There was a buzz of energy in the air this past Saturday afternoon as we filed through the imposing wooden gates of Oprah Winfrey's Montecito estate for the much ballyhooed Barack Obama fundraiser, all of us acutely aware that we were about to experience an historic moment in time. It was similar to how I imagine attendees at Truman Capote's Black & White Ball or guests at Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding must have felt decades earlier.
The event was hosted in the meadow of Oprah's palatial home complete with rolling hills, a stocked pond, and an arched bridge which would later serve as a prime spot for celebrity spotting, but which at first simply took my breath away. As a fellow guest noted under his breath, "I see why someone would pay $85 million for this place." After security checks, a host of lines and "organized transport," we could finally understand what it had all been for.
The crowd was as elegant as the surroundings, a multi-cultural bonanza that in itself was inspiring: African Americans, whites, Indians, East Asians, Latinos and more. In keeping with "garden attire," the women donned flowery chiffon and printed cotton dresses and the men wore crisp jackets and khaki slacks. Both women and men were suitably coifed for an event for which the ticket price was $2,300 each and is expected to have raised the Barack Obama campaign more than three million dollars.
And then of course there were the celebrities. We noticed a crowd developing near the idyllic bridge and pond so we flocked over there and soon celebrities were parading down this make-shift red carpet. Chris Rock, Forest Whitaker and Babyface came by one after the other. Sidney Poitier was elegant and gracious, shaking hands with fellow well-wishers. A few folks in the crowd said they saw Halle Barry, but truthfully, I didn't see her (much to my chagrin!) But I did spot Jimmy Connors, Cindy Crawford and Sharon Lawrence.
And then the real action began.
Oprah walked on stage to whistles and roaring claps and immediately the well-mannered audience, myself included, ditched protocol and we all headed toward the stage. We all wanted to be closer to OPRAH!!!
In keeping with the lime-green theme of the food and decor, Oprah was dressed in a lime-green wrap blouse and a floor length white skirt. "Welcome to what I call the Promised Land," she said, referring to her home. "I feel blessed to be living the dream that Martin Luther King, Jr. made possible," she stated with emotion. She went on to introduce Barack Obama, as "not just a politician," but "a real man," a "man she trusts," whom she'd first discussed doing a fundraiser for as early as 2004. We listened in hushed silence as Oprah explained that she'd never endorsed a political candidate in the past because she'd never been "engaged," but that Barack Obama had "engaged" her and had the ability to engage the nation. She stated point-blank, "I've cast my vote for Barack Obama." Later Pam Weiss, a Silicon Valley mother of three and first-time fundraiser attendee noted, "She's so real, she captured the audience." Noting the large turnout of women and Oprah's inspiring endorsement, Ms. Weiss noted, "the women at this event and others like it could become a powerful force in building a word-of-mouth campaign for Barack Obama."
Oprah introduced Michelle Obama, dressed in a navy blue ruffle-collar, nearly backless dress designed by the Chicago designer Maria Pinto. And then Barack Obama took the stage and again the crowd cheered and hooted.
Obama thanked his wife and proceeded to thank Oprah. He noted that before he'd announced his intention to run, he'd heard people talk about the possibility of Oprah running for president. "I told them it wouldn't happen because it would be a step down," he said noting the power and influence Oprah has today. The crowd roared with delight. "The more I know her, the more I love her," he added. "There is genuineness in her core."
Obama spoke for about 20 minutes touching on issues as broad as universal healthcare, the ability for diversity to be a positive rather than dividing force for the country and the need to be a strong nation that isn't afraid to engage in dialogue with enemies. "America is back. We are the last best hope on earth," he said. He ended by making a commitment to the audience. "I will not be a perfect president. But I will listen and that is how change happens. We are going to transform America."
When it was over, we headed back to the eco-friendly lime-green and oatmeal organic cotton blankets laid out on the lawn to hear Stevie Wonder perform. As we listened to the music and compared notes with fellow guests, I heard a theme emerge: he's "a great consensus builder," "he has a vision." The only detracting comments were that Obama and Oprah didn't move through the crowd, shake hands. We all wanted to get closer to this man who might be president and America's reigning queen.