Mr. Obama has visited California some two dozen times during his presidency.
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Obama appeared on the latest addition of The Ellen DeGeneres show.
The first fundraiser is hosted by “Scorpion” executive producer Danny Rose and entertainment lawyer Aaron Rosenberg and will feature a performance by John Legend.
Turning serious, Obama said: “Michelle, I’ve made a lot of great decisions as president”. The president’s entourage disrupts traffic and his presence can draw protesters, town officials say, like the vocal crowd that demonstrated against the Keystone pipeline three years ago. He said people are concerned about income inequality and laboring under a political system they believe works against their interests.
Tickets for the fundraiser at Westly’s home cost $250 for general admission, $1,000 for premium seating, $10,000 for a photo with the president and $25,000 to be a “special guest”. Later in the day, he spoke at a pair of Democratic fundraisers in Los Angeles. “Because when people are scared, then odd things can happen in politics”.
“We can get a politics that’s not about bringing people together”, Obama said.
He said the country never moves forward “when it’s based on us and them”. Some of the money went to the Democratic Hope Fund, which helps retire Obama’s campaign debt.
President Barack Obama will be in California for a weeklong stretch that includes four fundraisers Thursday in Silicon Valley and Los Angeles.
“I am going to protect the president’s ability to have private conversations, whether that’s with lawmakers, whether that’s with candidates for president, or whether that’s with Hollywood artists”, Schultz said.
On Thursday, the President is scheduled to attend two Democratic fundraisers: a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee event that is closed to the press and a Democratic National Committee event that will only be accessible to print media.
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The president arrived at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday afternoon and quickly boarded Marine One en route to Burbank.
