Obama’s New Courting of Hollywood Pays Off

The New York Times reports:

For years, President Obama has largely been absent in Hollywood, a point of unhappiness with a community accustomed to the constant doting of Bill Clinton. But over the last few months, Mr. Obama and his representatives have held a series of meetings and telephone calls with some of the region’s most influential donors and fund-raisers, reflecting Hollywood’s new importance in the president’s re-election campaign.

The fruit of that effort became clear this week as Mr. Obama is scheduled to attend a fund-raiser on Thursday night at the Fryman Canyon home of the actor George Clooney. At last count, organizers said, the event had raised well over $6 million, plus many millions more through an online raffle, record territory. They said they stopped selling $40,000-a-plate tickets last week because there was no room to squeeze in any more tables.

Mr. Obama’s announcement on Wednesday that he now supported same-sex marriage should assure him a warm reception at the Clooney residence. Organizers had expected the president to face tough questions from an audience that had grown increasingly uncomfortable with his tentativeness on an issue of great importance here.

The wealthy supporters of Barack Obama.