Obama Heads to Oprah’s
EmailABC News’ Jonathan Greenberger reports: It’s the day the political and entertainment worlds collide, and the crowds have already started gathering in Santa Barbara, Calif.
At 3 pm PT, Oprah Winfrey’s widely anticipated fundraiser for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., kicks off at her $50 million estate in Montecito. The event is expected to raise over $3 million for Obama’s presidential campaign and to draw over a thousand guests, including George Clooney, Will Smith, and Stevie Wonder.
First, though, a crowd estimated by the campaign to number nearly 7,000 turned out at Santa Barbara City College to hear Obama give the stump speech he unveiled earlier in the week. Flanked by the Pacific Ocean over one shoulder and the Santa Ynez Mountains over his other, Obama told the crowd that he alone is the "change" candidate they need.
Those assembled under the 70 degree skies hung onto every one of Obama’s words. At the end of his speech, after telling Santa Barbara that he was about to "bring it to a close," loud boos and chants of "No!" were heard.
But the biggest event of the day is still to come. And today’s Oprah event won’t be the last big fundraiser of the month for Obama: The New York Times reported yesterday that on Sept. 24, a "Barack on Broadway!" fundraiser hosted by some of Broadway’s biggest luminaries will take place at New York’s New Amsterdam Theater.
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has her own star-studded fundraiser in the offing, hosted by Magic Johnson and scheduled for six days from now.
The spate of big-ticket, high-profile fundraisers comes as the close of the important third quarter of fundraising approaches at the end of this month.
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I was there at Santa Barbara City College when Sen. Obama spoke. What charisma, and what character! I am glad I got to see our next President in person. America will be back!
Posted by: chotto10 | September 8, 2007, 6:50 pm 6:50 pm
Obama, Oprah, Osama, = 0
Posted by: Troy | September 8, 2007, 7:15 pm 7:15 pm
My son and I were among that crowd of thousands. He delivered a truly stirring oration and offered us a word of hope at a time when most candidates want to beat us down with warnings of despair and danger. Hope or fear — our choice. I choose hope!
Posted by: Bob Cornwall | September 8, 2007, 7:57 pm 7:57 pm
Can some body tell me what the speech was abput? I have to do a report on this article!!!!
Posted by: sally | September 9, 2007, 11:17 am 11:17 am
*about
Posted by: sally | September 9, 2007, 11:18 am 11:18 am
With all due respect to candidate Obama, no matter how well-intentioned he or any other of the candidates for the presidency might be in offering hope to change the course our nation is on at the present time, he is doomed to failure by being outnumbered by a Congress that is dedicated to special interest groups, rather than dedicated to our nation. One, or even a handful of dedicated public servants, always find it impossible to challenge the political status-quo. The present power structure in the major political parties will not allow challenge. There is only one “savior” that is capable of exerting enough pressure on Congress to change their ways,,,the American voting public. Only when each and every elected official fears the wrath of the voters, will the honorable elected officials be able to force the “special interest representatives” to always act in the best interests of our nation and all of its citizens. The American voting public needs to become the most powerful and influential “special interest group” or our nation is doomed to continue its downward spiral. The approval rate for Congress is at 25%. That means that 75% of the American public is fed-up. What will it take to anger them enough to take advantage of their collective voting strength ?
Posted by: THE ANGRY VOTER | September 9, 2007, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
There are some preachers that can really deliver a sermon. However, I wouldn’t think that they could lead a nation in trying times. It takes a little more than just being cute with words. Those thousand people at Oprah’s house were mostly people in show business; troubled wealthy souls that they are. They wouldn’t have a clue as what an average citizen goes through today. He can be their leader; we’ll look elsewhere.
Posted by: cliff jones | September 9, 2007, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
Obviously some have not read the AUDACITY of HOPE. Take time to do so. It will help you to see Senator Obama’s inside track, where he is really coming from.
Oprah doesn’t play. She is providing the only talk show that helps people to help other people work through their personal struggles, and actually informs us. She obviously is a good listener for people and their point of view. She is not taking this endorsement lightly. Both Oprah and Obama understand how to listen and affect positive change which can benefit all of us.
Posted by: betti grevengoed | September 11, 2007, 9:17 am 9:17 am
I for one am ready for an Obama presidency. After all, he’s been in the senate for all of two years. He’s earned it. Folks, he’s auditioning for the VP spot, plain and simple.
Posted by: Glen Hull | September 11, 2007, 5:00 pm 5:00 pm