The Obama Economic Plan: Deploy Hollywood

“When It Comes To Raising Money, The Obama Re-Election Campaign Knows It Can Count On The Showbiz Community”

NO JOKE: “BARACK ON BROADWAY”

“The Stars Are Aligning Behind President Obama, Hollywood Stars That Is.” (Amy Bingham, “SJP, Bon Jovi Join Obama’s Star-Studded Cast Of Fundraisers,”ABC News,6/3/12)

Obama Will Rub Elbows With New York’s Theater Elite” At His Fundraiser Barack On Broadway.” “After a visit to Studio City earlier this month for a Hollywood fundraiser at George Clooney’s house, President Obama is scheduled to rub elbows with New York’s theater elite at an event on June 4 titled ‘Barack on Broadway.'” (David Ng, “Obama Heading To Broadway For Fundraiser, With Bill Clinton,”The Los Angeles Times’ “Culture Monster,”5/24/12)

• “The Broadway Event Is Being Staged By Tony Award-Winning Director George C. Wolfe.” (David Ng, “Obama Heading To Broadway For Fundraiser, With Bill Clinton,” The Los Angeles Times’ “Culture Monster,”
• The Fundraiser Will Be At The 1,800 Seat New Amsterdam Theatre. “The fundraising event is set for 7 p.m. at the 1,800-seat New Amsterdam Theatre, home of Disney’s ‘Mary Poppins.’ The president is to appear alongside a number of prominent stage performers, including James Earl Jones, Stockard Channing, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Angela Lansbury, Mandy Patinkin and Jeffrey Wright.” (David Ng, “President Obama Heading To Broadway To Raise Campaign Money,”Los Angeles Times , 5/25/12)
• “James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Patti Lupone, Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, Nina Arianda, Kerry Butler, Norbert Leo Butz, Bobby Cannavale, Stockard Channing, Megan Hilty And Cheyenne Jackson Are Some Of The Performers Slated To Attend.” “President Barack Obama heads to Broadway next month as part of a double bill with former President Bill Clinton – and the stars will be out to welcome them. James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, Nina Arianda, Kerry Butler, Norbert Leo Butz, Bobby Cannavale, Stockard Channing, Megan Hilty and Cheyenne Jackson are some of the performers slated to attend the June 4 fundraiser.” (“Stars Lining Up For ‘Barack On Broadway’ Fundraiser,” The Associated Press, 5/26/12)
• Former President Bill Clinton Will Also Attend. “But perhaps the biggest guest appearance of the evening will be former President Bill Clinton, who has recently stepped up his campaign appearances for the current chief executive.” (David Ng, “President Obama Heading To Broadway To Raise Campaign Money,” Los Angeles Times , 5/25/12)

ARE YOU HERE TO SEE OBAMA OR BON JOVI?

Tonight, Jon Bon Jovi “Will Take The Stage To Serenade Obama Donors” At A “Pricey” “Star-Studded” Fundraiser. “Ten days before Sarah Jessica Parker hosts her ‘fabulous’ fundraiser, rocker Jon Bon Jovi will take the stage to serenade Obama donors at an equally-pricey and similarly-star-studded fundraising ‘gala dinner.'” (Amy Bingham, “SJP, Bon Jovi Joing Obama’s Star-Studded Cast Of Fundraisers,” ABC News, 6/3/12)

• Bon Jovi Will Perform At The Waldorf Astoria Hotel. “ According to an invitation obtained by BuzzFeed’s politics blog, rocker Jon Bon Jovi will perform at the dinner, which will be held June 4 at The Waldorf Astoria hotel in Manhattan.” (“Obama Promotes Second Joint Fundraiser With Bill Clinton,” Fox New York,5/22/12)
• “Barack On Broadway” Is One Of Two Events That Bill Clinton Will Attend.“‘Barack on Broadway’ is one of two events that day that will join Obama and Clinton. The two presidents will also attend a dinner featuring a performance by Jon Bon Jovi.” (“Stars Lining Up For ‘Barack On Broadway’ Fundraiser,” The Associated Press, 5/26/12)

And Obama’s Hollywood Tour Isn’t Over

The Obama Campaign Is Holding A “High-Profile High-Fashion” Fundraiser In Chicago On June 12. “Tickets are on sale — and selling quickly — for a high-profile high-fashion Obama campaign fundraiser to be held in downtown Chicago next month. On June 12, celebrities, designers and the city’s fashion elite will turn out for a cocktail reception unveiling a new Chicago pop-up shop for Runway to Win, a fundraising effort from the campaign to re-elect President Barack Obama that features low-cost items from 27 designers.” (“Obama Campaign Fashion Fundraiser: Tickets On Sale For Anna Wintour, Iman Chicago Event,” The Huffington Post, 5/22/12)

• Obama’s Campaign Released A Video Invitation From Fashion Fundraiser Host Anna Wintour The Same Day As “Grim Economic News – A Jobs Report That Put An Exclamation Point On The Financial Struggles Of Average Americans. ” “Friday was a day of grim economic news – a jobs report that put an exclamation point on the financial struggles of average Americans. But it was also the day that President Obama’s campaign chose to put out a video appeal from Anna Wintour, the oh-so-fabulous editor in chief of Vogue magazine, inviting supporters to compete for a chance at a dinner with her, the Obamas and Sarah Jessica Parker in New York City.” (Michael D. Shear, “After A Day Of Bad Economic News, An Invitation From Anna Wintour,” The New York Times’ “The Caucus,” 6/1/12)

• “But The Timing Of The Video Of Ms. Wintour, Coming On The Same Day As The Jobs Numbers, Might Not Have Been Ideal.” (Michael D. Shear, “After A Day Of Bad Economic News, An Invitation From Anna Wintour,” The New York Times’ “The Caucus,” 6/1/12)

Fox’s Chris Wallace Called The Wintour Ad A “Blunder.” WALLACE: “Here’s another blunder that you may not have seen. On the day, Friday, when all of the bad economic news came out, the Obama campaign decided that was the day to release a video of Anna Wintour. If you don’t know her, she is the editor of a fashion magazine, Vogue. Saying to people contribute to the Obama campaign and you can come to a big exclusive dinner in New York that Sarah Jessica Parker and I are hosting. Take a look at this.” (Fox’s “Fox News Sunday,” 6/3/12)

• Wallace: “And This Is On The Day When We Find Out That The Economy Created Only 69,000 Jobs.” WALLACE: “Yes, don’t be late. And this is on the day when we find out that the economy created only 69,000 jobs. First of all, do you subscribe to Chip’s idea that the campaign is off to a shaky start, and if so, how big a deal.” (Fox’s “Fox News Sunday,” 6/3/12)
• Fox’s Juan Williams: “That Was Hilarious. That Looks Like A Parody… It’s Just Unbelievable.” WILLIAMS: “By the way, that was hilarious. That looks like a parody. It looked like the Romney campaign planted Dr. Evil in the house of Obama and he said, ‘you know on the day the grim job numbers come out let’s have someone who reeks of ornamental excess announce that the peasants can have a place at the table.’ It’s just unbelievable. I mean, so you know, just a mistake.” (Fox’s “Fox News Sunday,” 6/3/12)
• Click To Watch

Two Days After “Barack On Broadway,” Obama Will Attend A Fundraiser At The Home Of The Creator Of Television Show “Glee.” “Two days after the event, Obama is scheduled to return to Los Angeles for a fundraiser at the home of ‘Glee’ creator Ryan Murphy.” (David Ng, “President Obama Heading To Broadway To Raise Campaign Money,”Los Angeles Times , 5/25/12)

Two Weeks After George Clooney Hosted A $12 Million Fundraiser For Obama, Sarah Jessica Parker Is Stepping Up To The Plate. “Two weeks after the president enlisted the help of Hollywood A-lister George Clooney to host a $12 million campaign fundraiser, Obama is pumping up his star power again, only this time it’s ‘Sex and the City’ star Sarah Jessica Parker who is hosting.” (Amy Bingham, “SJP, Bon Jovi Join Obama’s Star-Studded Cast Of Fundraisers,” ABC News, 6/3/12)

• “The ‘Fabulous’ New York City Fundraiser, As Parker Describes It, Is Likely To Be A Hot Spot For Celebrities, Much Like Clooney’s Los Angeles Gala Was.” (Amy Bingham, “SJP, Bon Jovi Join Obama’s Star-Studded Cast Of Fundraisers,”ABC News, 6/3/12)

• Obama’s Clooney Fundraiser, Which “Was A Fusion Of Glamour And Political Power,” Shows Obama “Still Has The Loyalty Of Hollywood’s Elite.”“Even as he struggles to rekindle the excitement of his 2008 campaign, President Barack Obama proved Thursday he still has the loyalty of Hollywood’s elite, pulling in nearly $15 million in a fundraising dinner at the home of actor George Clooney. The event was a fusion of glamour and political power as the president made the case for his re-election to an audience packed with movie executives, agents and iconic entertainers. Barbra Streisand, sporting a black beret, sat at one of the 14 tables on Mr. Clooney’s basketball court, which was tented for the occasion.” (Peter Nicholas and Erica Orden, “Clooney Fundraiser Nets $15 Million For Obama Campaign,” The Wall Street Journal , 5/11/12)

• The Fundraiser, Which Cost Guests $40,000 To Attend, Raised More Than Any Other Obama Event. “The fundraiser produced more money for Mr. Obama’s campaign fund than any he has held since becoming a presidential candidate in 2007, according to members of his fundraising team. Most of the guests paid $40,000 apiece for tickets to the dinner at Mr. Clooney’s home in Los Angeles.” (Peter Nicholas and Erica Orden, “Clooney Fundraiser Nets $15 Million For Obama Campaign,” The Wall Street Journal , 5/11/12)
• Barbara Streisand, Robert Downey Jr., Tobey Maguire, And J.J. Abrams Were Among The Attendees. “Invited guests include Barbra Streisand, who once hosted a major fundraiser to defeat Prop 8 in 2008, and actor Robert Downey Jr., who has pushed the envelope in the past by insinuating that his character in the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ franchise could be gay. CAA partner Bryan Lourd is a towering figure in gay Hollywood (he left his three-year relationship with Carrie Fisher to be with another man), and he’s expected be at the event as well. Other guests include actor Tobey Maguire, producer J.J. Abrams and ICM president Chris Silbermann, according to Obama Foodorama.” (Anna Almendrala, “Obama In LA May 10, 2012: George Clooney’s Studio City Bash Could Lead To ‘Starmageddon,'” The Huffington Post, 5/10/12)

The Obama Campaign’s First National Ad Will Feature Sarah Jessica Parker And Will Air During The MTV Movie Awards. “I can exclusively reveal that the Obama campaign will debut its first national television ad Sunday during the MTV Movie Awards. The spot features Parker inviting Obama supporters to her house for an upcoming fundraising dinner with the president. The Sex and the City star encourages people to enter a raffle to win two tickets to the shindig, cohosted by Michelle Obama and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, by donating to his reelection efforts.” (Marc Malkin, “Sarah Jessica Parker Campaigning For President Obama At MTV Movie Awards,” E! Online, 6/1/12)

• In The Ad, Parker Invites Viewers To Attend A Fundraiser With The President At Her Home. “‘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 President Obama and Michelle are coming to my house for dinner on June 14,’ Parker says in the ad. ‘And I want you to be there, too.'” (Marc Malkin, “Sarah Jessica Parker Campaigning For President Obama At MTV Movie Awards,” E! Online, 6/1/12)

OBAMA’S HOLLYWOOD STRATEGY ISN’T WORKING FOR THE ECONOMY

Since President Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 552,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 7.8 Percent To 8.2 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 6/1/12)

• Moody’s Mark Zandi: “There’s Nothing Very Redeeming About This Report. It’s Pretty Ugly All The Way Around.” ZANDI:”Yeah, I know, Chuck, there’s nothing very redeeming about this report. It’s pretty ugly all the way around. The weak job numbers, the revisions, the unemployment rate. It was pretty, pretty weak.” (MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown,” 6/1/12)

ABC News: “The Nation’s Jobs Picture Dimmed In May.” “The nation’s jobs picture dimmed in May as employers added just 69,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked up to 8.2 percent, a continuation of a long, slow employment recovery that began 33 months ago.” (Susanna Kim, “May Unemployment Rises To 8.2 Pct,” ABC News, 6/1/12)

• The New York Times: “A Dismal Showing.” “The United States economy gained a net 69,000 jobs in May, the Labor Department said Friday, a dismal showing that reflected mounting fears of a global slowdown. The unemployment rate rose to 8.2 percent from 8.1 percent in April.” (Shaila Dewan, “U.S. Added 69,000 Jobs In May, Jobless Rate At 8.2%,” The New York Times , 6/1/12)

The Washington Post’s Fact Checker: “The Worst Numbers On Record Occurred Under His [Obama’s] Watch” With Regards To Job Growth. “The president said that policies from 2000 through 2008 produced the ‘most sluggish job growth we’ve ever seen.’ perhaps so, but the worst numbers on record occurred under his watch.” (Josh Hicks, “Obama’s Remarks On Worst Job Growth: Did He End It Or Should He Own It?” The Washington Post’s “Fact Checker,” 5/21/12)

• The Washington Post’s Fact Checker: “Obama Comes In Either Last, Second-To-Last Or In The Bottom Half Among Presidents Since The Great Depression.” “But Obama comes in either last, second-to-last or in the bottom half among presidents since the great depression, depending on which way you look at the numbers.” (Josh Hicks, “Obama’s Remarks On Worst Job Growth: Did He End It Or Should He Own It?” The Washington Post’s “Fact Checker,” 5/21/12)

52 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of Obama’s Handling Of The Economy, While Just 43 Percent Say They Approve. (NBC News/Wall Street Journal, 1000A, MoE 3.1%, 5/16-20/12)

66 Percent Of Americans Say That Barack Obama Has Either Made Things “Worse” Or “Not Made Much Difference” With Regards To The Economic Downturn, While Just 31 Percent Say He Has Made Things “Better.” (NBC News/Wall Street Journal, 1000A, MoE 3.1%, 5/16-20/12)

• 65 Percent Of Americans Expect The Economy To Either “Stay The Same” Or “Get Worse” In The Next Year, While Just 33 Percent Expect It To “Get Better.” (NBC News/Wall Street Journal, 1000A, MoE 3.1%, 5/16-20/12)

“The Proportion Of Americans In Their Prime Working Years Who Have Jobs Is Smaller Than It Has Been At Any Time In The 23 Years Before The Recession.” “The proportion of Americans in their prime working years who have jobs is smaller than it has been at any time in the 23 years before the recession, according to federal statistics, reflecting the profound and lasting effects that the downturn has had on the nation’s economic prospects. By this measure, the jobs situation has improved little in recent years.” (Peter Whoriskey, “Job Recovery Is Scant For Americans In Prime Working Years,” The Washington Post , 5/29/12)

• “This Measure Of Prime-Age Workers Captures More Of The Ongoing Turbulence In The Job Market.” “While the unemployment rate may be the most closely watched gauge of the economy in the presidential campaign, this measure of prime-age workers captures more of the ongoing turbulence in the job market. It reflects ‘missing workers’ who have stopped looking for work and aren’t included in the unemployment rate.” (Peter Whoriskey, “Job Recovery Is Scant For Americans In Prime Working Years,” The Washington Post , 5/29/12)

“More Than Half Of All The Jobs Created During The Past Six Months Have Been In Low-Paying Industries Such As Retail And Temporary Help, Joseph Brusuelas, Senior Economist At Bloomberg LP, Noted On Thursday.” (Mark Gongloff and Bonnie Kavoussi, “Job Market Recovery Led By Low-Wage Sectors,” The Huffington Post, 4/5/12)

• “The Jobs Are Lousy, And There Aren’t Enough Of Them.” “The job market these days is sort of like that old Catskills joke: The food is terrible, and the portions are so small. The jobs are lousy, and there aren’t enough of them.” (Mark Gongloff and Bonnie Kavoussi, “Job Market Recovery Led By Low-Wage Sectors,”The Huffington Post, 4/5/12)