(Jake Turcotte)
Barbra Streisand and Barack Obama - like buttah…
By Jimmy Orr | 09.16.08
It seems that the Tina Fey impersonation of Sarah Palin this past weekend on Saturday Night Live was almost universally enjoyed – even by Sarah Palin herself, according to her spokesperson.
Oh yeah, the one person who didn’t get the talking point that it was funny? McCain strategest Carly Fiorina.
“The portrait was very dismissive of the substance of Sarah Palin, and so in that sense, they were defining Hillary Clinton as very substantive, and Sarah Palin as totally superficial,” Fiorina said.
Memo to Carly: It’s OK to laugh.
Coffee Talk?
With Barbra Streisand holding a fundraiser tonight for Barack Obama, could a Mike Myers cameo of “Coffee Talk” be next in line?
This would give SNL back-to-back weeks of ratings success. And would undeniably be hilarious. Just let Myers ad-lib it. Whatever. Just do it.
Although the rest of the season opener appeared to have been panned (Michael Phelps - stick to swimming), the first night out scored its biggest premiere since 2001.
Back to the fundraiser
Streisand is all about Barack now. Originally a fervent supporter of Hillary Clinton, she is now a big-time Obama backer and is vocal about it. She, in fact, uses her website to talk about it. Recently, she lambasted the McCain campaign for selecting Palin.
“This calculated, cynical ploy to pull away a small percentage of Hillary’s women voters from Barack Obama will not work,” Streisand wrote on her Web page. “We are not that stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“I believe John McCain chose Gov. Palin because he truly believes that women who supported Hillary — an experienced, brilliant, lifelong public servant — would vote for him because his vice president has two X chromosomes,” Streisand said. “McCain’s selection of Gov. Palin is a transparent and irresponsible decision all in the name of trying to win this election.”
Who’s out of touch?
Responding to tonight’s dinner, a Republican strategist blasted the Obama campaign bringing back the celebrity charge.
“Barack Obama continues to reinforce the negative that he is an elitist celebrity who is out of touch with everyday Americans,” the GOP operative said. “Nothing says you are out of touch more than a $28 thousand dinner with celebrities in Beverly Hills in the midst of an economic meltdown. This just adds to the list of poor decisions his campaign has made over the last month.”
Bring in the dough
To build on the record-breaking month of August that Obama enjoyed (to the tune of $66 million), Streisand is holding a $2,500-per-person fundraiser at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. With a capacity of 700, the event can only bring in a paltry $1.75 million.
How to increase the haul? Leave it to Barbara. How about dinner? For the low, low price of $28,500 you can dine with the Oscar-winning singer and actress. This is a far more intimate occasion, as only 250 people can have this opportunity.
All in all, the event tonight could bring in $9 million for Obama.
Buttah, pure buttah…
<< Obama, McCain battle for momentum | MainComments
2. sparky | 09.16.08
Obama is not an elitist, yeah right, just like the mighty Campbell Brown (CNN’s little darling) is not biased.
3. joan | 09.16.08
Look McCain’s $ is coming from his heiress wife and Barack has friends and people who believe in him who can help him; he certainly did not come from elitism. I am a retired school teacher on a fixed income rooting for him all the way.
4. Pamela | 09.16.08
While you’re enjoying your 28,000 dollar dinner, people in Ike’s path won’t even get baths or hot meals! Why doesn’t the Hollywood freaks hold a dinner for them? King Obama needs it more. Their agenda speakd volumes, and it’s not for the American people! Shame on them.
5. Rusty | 09.16.08
So much wasted fortunes! Why can’t they help someone who needs it? Like our fellow Americans in Texas? $66 million dollars isn’t enough for Obama? He needs $28,000 dinners? The elite folks in Hollywood need to show that liberal love they harp about. People in Texas won’t even get a hot meal!
6. Byron | 09.16.08
So the guy who’s got seven homes in three time zones isn’t an elitist…nor is he a celebrity, even though he hosted SNL.
8. pepper | 09.16.08
funny how the dem’s have to have all these movie stars and singers back them. Not to mention most ofthem but not all of them air heads anyway and don’t know anything about politics. They stand up there or have a interview and make them selfs look stupid.But they can sing and act and thats all they are doing.
9. Omidal | 09.16.08
Lets cut the **** and not eat it. OK? This is politics.
I see no reason that Republican can have Bundlers and Democrat cannot. I see no reasons that republicans can raise money from the big lobbyists and that Democrats cannot receive some bones from Hollywood. Both parties have a “Celebrity” if you want to call it that. One thing we know for sure is that Obama has substance and the other one does not. It is unfortunate on what happened in Texas and yes New Orleans Louisiana that we forgot when the storm hit. Both John Mcain campaign and Obama have links on their websites to help victims of those hurricanes and they said they would help in that effort. People’s life and activity does not have to stop because of tragedy. We must recognize the tragedy, help and move on at some point. How many millions die around the world every day. Don’t we still live in America with a good economy and throwing food away every day?
10. Justin McCarthy | 09.16.08
>>”While you’re enjoying your 28,000 dollar dinner, people in Ike’s path won’t even get baths or hot meals! Why doesn’t the Hollywood freaks hold a dinner for them? King Obama needs it more. Their agenda speakd volumes, and it’s not for the American people! Shame on them.”
Yes…Perhaps McCain can lend several families one of his countless houses that he’s not using or his wife Cindy can donate part of her $300mil to help out…
McCain was my senator in AZ for 5 years before I moved to CA: He was a kick down sort of crotchety angry troll type who was like Leona Helmesly– he was often called out for “snapping ” on staffers…
This populist reinvention is absurd for all that know who he is… He is Dr. Strangelove who has emotional stability issues after his experiences overseas…
11. haugh | 09.16.08
Looks like I found the ignorant ******* page, oops…
Maybe we should just let houston drown.
Thats what you *******s said about New Orleans, right? Ive been to both cities, and New Orleans is WAY better than Houston. Houston is the armpit of america.
13. Jane | 09.16.08
He is not like you and me. People can’t pay their bills. He doesn’t care and trust me, the press should inviestigate the fact that he needs funds to pay those on his Alaskan witchhunt. So much for chane. What a hypocrtie.. a
14. John Carpenter | 09.16.08
At first i was kicking myself for passing on this fundraiser that would give me an opportunity to see Streisand come out of retirement but then I just thought, “Hell, I’ll get another chance in 2012, 2016, 2020, or 2024. ‘
15. Rightfromwrong | 09.16.08
Obama is in touch with the people…..rich folks…..what a lair!! Trust Obama and lose…lose….lose……you can’t win if he does!!!
16. Desperate | 09.16.08
wasted money……. im surprised she didnt send it to africa . this country needs help………. these so called movie stars could care less about the u.s. they have so many things that they dont even know how to think anymore….i would be too ashamed to do what she did, that just goes to shaw you how they think. she really had to be desperate to do this considering the fact she never appears on stage.heads up to everyone please google and watch pastor manning. he pretty much sums up obama….the only way we are going to get rid of this joke is to boy cott cnn,nbc,abc,cbs,and dont forget opray……these people are the spawn of our destruction.please google pastor manning ,he is a bit harsh but soooo correct and please tell everyone you know . we dont need another hitler people do your research please……
17. THE curiousblack | 09.16.08
lets see, a choice between a pathological liar and an elite celebrity. whats that you say, you deny he is a liar because at least one of his positions is the truth, but yu don’t know which one? Liar is a Loser
19. ELSIE | 09.16.08
So what is Obamas’ parent were not married. If we are going to look into that situation, we must not forget how Palins’ daughter is “knocked up”. Now the Republicans are glorifying teenage pregnancy by parading the unwed teenage mother around with her “fiancé”. It seems pretty convenient that they are now engaged. America must really be proud of the Republicans for embracing the situation. Well, I guess we as Americans should be proud of the countless other unwed teenage mothers. It is rather ironic that Palin, who does not support sex education in school, is now faced with the consequences of not informing your children about safe sex.
20. Tyler Durden | 09.17.08
I like how McCain is attacking Obama for his “celebrity friends” especially since John McCain was celebrating his 70th birthday on convicted felon Raffaello Follieri rented yacht with starlet girlfriend Anne Hathaway: http://exiledonline.com/the-mccain-follieri-bang-boat/
21. Eldora | 09.17.08
I continue to be baffled at why the Republicans mouth this foolishness and why the public buys it.
Obama was born to a working class family and got where he is through hard work and talent. Is he an elitist because he has brains and an education? He worked among the poor of Chicago rather than taking a high paying job at a law school. Does that make him an elitist?
He takes continued flack for buying a house at market value next door a vacant lot bought by a crook who sold him a portion of it at above market price and then sold the rest of the lot at a profit. One house, expesive though it may be, bought by money he earned, not from his wife’s inheirited fortune.
McCain was born of privilege and got where he politically by marrying a rich wife when it became apparent he would not make admrial like his father and grandfather before him. He got a free ride to Anapolis and graduated 5th from the bottom of his class. Does underachieving make him an egalatarian. He wears $500 loafers and has more houses than he can remember. His family income exceeds six million a year largely from his wife’s inherited fortune, inheirited from a convicted felon with mob connections..
Throughout his entire career, McSame has voted for laws that favor the rich. Socialism for the rich; free enterprise for the poor. Does that place him among us common folk who work for a living, and can barely afford to pay for our health care because we don’t get a $58,000 a year tax free full disability pension and whose social security doesn’t match McCain’s $24,000 a year and who are not looking forward to a $120,000 pension from the senate together with the best health care plan on the planet.
It is amazing how the Republicans can con people into believing the exact opposite of what is true.
Well, go ahead and vote for Pain and McShame and if they win, you’ll get what you deserve, another four years of distructive government. Unfortunately, I’ll get it too.
22. vinegar | 09.17.08
I become US citizen two weeks ago. However it’s a fact that 65% of the Americans were struggling because they can’t read and write, and you can guess how many of these will understand the sweet music before they clap their hands.
23. realitygirl 2 | 09.17.08
McCain has shown that he is not interested in the rights of women, education, poor elderly people, jobs, and the men who serve in present day war. He has used Palin as a carrot for women to **** in this country as a “vote getter.” You need to know that his wife wore a $600,000 outfit at the Republican Convention when some speakers at the Democratic Convention wore “sacks” for dresses. Also, McCain attended the Naval Academy at a time when “most” men could only “afford” to go to war first.
24. realitygirl 2 | 09.17.08
I forgot to add that McCain married his wife one month after his divorce was finalized to his first wife. I “assume” he courted Cindy during his marriage to his first wife who had been shown to have a severe accident that disabled her. Where are the morals? Do not forget that Palin’s seventeen year old daughter has introduced herself to the young girls of America as a pin up for all the young girls to have babies. I know the Republicans are a bunch of no good hypocrites now because we cannot close the achievement gap for learning which refers to black American children but will not address the numbers of young girls like Palin’s 17 year old daughter who continue to have children out of wedlock? Where will she work - in her mother’s firm as McCain did in the corporation of Cindy McCain’s parents?
25. realitygirl 2 | 09.17.08
You keep writing complete lies - Obama’s mom and day were married, I would assume, like your parents were married. He was not born into a rich family with notoriety like John MCCain, whom you support. Also, he has worked hard all of his life which is why so many people are attacking him. If he had been from the old money of the Republican party, their funds would buy ads that cover up the lies of true character as McCain has done for McSame per George Bush.
26. us voter | 09.17.08
please hollywood declare your independence and leave the union take barrack as your king
27. Denise Velez | 09.17.08
McCain is attacking Obama, because without his own shiny new moose celebrity chained to his side he can’t even get a half-full house. McCain just hosted two celebrity fund-raisers in the last week - but does not mention them.
Since John McCain thinks our economy is “fundamentally sound”, why should he worry about how his opponent raises funds?
And what does he have against Barbra? I happen to admire Barbra for her chuzpah.
He’s tied himself to an anti-semitic running mate in Palin, whose church supports “Jews for Jesus”. All I can say is “Oy vey”.
28. sparky | 09.17.08
“They cling to their guns and religion”. I am not an elitist, and I know my friend Bill Clinton did not have sex with that woman.
29. Cantwait! | 09.17.08
Obama Worked hard all his life???
He hasn’t had a job longer then 3 years. If he was nominated president for a 4 year term, he would know what to do with himself.
30. Dee - Rochester NY | 09.18.08
So if he is not fundraising to pay for his campaign to fight against the low-rent Republican media attacks , what is he supposed to do? At least his fundraisers are publicized unlike the McCain’s many of which are not even punlicized. You Repubs just simply throw stuff into the media just to obfuscate the real issues that must be addressed.
Go Obama
31. Omidal | 09.19.08
>>>> My reply to Desperate whether its a she or a he or both or a hybrid car. We already have an Hitler in the white House. We are only trying to replace him. Because if we don’t we, then what we will have in is Lucifer himself with a lot of bad anger and bad temperament. We will be unleashing wars for the next four years, call for other countries to support us and they won’t. By the way, what is the Total of Iraqis who die since this war started?
The Repubs I do not understand them. Whatever they do is right and everybody else is wrong, unpatriotic. They want to win at all cost and call it victory and they do not event define what is victory
=====================================================
16. Desperate | 09.16.08
wasted money……. im surprised she didnt send it to africa . this country needs help………. these so called movie stars could care less about the u.s. they have so many things that they dont even know how to think anymore….i would be too ashamed to do what she did, that just goes to shaw you how they think. she really had to be desperate to do this considering the fact she never appears on stage.heads up to everyone please google and watch pastor manning. he pretty much sums up obama….the only way we are going to get rid of this joke is to boy cott cnn,nbc,abc,cbs,and dont forget opray……these people are the spawn of our destruction.please google pastor manning ,he is a bit harsh but soooo correct and please tell everyone you know . we dont need another hitler people do your research please……
32. conchita | 09.20.08
Barbra Streisand is one **** airhead who is so political that she is willing to support these hopeful democrats so she can get another two nights in the lincoln bedroom in the white House like she did when the Clintons were in power. She was damn quiet when 9/11 occurred and did not contribute time nor money when this catastrophe happened. Why? Because Bush was in the White House! So why should I applaud barbra when she is one self absorbed hypocrite; an aging self-centered female trying to recapture her glory days? Only fools get sucked in.
Obama got sucked in.
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. US Voter | 09.16.08
Who cares…she’s just jumping ship since Hilary didn’t get the nomination otherwise she;d be singer for her supper.
Give up…McCain IS the better presidential candidate than an elitist snob like Obama and his Hollywood cronies.
p.s. Streisnad, go back into retirement..no one is interested in you or your oldy moldy singing