The White House wants you to see President Obama bash the rich, and everyone in the press corps is invited to cover the various rallies and speeches where he claims average people can’t get a break and the wealthy aren’t paying their fair share of taxes.
What the White House doesn’t want you to see is Obama schmoozing the rich so that he can pocket some of their money for his campaign.
Nothing could be more ostentatious than a Los Angeles fundraiser, replete with movie stars, athletes, and cinema moguls who embody the very exclusivity and bejeweled abundance Obama is not supposed to be about.
So not surprisingly, news photographers were barred from both of Obama’s L.A. fundraisers Monday. The best the public could do was get bare-bones written descriptions of the events that give only a hint of the lavishness that surrounded the president.
From the press pool report at the first fundraiser:
The President appeared at an intimate fund-raising dinner at the home of James and Mai Lassiter in LA’s Hancock Park area. He spoke softly to guests sitting at four tables, 8-10 seats per table. Tickets cost $35,800 per person.
Actor Will Smith, looking dapper in a three piece suit, stood near the back of the room and watched. Boston Celtics nemesis Magic Johnson sat at a table to the president’s right.
Pool was ushered out after 10 minutes, as potus opened it up for questions . . .
Pool is holding contentedly near the Lassiter’s lighted backyard pool, enjoying a cool LA breeze and snacking on individual-size pizzas.
And from the second:
About 8:20 p.m. local time, pool was led to the rear of the imposing Spanish-style mansion of Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith and into a large white tent where about 200 people sat in folding chairs, just as someone said “the program” would continue soon. That gave the crowd, who paid at least $5,000 each, time to ogle the riff-raff of the Fourth Estate as we took our seats at the rear.
Soon, to enthusiastic applause, the hosts and POTUS entered with Eva Longoria, who introduced the president, as folks stood holding cameras and cellphones above their heads.
Meanwhile, news photographers were welcomed earlier in the day when Obama made an unscheduled stop at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘n Waffles in West L.A., where he ordered the No. 9, “Country Boy” – 3 wings with choice of waffle, potato salad or French fries for $8.90.
Because that’s who Obama is supposed to be.
244 thoughts on “No Photos, Please, of Obama’s L.A. Fundraisers”
There ought to be a new word to describe obama. Hypocrite just doesn’t cut it.
Does megalomaniac work?
How about : supersonicIdioticbraininfecteddisconnecteddupeydopeydumbell…..
I like it! Reminds me of Mary Poppins…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b-Z0SSyUcw
Obama appears to be frightened, confused and detached…and he’s the President of the United States???
Obama allows pictures to be taken of him eating fried chicken?
Nothing like pandering to a stereotype, eh?
Because that’s who Obama is supposed to be.” Uhh he has lots of closed fundraisers. Just as most politicians do. Just go ahead and say how you really feel!
I’d like to make a campaign contribution, but its already flushed, kinda like what he did with our country.
No pictures of Obama with bitter celebrities who cling to money and jewelry?
Roscoe’s isn’t in “West L.A.” It’s in the majority black/Hispanic Mid-City area which was at the top edge of the L.A. riots.
Muchelle should be upset with Barry for let people know he likes Fry Chicken and watermelon.
i don’t despise the fact that he’s hob nobbing with the jet set. my disdain comes from his unending preaching about OUR role in sacrificing for the sake of the greater good in this dire recession…spread the wealth..skin in the game…that sort of nonsense. a wife that spends untold MILLIONS on just vacations in less than two years isn’t gaining my trust either.
Before assigning some evil purpose to this, please research how these events are typically handled. Photos are generally not allowed in private homes because of privacy concerns for the homeowners hosting the events. Photos were not allowed at fundraisers for President Bush in private homes either.
photography wasn’t supposed to be allowed in target during michelle’s “suprise trip” either but there you have it.
:-)
or as Michelle STUFFED gorded herself with all the food she tells us we shouldn’t eat, and her LAVISH vacations while the working american suffers. Screw these jerks!
I believe Charlton Heston’s character put it best when he said, “Take your stinking paws off my french fries, you damn dirty ape!”
Letty, are you gonna also reason away the sad shape of our nation on someone else? Always an excuse for this guy. Take your blinders off. Stop drinkin the kool-aid.
Show me your (so called)” friends” , Mr. President and It will show us the future of this nation. Not campaigning, really?
Not surprising from a White House that travels all over the country (campaigning at “non-campaign” events) by flying in on Air Force One, unloading a bus from a separate cargo plane, and then taking the bus to the event, so that the gullible sycophants in the audience will think the “Man of the People” rode the bus to see them.
‘Susan’ asks: “What did he say?”
Wouldn’t it be interesting to know? Alas, we never will. Who’s going to report on it, after the press pool is shown the door? Is Magic Johnson going to post a video on his YouTube Channel? Is Will Smith going to drop a dime on Big O and provide an unaltered transcript to Drudge?
We had an incident in Milwaukee during the election cycle last year where a known, unabashed progressive (and heir to his father,John Abele’s Boston Scientific windfall) was running as a non-partisan centrist. Until he made the mistake of getting caught on covertly captured audio at a Democrat Party of Milwaukee event, rattling off a laundry-list of far-left causes to which he was a regular donor, and declaring himself a “proud supporter of lefty causes.”
It would be nice to think someone could work the same magic at one of these Obama fund-raising events. But at $35,800.00 just to get through the door, there isn’t much room for outsiders and dissenting voices. Our press used to be the dissenting voice of the electorate. Those days are behind us.
It’s really quite shameful, as you reflect upon it.
Obama is the king of fASHism
bASH the GOP and the wealthy
cASH in with the “other” wealthy.
promote his wife as a fASHion icon
lASH out at the “enemy”
trASH the Constitution
head America towards the ASHheap of history
and stir up the pASHions of true American patriots
Obo fraternizing with the 1 per-centers?
I’m startling startled.
NOT
You obviously haven’t been to Roscoe’s.
One and done Berry!
Another reason to pirate movies, music, etc. No reason to pay these Hollyweird fat cats any more money. They don’t need it.
No wonder we are broke. Who pays $8.90 for 3 chicken wings and a waffle? What a rip off!
Maybe if reporters got smart and did not show up the the orchestrated photo ops things would change but then I have never seen very many smart reporters or photographers in my lifetime.
And this phony Obama surprises you! WHY?
What really surprises me is that nobody will use the word impeach!!!!!! Are we as a nation, so stupid that we blindly follow a man that has continually decieved and lied to us even before he was elected. I guess we deserve what we elected
Impeachment is out of the question because Harry Reid controls the Senate, and John Boehner hasn’t come out from behind the curtains where he has been hiding. The election of 2012 is when we can send the eviction notice.
Maybe the media should refuse to report anything he does. I would love to see him waiting to address the media and there is non LOL now that would be funny.
This man is arrogant ( observe his stride) and an epic failure.
Obama is simply a fraud.
This is even more proof that Obama is the most dishonest and devious POTUS ever….not only for what he does or doesn’t do, but for his outrageous positions of “being the most transparent administration”, no lobbiests ever” blah, blah blah. He is in-your face with his circumventing of Congress (including the Senate) While he does all this, we are spending our treasure of troops and finances to “promote democracy” abroad. It looks as though we already have the third world version righ here at home.
I absolutely agree with you in every way. However, what is even more surprising is…. the amount of people who still think he walks on water. He can say anything he wants without a single challenge. there does not seem to be any accountability in this country anymore.
He is their messiah…
Janice/Granny Jan posts on Keith’s site often and she created a video about it…
http://www.grannyjanandjihadkitty.com/2011/07/building-religion-2012-edition-barack.html
He is such an elitist, lying individual that I can’t believe it. How could anyone in their right mind even consider voting for him! And for the ones who intend to vote for him, ask yourself how you are now as opposed to when he took office!
I think we have found the perfect deciever. He can openly lie to anybody and get them to praise him. Never in my life have I ever seen anybody that is as good as Obama in decieving and munipulation. He can do it in the open and yet people still follow him What sheep we are.
Clinton was better at fooling people, this guy is just more dangerous, with his socialist ideals.
the guy is such a phoney but it seems to work with the libs.
And like the slobbering lap dogs that they are, the media goes there and fawns all over him with thrills up their legs. Pathetic where the 4th estate have come.
Obama definitely doesn’t want the OWS movement to see that he is actually part of the 1% establishment. That would be terrible PR for someone who must appeal to the people protesting as their main man.
Oh my, don’t let the occupados in NYC know of this. At least Bill Clinton paraded his celeb contacts around in plain site.
Most of them know and they don’t care. Doesn’t matter what Obama does as long as he delivers the free ride he has promised them. Little do they know, he’s gonna stiff them in the end…just like he stiffed us.
Obama probably thinks he’s being smart when he bashes the rich for “not paying their fair share” to the American people, then he heads to LA to suck up to the rich that he’s been bashing for months.. Won’t let the cameras in huh? Got his nose too far up some liberal actors @ss?
What a hypocrit!!!!
This guy runs a propaganda machine! Next week his minions will spreading the story that all his campaign money comes from $5.00 donations!
Whatever happen to the real people in America? Who would vote to put this illegal alien from Kenya in our White House?
Only two moderated comments so far, I guess every one has the same thing to say and its not positive for the useless Prez so we can’t post it. Such a hypocrite I’ll be glad when Lying Obama dazes are over with. Nice did Michelle Obama approve that meal, WINGS, FRIES!! But then she pigs out like a starving ape on a food network show. Real Nice!
These repubes or whatever you call them, are losing it. They have become hateful, make fun of, and are vicious. I am independent and have voted for Nixon and Reagan in past but never have I seen such viciousness since Clinton. This is what are kids are seeing. I think having a black president has brought out the undercover racism tenfold. It is a gimmick with Cain you people are out there if you think they would ever elect another black man, I don’t care how conservative he is. They want you to think Obama is not the right black man. Our country is doomed if republican or democrat wins. We need a third party, fourth party. Somebody of the people for real this time.
Just saying, don’t you dare play that f***ing race card on me. My Father hails from Cape Town and my Mother from Madrid. I worked for two years for this eunuch president, bundled contributions for this eunuch, financed GOTV brunches, call centers and door to door training and what did I get besides this Madame Tussaud wax President? A tax bill for all precinct contributions that’s what let alone my Mom and I being labeled racist at the inauguration no less, just because we have light complexions? The beginning was my being forced for cover after a black man purposely slammed the entry door of the Carlyle on me while struggling with my luggage. When my Dad approached this man and realized I was his daughter his whole demeanor changed with apologies abound, not nearly good enough. Regardless, Obama is a flaming failure. He and his posse will be neutralized in 2013. I don’t know where but you can bank that. Oh and unknowing I’d be financially responsible for taxes of our local democratic precinct’s contributions, I closed it and no one has bothered to reopen it. Call me Ray or call me late for dinner but you call me a racist to my face will be the last time your mouth will say such a thing. I’m past done, got it?
nice try. people don’t buy that ridiculous line anymore. i, like many others, are all about the content of one’s character NOT the color of one’s skin. leave it to those with no valid argument to throw in the “race card”. it shows your desperation. our president(and flotus) have squeezed us dry. his own party is ducking him and refusing to support his policies. heck, even pelosi is giving him the cold shoulder. COLOR? pfft. has NOTHING to do with it.
oh yeah, another thing……i’m voting for HERMAN CAIN. i trust a business man to a polished lifetime politician any day of the week
Went to the paint store today and asked for black and white mixture that would still be black. Sorry the paint after mixing was gray.
You cannot mix the two and have black.
Therefore we now have the first gray President.
Somewhere Slick Willie is smiling , since now regaining his title as the 1st BLACK President. And Shillary is out of the country.. HaHa
He just doesn’t get how bad this looks. Obama suffers from the worst case of political Asperger’s Syndrome ever recorded.
Thes are just a big joke. The people that go and contribute are no better then the person that they’re kissing up to. Just STUPID dumbocrates, not knowing what they are really doing. Just listen to some of them at occupy.
You have to understand. The rich folks out there in hollowood, do not see themselves as “Rich”. No, the “evil rich” folks are the bankers, the executives etc… The poor old hollowood “rich” folks got their money “honestly” by working i TV and Movies. THAT is NOT the same kind of rich we’re talking about! Those are the bad rich! We’re the “good” rich!
A liberals mind (brain cell) works in wondrous ways. Not good, but it is incredible the twisted “logic” they will come up with.
The effer will lose in a landslide. What superficial hypocrites. Don’t spend another dime on their movies people. Don’t hesitate to p*ss on their copyrights.
The Democrat Party is so fractionallized, the only chance they have is to run a candidate who can present himself as multiple personages. How sad that those who vote for this clown don’t see that all his party is about is lining the pockets of his rich banker friends and corporate pals. Pay no attention to the man behind the green curtain…
Not sure where you hail from, but the Roscoe’s on Pico near LaBrea is no where near LA’s “west side; to be west, we consider that west of Cahuenga. The area mentioned is more mid-city and mixed with blacks and Latinos.
That makes it even worse. Pandering to the minorities on the way to pandering to the Hollyweird fat cats…
ROMNEY—RUBIO 2012…………..A LOCK BABY !!!
Rubio yes. The Jury is still out on Romney.
i feel the same. i’m not so sure about Romney. he strikes me as a career politician who happens to own a business. not sure.
Today he refused to back Ohio Gov. Kachich’s legislation to curb the power of public unions. That is all I need to know about Romney. Another problem for me is he couldn’t beat out the progressive McCain for the nomination in 2008. That doesn’t bode well for our chances to beat Obama if he wins the nomination. I’ll vote for him to get rid of Obama, but he is definitely not a conservative.
What a Fake! What a Failure!
Hmmm. Pics of the Hollyweirds and OhBummer doing the bum bump might be clues of whose films to boycott.
What happened to his wife’s healthy eating thing? A whole family of hypocrites.
Of COURSE he doesn’t want to be photo’d at the glitzy CA fundraisers. He really supports the “occupy” agenda, only to keep the people restless and off balance. He NEEDS the Hollywood idiots to help fund his campaign. On one hand he castigates the rich, in agreeing with the “occupy” anarchists, but on the other, he tries to scare the wealthy into contributing; essentially, talking out of both ends of his arse.
His lies won’t work this time around, this Marxist is toast!
What do you expect-the presidency is a money game, now
it is the “haves and the have mores'” as Pres. Bush was quoted
at one of his exclusionary fund raisers. Get used to it America,
98 per cent of you are being transitioned into
Second Class Citizens from medical care to useless college degrees.
He is the Player of all Players!!! He’s playin every single group to whatever they want to hear. POTUS has become a shallow occupation.
I agree with Susan. A reputable reporter should think of himself as an observer, and should therefore say, “The President allowed us to photograph him at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, but we were not allowed into the private galas thrown by celebrities.” Saying that is not a value judgement but an observation, and the audience can decide what to make of it.
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