and CEO of Fannie from 1999 to 2004, pocketed $52 million in pay and bonuses while at the helm. No surprise that Fannie’s earnings were overstated by nearly 50% during that time, and subsequently had to be “restated” downwards by $3 billion after an investigation by the SEC.
Then there’s Obama supporter Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, who served on Freddie Mac’s board after leaving the Clinton White House.
There’s a lot of taint around Obama from Fannie and Freddie.
An Obama White House and a Democratic Congress thus are likely to be more focused on keeping their names out of the news than enacting real reform.
I don't understand why peoples hates Hollywood so much when they go to see them movies all the time? I mean, I don't make much -- enough to get by -- but I still give what I could, and I hear most his money does come from people like me too, not them Hollywood people. I think them big business folks got us in all this mess with my retirement.
I guess this primo fundraiser for Hillary Clinton wasn't at the Elitist Ball.
Today John McCain's campaign says the Republican is picking up the support of a top Hillary Clinton fundraiser and member of the Democratic National Committee's Platform Committee.
Lynn Forester de Rothschild has said she thinks Democratic nominee Barack Obama is arrogant and has a problem connecting with average Americans.
Rothschild is a member of the DNC's Democrats Abroad chapter and splits her time living in London and New York. She was one of Clinton's top fundraisers, bringing in more than $100,000 for her presidential campaign. She built a multimillion-dollar telecommunications company before marrying international banker Sir Evelyn de Rothschild.
Rothschild plans to announce her support for McCain on Wednesday in Washington.
Hahaha . . . . if we compare the "corrupt cretin" count on both sides of this ticket, there is no doubt the Republicans come out on top every time. Check the number of disgraced Republicans under criminal investigation or in jail out of the last administration.
Anyone can clearly look at the 8 years of Clinton Democrats and compare those 8 years of relative peace and prosperity with the disaster that has been the Republicans and George Bush.
The Republicans led by George Bush - if you've read anything about 9/11 - allowed a major attack on their country on their watch (despite significant advance intelligence), invaded a country totally unconnected with that attack and killed thousands and thousands of civilians, and have obscenely bankrupted the United States with overspending - by billions and billions and billions of dollars.
Barack Obama is finished. He's made too many mistakes.
He lost his bid for the President of the United States of America on September 4, 2008, at the Republican Convension. Selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's VP rinning mate was brillant. I'm surprised as is everyone, that Barack didn't pick Hillary. Sarah Palin literally rips up the Demorate's platform. Pro-Life is a huge issue for men and women. Look at Sarah's record. Look at her persona. This coupled with John McCain's experience, leadership and loyality to this country is a winning combination. Hob-nobbing with play actors in hollywood was another mistake. By not picking Hillary, Barack has fallen for the oldest trick in the book. He's a Chicago politician, where evcerything goes. I'm surprised Barack didn't see this coming.
Ask yourself, who do you want to see in the news the next four years, McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden?......I think you have answered your own question.
To understand where this woman is coming from you have to go back to the events of WWI. She feels very threatened. It all has to do with the sources of a portion her husband's billions. She prefers the status quo that McCain/Palin represent.
Hey R McAllister
I want Obama/Biden any day of the week/year/decade over McSame/Arrogant, Elitist Hockey Mom.
Pro Choice is the issue, not pro life in this country, hence why McSame/Arrogant, Elitist Hockey Mom will lose. The economy is being destroyed by Republicans and it will take a Democrat to fix it, just like it always takes a Democrat to fix this Nation. The only Republican to fix the Nation was Lincoln and it took him a civil war to do it.
The race ended on 09/15/2008 when McSame said the "Fundamentals of the ecomony are strong". End of the line Johnny boy!
As of Palin, her true colors are shinning through. She is an arrogant, elitist jerk whose values are all wrapped up in image rather than substance. She is the same elitist jerk parent people see at youth sports groups. The "I am better than you because my son/faith/job/morals/bull crap" is so superior to yours. Her kind of elitism isn't the kind born from education and hard work. It is the worst kind of elitiism born for ignorance, arrogance and a holy than thou attitude. Saint Sarah can do no wrong and will save you from your sins, whether you like it or not.
Obama maybe arrogant and elitist, but give me the elitist jerk who says I can do what I want and make something of myself rather than the one who says it is her way or the highway.
Obama/Biden08
Obama is just another sell out. He want Hollywood money, lives the life of the rich, then promises to help the poor.
We've heard those promises for eons. If the poor want help, they can educate themselves and get a job. That's what the hard working tax payers did.
I have no sympathy.
Tony Rezko, Jeremiah Wright, Father Pfleger, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelick, Jim Johnson, Rahm Emanuel, Charles Rangel, Barney Frank, Kwame Kilpatrick, mobs of cyber-goons and hackers, Keith Olberman, Elliot Spitzer, William Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn, Ted Kennedy, Patches Kennedy, Michael Daley, Emil Jones, Ali Ata, Arenda Troutman, Frank Marshall Davis, Percy Giles, Louis Farrakhan, Penny Pritzker, Chicago Teachers Union, Illinois State Employees Union, Annenberg Challenge is just a small list of the crooks, wackjobs, corrupt organizations, terrorists and general fruitcakes that are attached, like an electro-magnet to the Obama apparatus. Raines, Gorelick and Johnson made the Enron scumbags look like Fare-jumpers.
There is a recession/depression going on here folks!!! BARRY'incurably-dishonest'OBAMA says so - and BARRY went to HARVARD!!! Tickets for a fund-raiser headed by BARFBRA STREISAND ands her band oh HOLLYWOOD EMPTY-HEADED 'LEFTIES' paid $28,500 a ticket[food was xtra!!!] which is more than most people earn in a year to give the MOODY MARXIST BARRY $9MILLION so he could spend it on more lies that "...this country is in an economic crisis"!!! Could you tell it by all the BENTLEY's, ROLLS', LAMBORGHINI's, SEDANS + OTHER LIMOUSINES that were valet parked during this 'recession'??? Why is there always a 'RECESSION/DEPRESION' when there is a national election??? OBAMA could have 'put' this election away by choosing HILLARY with her "...asbestos pants-suits" hiding her 'UGLINESS/CORRUPTION' - but didn't have the guts to face-down HILLARY+the ex-PUTZ-in-CHIEF!!! How much of a real WUSS is u BARRY??? OR IS YOU JUST A 'GLORIFIED' COMMUNITY-ORGANIST FROM CHICAGO SEARCHING FOR THE QWIK-EZ-HUSTLE???
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