Sarah Jessica Parker & Mariah Carey Hold NYC Fundraisers For Obama Campaign
UPDATE 6:15 PM: President Obama tonight is raising more Hollywood millions in New York at Sarah Jessica Parker’s West Village brownstone and at Mariah Carey’s event at the Plaza Hotel. The Parker event is co-hosted by Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Including tonight’s two events, Obama has had 19 celebrity fundraisers raising an estimated $51 million for his reelection campaign. This is now becoming a routine for Obama: he flies to one coast or the other, hangs with the glitterati, praises them effusively, and then takes the money and runs. 
Parker’s event was identical to the George Clooney fundraiser except smaller: the dinner consisted of about 50 guests at $40,000 a ticket with a lotto small donor winner trying to spend a “New York Night” with Obama. (The winner was Robin Hunt, a hospital administrator who brought her mother.) Parker appeared in the Obama campaign’s first national ad that debuted on the MTV Movie Awards on June 3rd. (The actress said in the ad that people should vote for Obama because he’s “the guy who ended the war in Iraq, the guy who says you should be able to marry anyone you want, and the guy who created four million new jobs — that guy.”) Get this: when the Obamas left the Parker/Wintour event at about 6:05 PM PT, the two women came outside and waved goodbye as the prez headed to his next fundraiser. At the Plaza Hotel where hundreds of people stood outside on the streets, Carey and Alicia Keys were featured for the 250-guest gala with tickets costing $10,000 apiece.
Here’s my condensed and edited version of the White House pool reports:
THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, to Sarah Jessica and her whole crew — (laughter) — Matthew apparently had a show he had to run off to — but for them to let us crash their house, Secret Service tromping all over the place, is incredibly generous. And they’ve been great friends. Sarah Jessica is doing all kinds of stuff with our Arts and Humanities Council and she has been a great leader and champion on behalf of the arts. And we could not thank her more for everything that she’s done. So please give her a big round of applause. (Applause.) To Anna, who has been just a great friend, and I think this is — she is working really hard here in New York, but she actually was in Chicago as well, making things happen on our behalf. So, thank you, Anna, for everything that you do. (Applause.)
The pool was led in as SJP in an elegant updo, was talking about the “unstoppable” Anna Wintour. SJP called FLOTUS “our radiant and extraordinary first lady” and said she had been doing “amazingly important things these last 4 years.” She introduced Obama and said they gathered “hopefully, with enormous enthusiasm.” She gave him a hug and kiss. POTUS noted that Broderick wasn’t there, “Matthew had a show,” he said. [Broderick is currently starring in Nice Work If You Can Get It on Broadway.] He said that the couple had “been great friends” and said Wintour too was “been just a great friend. She is working hard in NY and Chicago,” he said. He self deprecatingly called himself the 5th or 6th in the “hierarchy in the WH,” behind FLOTUS, the girls, Bo and his mother in law. And joked it was the couple’s “date night.”
FLOTUS sat next to SJP, who was in a black lace dress (or top and skirt, couldn’t tell) and FLOTUS sat across from Bravo’s Andy Cohen. Other celebs spotted: Meryl Streep and designer Michael Kors, who sat next to Wintour. She was at the far end of the table.“We’ve got as fundamental a choice this time out than wee have had in 30, 40 or 50 years,, what we are going to have to do is present very clearly to the American people that choice,” he said.
At the end, as the pool was ushered out, Wintour got up and the president said “Anna is going to moderate to make sure I don’t call on the wrong person.”
He gave a standard stump speech and said the economy was recovering because of American grit. “Because of their resilence, we’ve begun to come back,” he said. He ticked off his accomplishments in health care and said he was committed to investing in science and technology. “That’s why I’m running for a second term, because our work is not yet done.” After he said that “GM is now back on top,” SJP’s young son began clapping. “He wanted to fire up the crowd,” POTUS said. “He knows an applause line,” Cohen said, roaring. “Right on cue!”
The guests sat at two long tables in two long rooms w dividing doors open. There was ample art on the wall, and a floor to ceiling bookshelves and two large marble fireplaces. The mantels on the fireplaces were covered in flowers, as were the tables, which were also decorated with votives. There were many attractive people seated at the tables, but your pooler sadly did not recognize them and there were no photos allowed.
UPDATE 4:00 PM The President and First Lady have arrived at Sarah Jessica Parker’s West Village brownstone, says the White House pool reports. Parker is co-hosting with Vogue’s Anna Wintour. Other guests include Meryl Streep, Michael Kors, and Aretha Franklin.
UPDATE 2:35 PM - Another week and another celebrity fundraiser for Barack Obama. This time the incumbent is in New York for an early evening event for 50 guests at Sarah Jessica Parker’s house. Another fundraiser at the Plaza Hotel later tonight co-hosted by Mariah Carey follows that. While its nowhere near the record breaking $15 million Obama raised on May 10 at the fundraiser at George Clooney’s house in LA, the NYC events today are estimated to raise about $4.5 million for the President’s re-election campaign. The Sex and The City star is co-hosting the intimate dinner at her and husband Matthew Broderick’s house with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Air Force One flew from campaign events in Cleveland and was scheduled to land at NYC’s JFK Airport at around 1:35 PT according to the White House schedule. The presidential plane actually touched down at 2:10 PM PT and the Obamas headed into Manhattan via Marine One. Obama is scheduled to speak to the crowd at Parker’s West Village brownstone, some of whom paid a reported $40,000 aticket around 3:45 PM PT. The Parker/Wintour dinner will feature Italian cuisine from chef Michael White and a performance by New Orleans musician Trombone Shorty. The gala fundraiser at the Plaza will have 250 guests who have paid $10,000 a ticket.
Like with the May fundraiser at Clooney’s pad, the Parker/Wintour event will feature lucky winning lotto donors who only needed to donate $3 to get a chance to have dinner with the President, the celebs and the well-heeled. Like the Clooney and Parker events, there will of course be other guests who paid big bucks to be there. Tickets for the intimate dinner at Clooney’s house also went for around $40,000 a pop. While there was no lotto when the President was in LA last week for more of Hollywood’s cash, individual tickets went for $25,000 each and $40,000 a couple for the fundraiser at Glee creator Ryan Murphy and his fiancé David Miller’s house. Two days ago the campaign introduced a new twist on the popular lotto dinner with the President by giving potential attendees the opportunity to not only bring a guest but also pick Obama’s guest. Earlier last week, before coming to LA, Obama was in NYC with former President Bill Clinton and Jon Bon Jovi at side for more fundraising.
Good because those two really know what is going on the real world.
And the Koch brothers totally have their finger on the pulse of America.
the Koch brothers are not the President and the 1st “lady” of the USA
Amen Janey. I love how the libs think they can just throw out “Koch Brothers” as a response to any comment that doesn’t equate Obama with God. I guess the only response to “Koch Brothers” should be “George Soros.” Obama raising millions while hobnobbing with millionaires – a sure sign he’s in tune with the “common people.”
Your comments, and criticisms, make no sense at all. Mentioning the Koch brothers’ dissociation from “real people” is perfectly appropriate when responding to criticism of Obama’s celebrity supporters, and their lack of understanding of “real people’s” problems. But I happen to know SJ Parker and Matthew Broderick. And I can tell you that, prior to their celebrity, they were hard working kids in New York City, trying to get ahead – which, through talent and hard work, they did. Much like Barack Obama’s background.
Now, tell me. Does that describe the background of either of the Koch brothers, or the candidate they’re trying to buy into office? Vote for whom you like, for whatever tortured reason you choose. But if you’re interested in commenting accurately on which individuals understand what it’s like to struggle, and then to rise up from humble beginnings, then there can be no dispute. Only facts. Which about 50% of the country currently have a very difficult time accepting.
i don’t think obama is god – far from it. but i do believe the koch brothers and adelsons of this world think they are like god. i don’t like billionaires buying my politicains thank you very much. these guys aren’t giving up hundreds of millions of dollars out of a sense of patriotism. they are businessmen and expect a damn good return on that money. at the expense of the rest of us. sickening.
Koch brothers.
Yes Janey you are so right! A few years ago it was ‘Halliburton’. You would begin to answer someones argument and the reply would be ‘Halliburton!’ So now I guess the Koch family is the new Halliburton. But the thing is ‘Koch’ doesn’t mean a lot to most people – they know who George Soros is and who Dick Cheney is but Koch? People say that I always think of Ed Koch the former NYC mayor who was a lovely guy.
The Koch brothers are trying to be POTUS. They’ll have their greedy big hands up Mitts butt telling him what to do. Neither Koch Or Mitt are in touch with anything , but the 1%. And no I’m not liberal, just normal
Like some Israel-loving Chinese casino magnate does? Or the gross polluters and right-to-work-for-less crowd?
You make me laugh. Conservatives routinely say they don’t like Hollywood. Guess what? Mitt Romney was at the Beverly Hills Hotel two weeks ago begging for Hollywood’s money. What a complete joke.
His speech today in Ohio was terrible. Jonathan Alter on MSNBC described it as “one of the least successful speeches” he’s seen Obama give. And it was supposed to be the grand re-set after last week’s horrible press conference. How copuld so many “smart” people be so dumb. Oh well, maybe some of this money will actaully be returned to the private sector through advertising and media sales.
LOL! sinc when has money for campaigns gone to the public sector? You Rs are idiots!!!
Cue the class-envious, resentful, racist, anti-Hollywood (ironic as this is an entertainment site), anti-Democrat, crowd.
Meanwhile Sheldon Adelson–and other secret, unnamed superPAC donors–shovels truckloads of money into Romney’s coffers and not a peep.
Oh, come now! Adelson’s only giving $10M to Romney. A mere pittance! It’s just like you or me giving $10.
“Corporations are people my friend!!”
Guess the visit to the WTC site to see how construction is coming along makes this an official trip paid by us?
How convenient….
That’s a clown question, bro.
so exciting! can’ t wait to see what anna will be wearing!!!
At least he is ruining everyone in NYC commute home and not mine for once.
He didn’t ruin anything. Unless you live on the blcok
What endearing ways for the top man in the country to attain funding, through celebrities and crazy-ass expensive parties.
It was good enough for Reagan.
Don’t try. Obama has far surpassed him.
How many more talk shows Barry gonna do, eh?
Sure Obama has passed Reagan. There are hundreds more channels and talk shows now than in the ’80s.
And “Barry” can do what he wants, he’s the President.
My original point remains.
fundraising is off to a galloping start
What’s that? Hollywood superstar awesome actress Sarah Jessica Parker is on Team Obama? Well… I know where my vote is going. Nothing impresses me more than self-serving, totally removed-from-reality actors who throw their weight behind a candidate. It’s obvious they know what is right for America, and the planet in general. Hollywood people are our greatest treasure.
Lord, if John Hamm starts making the scene with Obama I might have to break the law and vote twice on election day! That is how impressive it is to see Obama get his ring kissed by a bunch of ding-bat Liberal Hollywood types.
Please see my comment above, if Deadline allows either of them to stay. You clearly know nothing of Sarah Jessica Parker’s background if you dismiss her as totally-removed-from-reality. The only people that your post refers to who have ever worked, struggled, and risen up from simple surroundings are SJ Parker, Matthew Broderick, and the Obamas.
But that doesn’t fit your preconceived criticism, does it?
Yes the presidents background was modest but SJP was a child actress whose parents relocated so she could star on Broadway and she has been in the show biz bubble since before she was a teen. Broderick was from a well to do family, the son of a very well known actor James Broderick and he went to a very high class prep school before he also started acting as a teen. The Parker Brodericks may be nice people but they are also 1%ers since they were kids. Not my idea of “simple surroundings”.
Just had to say- your response here and above made my day- and I love how, when confronted with such a well-written, polite and factual argument, the response from those supporting Romney (is anyone actually supporting Romney or just anit-Obama?) is silence or, at best, disjointed ad hominem attacks.
It’s over and they don’t even know it.
You’re referring to the Mormon guy’s candidacy, right?
LOL you wish
That’s racist. Religist.