Obama Taps Celebs To Woo High-End Donors

Chicago Sun Times:

Presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), heavily reliant on major donors and celebrities despite his public emphasis on small contributors, upped the ante this week to enter his VIP donor world. A new high was set Monday for hosting or chairing an Obama event; chairs of his birthday fund-raiser in Boston had to raise $285,000; co-chairs needed to collect $142,500.

Meanwhile, a string of celebrities from the entertainment world are helping Obama raise campaign money in August and September: Bruce Hornsby; Luciana & Matt Damon and Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck, Star Jones; Kal Penn; Mira Nair; Ellen Pompeo; Justin Chambers and Scarlett Johansson. Leon Fleisher, Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman will perform at an Obama fund-raiser in Phoenix next month.

The higher price tags in the Boston event was reflected down the line: dinner and the "photoline" was $28,000 per couple or $15,000 a seat. Other tiered categories: Celebration Co-Chair/Sponsor/Friend/Ticket Price: $25,000, $4,600, $2,300, $1,000. The Boston Globe reported $5 million raised from the evening.

Read the whole story: Chicago Sun Times

Comments

[reshas1]

11:16 PM on 08/06/2008

Obama Campaign returns to Europe after the convention, only this time, Barack Obama will be a little less subtle about his purposes. On the second day of the Republican Convention, Obama will do some low-key fundraising … among Hollywood heavyweights … in Geneva, Switzerland. George Clooney will arrange for a $1,000 a plate reception, but that’s just the appetizer:
Academy award winning actor George Clooney is set to host a fundraiser for Barack Obama in Switzerland next month.
The event, taking place on the evening of September 2 in Geneva, Switzerland will be split into two parts: a reception and a dinner. According to Obama’s National Finance Committee, tickets for the reception where Clooney will speak are going for $1,000, followed by a dinner at the home of NFC member Charles Adams for $10,000 a plate. Space for the dinner is limited to 75 guests.

Let’s hope that Obama remembers to say “merci, beaucoup” as they pass along the checks. Otherwise we’d be totally embarrassed to have him traveling abroad.

[reshas1]

11:16 PM on 08/06/2008

The celebrities donating to Obama won't pay extra taxes on their millions because they have high priced accountants organising legal tax shelters that reduce their taxes. When will suckers wake up to the fact that the rich, very rich and super rich can afford to be Democrats and talk about raising taxes when it's only the working stiffs who actually do the paying. Fact is, folks, it's the Republicans who have become the party of the average American not the Democrats which is the party of elitists who think they know what is good for us. If you don't believe that then recall the speech Obama made to a crowd of wealthy supporters in San Francisco where he belittled working class people and our values.

[DieHardObamaSupporter]

09:57 PM on 08/06/2008

Yeah baby!

[rwe]

08:17 PM on 08/06/2008

Oh Paris ,,, ya think your ad is hurting McCain?

[4wehttam]

06:47 PM on 08/06/2008

WOO-HOO!!!!! Great, we need as much funds as possible to call McBush out on his lies and ignorance.

[Gma11]

05:11 PM on 08/06/2008

More power to you, Barack. We're going to need a lot of funds in October!!

[lovethesinner]

04:22 PM on 08/06/2008

"Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman?" (Damn!) And in Phoenix, too.

Talk about taking a GUN to a knife fight. Obama's taking a couple of cannons into McCain's own back yard.

GObama!

[jahjah]

04:19 PM on 08/06/2008

but these celebs are maericans also and they are people just like us so why shouldnt they have a say in this election i dont get it when people make it so big issue they have the right to be involved

[SheriChardonnay]

04:35 PM on 08/06/2008

Thank you! THey pay taxes and live here like the rest of us!

[PumaAnn]

04:18 PM on 08/06/2008

Thank goodness he doesn't take money from those pesky teachers or union workers. *heh

[cnick]

05:39 PM on 08/06/2008

He gets money from me, I live on Social Security and I give to him every month. He's our only hope. He must raise all he can to beat the Republican machine.

[4wehttam]

06:49 PM on 08/06/2008

I'm a hospital worker and he gets money from me EVERY month.

[jay1975]

04:16 PM on 08/06/2008

Is he getting help from Britaney and Paris?

[BigLib]

04:15 PM on 08/06/2008

and yet poor Michelle still can't keep fresh fruit in the house for her babies...

[SeaBoatbuilder]

06:50 PM on 08/06/2008

Huh?

[JJ30]

04:10 PM on 08/06/2008

Go Obama!

[WFV]

04:08 PM on 08/06/2008

Hey, celebs need to hang together, right?

Rock on, Barack! Wish I had the funds to attend!

[Makesense]

03:54 PM on 08/06/2008

Sweet