Washington: Barack Obama’s widely publicized fundraiser with George Clooney seems to be soon becoming a Hollywood blockbuster.
A May 10 dinner at Clooney’s Studio City, California, home has sold out at 150 guests, who are expected to jointly contribute between 5-6-million-dollar toward Obama’s re-election effort, people familiar with the event said.
A majority of Virginians say that President Obama’s positions on issues are “just about right” in a new Washington Post poll.
In addition, the Hollywood Reporter cites sources saying that the campaign expects to have raised as much as 6-million-dollar more in online donations, which were solicited as part of a nationwide contest to win a ticket to the dinner.
A haul of 12-million-dollar would arguably make the soiree the biggest single presidential fundraising event in US history. Campaign sources are throwing cold water on the estimated total from Internet contributions, however, as being too high.
Demand for tickets to the Clooney event was so intense that organizers attempted to limit attendance to residents of Southern California, the Hollywood paper reported.
The frenzy of interest echoes Obama’s record-breaking fundraising effort in 2008, when massive rallies and donor events became routine.
Obama is particularly focused on donors in the entertainment and technology sectors this time around because of his troubles raising money on Wall Street.
But the Clooney event also comes amid escalating attacks from Republicans on Obama’s celebrity status. American Crossroads, a conservative group advised by GOP political guru Karl Rove, released a web video last week mocking Obama”s “cool” reputation as representing style over substance.
The campaign relentlessly publicized an “Obama, Clooney and You” fundraising contest that ended Monday, bombarding supporters with e-mails, text messages and tweets urging them to donate 3-dollar or more and sign up for a chance to attend the dinner party.
“By pitching in before midnight, you’ll automatically be in the running to join me and George Clooney at his place on May 10th,” the Washington Post quoted Obama as saying in an e-mail to supporters on Monday. (ANI)