Where Is Barack Obama? He’ll Be in L.A. on Thursday for DNC Event
By Ted Johnson
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – WASHINGTON — Where is Barack Obama?
That is the headline for this week’s New York magazine , the point being that the 44th president has been conspicuously absent from many of the raging debates and unexpected crises during the Trump administration. Rather, he’s chosen not to chime in at a time when political discourse deteriorates, save for specific issues like Trump’s decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement.
But Obama will be in Los Angeles on Thursday, as he takes part in another midterm fundraisers for candidates and the Democratic party.
He’s headlining what is being billed as a gala, “Evening with Barack Obama” for the Democratic National Committee, with a performance by Christina Aguilera, according to the invite. It’ll be at the Beverly Hills home of Allan Mutchnik, an executive at Harbor Freight Tools, and his wife Nicole, according to a source. The is has been holding a contest in which winners will get a trip to meet the former president.
“The event will feature a discussion between President Obama and DNC Chair Tom Perez on the importance of the upcoming midterm elections, our values as Democrats, and how the Democratic Party is working to build a strong infrastructure for Democrats up and down the ballot in 2018 and beyond,” according to a DNC aide. This will be Obama’s second event of the cycle for the DNC.
The tickets start at $2,700 per person. The highest priced package, at $100,000, includes five tickets with VIP seating, a photo with Obama, admission for two people to a pre-event roundtable discussion with the former president, membership to the DNC’s National Finance Committee and admission to two additional “marquee events” in 2018, according to the invite.
Obama also was in Los Angeles in May for an event for Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) at the home of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman Jeff Shell. Then he also struck a deal with Netflix for a new series .
Obama was in Los Angeles for a fundraiser in May for Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) at the home of Jeff Shell, with other co-hosts including J.J. Abrams, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg.
