Obama Meets Brad Pitt

President Barack Obama met on Thursday with Hollywood star Brad Pitt, the White House confirms. The actor also met that day with Democratic congressional leaders, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, to discuss his charity and reconstruction efforts in New Orleans.

In addition to the president, the White House aide said that Pitt met with Carol Browner, who is serving as the Obama's energy czar and was formerly Bill Clinton's EPA Director.

The Make It Right Foundation New Orleans, which Pitt founded in 2007, is helping to rebuild the Lower Ninth Ward and other communities damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Comments

[longnow]

Pitt caught Cloney's political awareness when he made that film with Blanchette.
You can bet Brad Pitt has something to say about FEMA, about Mr Clean, Jindal
and the long term Ray-publican heist of NO and of La.

[coco51]

whoever is or whatever means he caught his awareness from, I say Thank God he caught it. Have you ever been to the lower 9 lately or pre-Katrina?

Isn't it amazingly shameful that it's citizens with millions not our government (who is control billions of our tax dollars), to make this much of a difference?

[AlieNation]

I would feel more confident if the President was having a private meeting with Paul Krugman instead.

[coco51]

I don't think Krugman or Jindal for that matter are able to do as much as Pitt. Neither has the confidence of the people of the lower 9th.

[mervr1]

This is a wonderful event, with these two meeting, maybe now the people in New Orleans can get the help they've needed for so long.

Brad Pitt and other entertainers have put their money where their mouth is when it comes to helping to rebuild the 9th ward and other parts of New Orleans.

Bush acted like New Orleans had been rebuilt and was a brand new city before he left and with Jindal as Governor these people need all the help they can get, especially with Jindal trying to act like he isn't going to take the stimulus funds.

[wilray]

Before any starts bashing Obama for meeting with Brad Pitt consider this. Brad and Angelina use their tremendous wealth and influence for humanitarian causes. Also consider this Bono met with George W. Bush.

[FeministsRFun]

Yes, I understand Mr. Pitt did good things after Katrina for New Orleans.
BUT, where in the Sam Hill were the collective heads of President Obama's White House Staff, including his Chief of Staff, other than up their collective asses in approving this "private" meeting with the male half of the glam couple de jour of the Hollywood "in" crowd. Did we really have to pour more fuel into the right-wing noise machine gas tank? Was that really and truly necessary? Not a good move, folks. And this is nothing personal toward Brad Pitt - it will simply come off as a sophomore PR move by White House staff, which will make President Obama look sophomoric, which will make his job just that much harder, which is not needed right now - it's already hard enough.

[KatDawgATL]

your wrong, ...feminists aren't that fun.

[coco51]

please stop the indignation pretense, it's not cute. Sophmoronic was George Bush and his wife having the former-Prime Minister of Australia stay overnight at Blair House on my tax dollars instead of having the President-elect and his family reside there. Do you know how many thousands of dollars taxpayers spent housing the family at the Hayes-Adams family?.

Last time I heard, Brad Pitt was an American CITIZEN who has spent $5 million of his money to build homes for poor people. Now maybe you don't think that's someone our President should meet with but h ell! that's 5 million of taxpayers dollar POTUS can spend some place else. Now, if you were to say having the Jonas Brothers at the White House was silly, I'd kinda agree with you.

Your indignation should be spent on Bobby Jindal sitting on his nether region politicking whilst the citizen of his state are still HOMELESS AND suffering from the aftereffects of Katrian, FOUR YEARS LATER!!

[jpmdevildog]

Pitt nearly repeated history when Pelosi tried to steal him from Angelina!

http://weeklyworldnews.com/celebs/6718/brad-pitt-nancy-pelosi-make-it-right/

[ellawensmom]

Personally, I'm glad President Obama met with Pitt. He's done alot of work in New Orleans, and is doing alot for green energy. Some of you seem to be forgetting that Brad Pitt is first and foremost an American citizen who is working on behalf of other citizens. Any citizen who would organize a foundation, and work within it to improve the lives of others should get an invitation to the WH. Wasn't it just recently that they invited a young schoolgirl who was working to improve her community? If it was all JUST celebrities I could see the complaints, but it's not.

[coco51]

Here, here!!! Celebrities are far better equipped financially than the majority of Americans to do exactly what Brad Pitt is doing. I can but only wish I had it like that, I'd build me a house big enough to house at least 12 kids, adopt said number and love them til the day I die.

The Jolie-Pitt haters have no concept of brotherly love or citizenship responsibility.

[Dhammi]

It's my guess that many of the people who have written negative posts really have no idea what and how much Brad Pitt has done to 'make it right' in New Orleans. If they can stand up and say they have done even a tiny fraction then let them rant. We need more Brad Pitt's - why wouldn't the president meet with him rather than leaders of countries etc. (including our last adminstration) who have done the mimimum. Brad is actually putting his money (lots of it) and time where his mouth is. There is a bunch of you who need to grow up and maybe go down to New Orleans and assist!

[LeighAnnes]

I agree. Most of the ranters never do anything but rant. They rarely do anything to help others or the community. It doesn't fit with the Repubs "me first" philosophy.

[wineandjazz]

This is the very fine line I always speak about between hollywood and politics. Now you have Hollywood traveling to DC for etiher trying to get help or just for photo op.

I hope this doesn't become a norm thing with President Obama.

[coco51]

Is Hollywood traveling to DC to get help for ITSELFor for the disadvantaged in our society?

[BettyEverdene]

Thank God we have such generous stars as Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Hayden Pennetiere, Bono, and others who have the courage and the means and are DOING the job our leaders and other countries' leaders are not. It's a disgrace that people have to stop doing their jobs and do someone else's. Yes, stars are getting a lot of attention, but it's not the attention that is important. Many people take on these challenges every day for the joy of helping and are unsung. That attention you are talking about is part of how stars CAN get things done. They meet powerful people and grass roots people, they take part in causes, they can move and shake, and the great thing is - some of them do!

[cbeenthere]

Brad Pitt may have met with a lot of people, but I am quite sure he was mindful not to take up much of their time. He only spoke for a few seconds when Pelosi introduced him, and was not a spotlight hog.

[grateful4thedead]

thank goodness the white house is meeting with brad pitt. our entire financial system and economy is collapsing and we have the white house meeting with brad pitt.

folks, i voted for obama and like an increasing number, are having buyer's remorse.

nothing can go forward without fixing our economy first.

ps...inside tip for you investing (losing your money that is, 25% of it since inauguration) in the markets. tim geithner (already worse t'ry secy in history) is strongly considering brittney spears for deputy treasury secretary....seems no one else will take the job.

we could easily be toast soon folks.

[DrCahill]

Brad Pitt has done and is still doing quite a lot for the New Orleans community! People like him deserve (on the grounds of merit) the time of the President - if they ask for it. And fortunately for him, the President was able to accommodate him. I think that is a good thing.
And like President Obama said during the campaign, a President should be able to multi-task! John McCain found that difficult and had to suspend his campaign!
Give the President more credit, please.

[ellawensmom]

Funny...I have Buyer's Ecstasy!

[LeighAnnes]

The polls don't support your assertions. I doubt you really voted for Obama.

[NamelessGenXer]

Er... um... it's called multi-tasking.

[kassandrasduplex]

The Obama Administration yesterday outright REJECTED SINGLE PAYER NATIONAL HEALTH so why is Brad Pitt bigger news?
HMO mandates are coming and the pitt story is getting more coverage?

[ParadeRainer]

Single payer national health. Brilliant idea. Meaning that the government will decide what kind of healthcare you will consume, and where and when you will consume it. Even the phrase "single payer" is a beautifully Orwellian turn of phrase, hiding the fact of government control. Chilling. Downright chilling.

[scully05]

All I see on this post opinions are negatisms.
If it were you dong what Brad has done instead of complaining about every little thing, the President would meet with you too! And what is wrong with you people? Didn't he meet thousands of other people that we have never, or will ever meet on the campaign trail and even after? Hasn't he helped others and maybe even you or someone you know during times of needs with the bailout plans? Isn't he trying to help most everybody?
Good grief!!! Priorities, people, priorities!
Brad is not in Hollywood doing this, he is in New Orleans, somewhere where the big B is govenor and he lied about his contribuitons to Katrina!!!!

[Progress08]

Helping New Orleans is extremely important, but it's Brad Pitt for christs sake not a foreign head of state. Although, if they keep adopting and crapping out kids they will have their own army soon. The Pitt-Jolie Militia

[oscartucker]

How crude and rude!

[YankeeCanuck]

And small-minded and mean-spirited!