Obama Hollywood fund-raiser. Pool reports

Local Pool Report

Obama Victory Fund Dinner

Los Angeles Music Center

Barack Obama spoke shortly before 7 p.m. to a crowd of about

700 donors from a stage set up in the mezzanine lobby of the Dorothy

Chandler Pavilion. Most stood just in front of the stage; a couple

hundred watched from behind glass railings on two upper balconies. Three

giant crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

National pool is providing Obama remarks.

On stage with Obama was a black Steinway & Sons grand piano.

Behind him were a U.S. flag and a California flag, along with a dark

blue curtain backdrop.

Among the celebrities in the crowd were actors Dennis Quaid,

Samuel Jackson, Don Cheadle, retired boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and

Jennifer Beals. Also there was former Paramount Pictures CEO Sherry

Lansing.

Dennis Quaid introduced Seal. “He’s here tonight to sing for

the superman for everyone – Barack Obama,” Quaid told the crowd.

Seal, dressed in a black suit, sang two songs. The first,

with a piano accompanist, was a ballad, “Kiss from a Rose.” The second,

with recorded accompaniment of a full band, was a 1964 r&b tune, “A

Change is Gonna Come.”

In remarks introducing “A Change is Gonna Come,” Seal

recalled growing up in England, watching Elvis films and “Happy Days.”

After 18 years in America, Seal said, the U.S. is still “the greatest

country in the world.” But in some ways, the country is holding on by a

thread, he said.

“At last, someone has come along that is restoring my

faith,” Seal told the crowd.

Cheadle, who was watching from the balcony, said of Obama:

“He’s my candidate, and I think you have to put your money where your

mouth is.’

Also watching from the balcony was will.i.am, producer of

the “Yes We Can” video tribute to Obama. He was dressed in a white suit.

Obama, he said, made it “over the hill” by winning the

Democratic nomination. “Now we’re in a valley, and we got a bigger hill

to climb.”

“I’m just blessed to call to action, led by inspiration.”

Obama was introduced by Karen Bass, the California Assembly

Speaker.

Donors sipped wine and bottled water. Waiters wearing black

vests, white shirts and black ties served hors d’oeuvres: endive spears

of brie, toasted almonds and truffle oil; tuna tartare with passion

fruit ponzu and macadamia nut on wonton crisp; beef short rib skewers

with Asian flavors.

Mingling in the crowd were Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev

Yaroslavsky and L.A. City Councilmen Herb Wesson and Richard Alarcon.

California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown told reporters outside

that Obama had spoken earlier (before the pool was brought inside) to

about 300 people, including some prominent Clinton supporters.

Among them, Brown said, were L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

and John Emerson, a former Clinton White House aide and one of her

biggest California fund-raisers.

The fundraiser was a two-tiered event. Tickets were $2,300

per person. VIP tickets were $28,500 per couple. VIP guests were able to

attend a dinner with Obama before the general reception.

The money was split between Obama for America, which could

accept individual donations of up to $2,300 for the primary and $2,300

for the general, and the Democratic National Committee. The DNC could

accept individual contributions of up to $28,500.

Springsteen’s “The Horizon” played after Obama spoke.

Feel free to call if any questions; will be boarding flight

for Chicago shortly, so sooner the better.

Michael Finnegan

LA Times

Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 9:46 PM

To: Jen Psaki; Cooper, Christopher

Subject: Pool report

No news but let’s talk about your pooler for a second. He shook don

cheadle’s hand. Will I am showed up in an ivory-colored silk suit

porkpie hat and a pair of nike air shoes emblazoned with obama’s visage

and the obama 08 logo. Separate celebrity peep report coming. I have a

tape of obama’s comments for those on the bus who want them.

It may have been under massive glass chandeliers and included some

household names but this event at the dorothy chandler pavillion at the

los angeles music center was a standard fundraiser – built and designed

to raise a ton. canapes of the typical style and mostly budget booze was

complimentary. Nothing fancy. About 700 people attended this joint

fundraiser. I was told by someone there that it raised in excess of $4

million.

The entertainment was superb – seal sang two songs to fire up the crowd.

Obama appeared to cheers. You would recognize the speech – standard

hustings boilerplate – with a couple of exceptions. For one, obama

recognized that by rights this was a clinton crowd and he bowed to it’s

saying that the long primary “I know caused some heartburn and some

frustration” and adding that he and hillary, “we were allies then and

we’re allies now.

“Because of her campaign, my daughters take for granted that a woman can

be president.”

The other departure was a missile tailor-made for the locals and aimed

at mccain and his belief that a plan to install “a bunch of oil rigs

along the california coast was a good idea.” This drew lusty boos from

the crowd.

One other thing: there were times that this crowd was so quiet during

obama’s speech that youl could have heard a mouse sneeze.

Chris cooper

—————————-

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

Christopher Cooper, Staff Reporter