CHICAGO, Illinois, May 11, 2012 — Arriving in style aboard the gas-guzzling, carbon monoxide-emitting Air Force One, President Obama and his A-list Hollywood supporters occupied the exclusive Studio City estate of actor and Sudan activist George Clooney Thursday night to pad his 2012 re-election effort. The haul was a mighty one: a whopping $15 million for the president and the Democrat National Committee’s coffers.

The garish Hollywood bash was a far cry from the Sudan, where Clooney was arrested in March, demanding humanitarian aid for the impoverished region. But good deed done, the actor apparently felt it was time to have a party for the President.

About 150 guests culled from Hollywood’s elite paid $40,000 a plate to attend the soiree at Clooney’s lavish canyon home – accounting for $6 million of the evening’s political haul. A-listers included singer Barbra Streisand, Robert Downey Jr., Salma Hayek, Jack Black, Rob Reiner, Tobey Maguire, Director J.J. Abrams, and DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg and his political advisor, Andy Spahn.

But Clooney and the President were generous; a raffle was held for average Americans, the winners receiving the opportunity to attend party with their spouse. Thousands of people were lured to the President’s online contest and asked to pony up $23 each for the chance to attend glitzy once-in-a-lifetime event, adding another $9 million to the President’s take.

The President’s Hollywood guests enjoyed a menu designed by Chef Wolfgang Puck under a ritzy canopied tent outside the Clooney mansion. The tony dinner included artichoke salad, Peking duck, lamb and beef cheek with potatoes, sweet corn tortellini, and herbed roasted Brussels sprouts.

No tightening your belts here. If only the occupiers could see their 1 percent now.

But the President’s fundraising tour was not without its hitches and missteps.

Earlier Thursday, President Obama appeared at a campaign event in Seattle, remarking that he had “forgotten” about the recession’s destructive impact:

“It was a house of cards and it collapsed in the most destructive, worst crisis that we’ve seen since the Great Depression,” Obama said. “And sometimes people forget the magnitude of it. You know, you saw some of that in the video that was shown. Sometimes I forget.”

“It’s not surprising that a president who forgot to create jobs, forgot to cut the debt, and forgot to change Washington has now admitted that he’s forgotten about the recession,” Andrea Saul, a representative for Mitt Romney responded.

On the heels of his $15 million Hollywood fundraiser, the President’s recessionary “forgetfulness” could not have come at a worse time. Obama has campaign stops planned Friday to highlight the plight of struggling Nevada homeowners.

The President won Nevada four years ago. But it wasn’t “his” economy then and the state is, arguably, in worst shape than before. Nevada is at 12% unemployment – the worst in the nation and its foreclosure rate is second to worst.  

President Obama’s campaign strategy has taken some serious hits over the last few months. The campaign’s dual strategy of attacking presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney as “out-of-touch” due to his personal wealth and his flip-flops on major issues have become less than potent.

Although the President’s stunning flip-flop on gay marriage this week was hailed by gay rights activists, it has also come under fire as lacking in political relevancy. White House aides say the President continues to believe that marriage is an issue best decided by states.

Critics of the President have mocked his “celebrity” status. The recent White House Correspondents dinner turned into a ritzy red carpet affairs attended by Lindsay Lohan, Sofia Vergara, and tabloid titan Kim Kardashian.  A recent ad from Crossroads GPS pounced on Obama’s cult of celebrity using footage of the President singing on the “Late Show with Jimmy Fallon.”

Out-of-touch much, Mr. President?

The President and First Family have also come under fire for their own lavish spending of taxpayer dollars during these recessionary times. Judicial Watch, a watchdog group, reported in April that the First Lady’s Spanish vacation to Mallorca cost taxpayers $470,000. Secret Service costs totaled $255,000. The roundtrip flight cost $199,000.

Perhaps the President has “forgotten” about that too. But whether or not voters will remains to be seen. 

Conservative commentator and satirist William J. Kelly is also a contributor to Breitbart.com and edits the Tea Party Reports for the Washington Times Communities. He is a native from Chicago’s Southside.

Email questions to him at williamjkellyrebuild@gmail.com.

Find him on Facebook/Williamjpkelly

Read more of Bill Kelly’s Truth Squad in The Communities at the Washington Times

 

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