Hollywood’s continuing love affair with President Barack Obama is about to hit the swooning stage, as the president is expected to raise $12 million in a fundraiser next week at George Clooney’s house, which would make it the most lucrative presidential fundraiser in U.S. history, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Tickets to the dinner are going for $40,000 each, but that hefty pricetag still is no deterrent in Hollywood, where the demand for a seat has been so high that organizers have considered limiting seats to those who live in Southern California.
Whoever said that Obama’s supporters are lacking in enthusiasm this time around? Either the recession has yet to hit the movie industry, or the film folks are so excited to give the president another term that they are willing to dig the lint out of their pockets for a seat.
But the gargantuan fundraising haul won’t come exclusively from the movie industry big shots, who are expected to bring about $6 million to the campaign at the dinner. The Obama campaign has cleverly connected a fundraiser to the event, using the star power of Clooney and Obama. They have offered online contributors a chance to fly out to the dinner and sit at the head table with Clooney and the president. That lottery is expected to bring in another $6 million.
Obama is familiar with the adoration of celebrities. In March, he raised hundreds of thousands in events at Tyler Perry Studios and also at Perry’s Atlanta home.
