http://news.investors.com/print/politics-andrew-malcolm/050814-700086-obama-hollywood-fundraiser-speech.aspx What a desperate Obama is telling rich Hollywood pals these days
By Andrew Malcolm
Posted 09:12 AM ET
For months now Barack Obama has been saying he's run his last political campaign. Uh-huh. If you believe Obama would give up his favorite pastime just to focus on the nation's business and because he's not a candidate, then you can keep your health plan. Period.
In good times and bad, Obama is out there raking in the money for himself or the party or congressional campaign committees. You may recall, the day after the four Benghazi murders, he was fundraising in Vegas. The same day as the most recent Fort Hood shooting memorial service, he was fundraising in Houston.
And Wednesday after a quick survey of Arkansas tornado damage, Obama was fundraising.
In California, of all places. Obama doesn't even make a pretense of listening or speaking to real voters there. For the man who's presided over a steep jump in income inequality, the golden state is merely the nation's most populous ATM full of faithful, gullible rich folks.
Word is it's a little bit harder these days to sell out his events. So, they're held in backyard tents that can more easily be filled.
And his fundraising speeches are shorter too. For couples who paid $64,000 to dine in the Bel Air backyard of Disney chairman Alan Horn, the experience of hearing Hillary Clinton's former boss cost almost $5,000 per minute -- or $41 for each of Obama's 1,570 words, 23 of them "I."
Obama forgot to say words like "Affordable Care Act" or "ObamaCare," for reasons possibly connected with their steaming unpopularity.
This spring's fundraiser-speech theme is "OMG, we've got to keep Senate control and win back the House so California's own Nancy Pelosi can help protect all the wonderful things we have accomplished these past five years." Also, "Our people are not as diligent about voting in midterms as the other side."
And the first Democrat president to win reelection since Clinton diagnosed another serious problem. He left out his Libyan war that turned that country over to al Qaeda and he didn't say "malaise." But Obama did say:
"Despite all that, despite ending two wars, despite the progress that we've made on issues that are important to everybody here, there’s still disquiet around the country. There’s an anxiety and sense of frustration. And the reason is, is because people understand that for all that we've done, the challenges out there remain daunting and we have a Washington that's not working."
According to Obama's analysis, the disquiet stems from "this particular brand of Republicans" disagreeing with his spending ideas all the time. If you can imagine such a thing in a two-party system.
Obama left out his Syrian red-line fiasco. He didn't mention Ukraine. Or his ineffective sanctions on Russia or Iran. Or the Benghazi scandal.
The president, however, voiced optimism because "the good news is we've got public opinion on our side."
Which is news, indeed.
Except for history's pattern of a White House incumbent's party getting pasted in second-term congressional elections. Obama's job approval rating now at its lowest level ever. Even worse approval of his economic performance. Overwhelming public dislike of ObamaCare. Its hollow numbers and soaring costs, with worse to come. Almost four people gave up on job-hunting last month for every one who got hired.
And new polls showing the GOP pulling ahead in popularity on the generic congressional ballot. But other than that, Obama is telling the truth again.
It's a long time until Nov. 4, of course -- 180 days to be precise. And Obama could still kill Osama bin Laden again. But since when does reality reign in the Obama administration?
The president will be performing here all week, folks. He arrived in California Wednesday. He'll be fundraising all day today. Hello, San Diego! And -- Oh, look! -- still here Friday too. (Scroll down for a short, hilarious video flashback of the last time the Chicagoan tried to speak in San Jose.)
