Obama's day in the sun

Before his much-anticipated and highly exclusive fundraiser today at Oprah Winfrey's estate in Montecito, Barack Obama mingled with the masses --- or, as The Times' Tina Daunt notes, what passes for the masses in a particularly well-heeled stretch of Southern California.

Here's Daunt's initial dispatch:

"There was a decidedly more populist tone to Obama's first appearance of the day than would mark the A-list event hosted by Oprah. The crowd that began arriving about 10:30 a.m. at Santa Barbara City College for an address by the Democratic presidential hopeful about an hour later offered a cross-section of the hip beachside community. Overwhelmingly white, it ranged from fashionably turned out surfers to high-end bohemians. It also featured kids from the local middle school who were video-taping and live-blogging the event for the school's website.

"By the time Obama arrived from an overnight stay in San Francisco, the crowd had grown to around 5,000 under one of those perfectly blue Santa Barbara skies. The temperature was 75 degrees and the ocean glinted under the sun, providing the kind of backdrop money can't buy --- unless, of course, you can afford property in Santa Barbara.

"Obama surveyed the scene and quipped, 'I can tell you, city colleges in Chicago don't look like this. I  wouldn't get any work done here.'

"Then, surveying his audience, he added, 'I didn't know there were any hippies left.'

"That got a big laugh, as did his rejoiner: 'That's cool.'

"From there, Obama moved into his standard stump speech. He decried the war in Iraq, attacked President Bush's domestic policies and called for an increase in the national minimum wage. He earned his biggest bursts of applause denouncing the Darfur genocide and the administration's detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"The speech complete, Obama was whisked south to Montecito for a private lunch at the gated, beachside home of human rights activist Nancy Koppelman. There, the crush around the driveway included white-shirted campaign aides and surfers (the latter were bound for the adjacent steps that lead down to the ocean)."

Here's Daunt's complete story on the website and in Sunday's print editions on the gathering at Oprah's 42-acre spread.

The fete was expected to generate about $3 million for Obama's campaign. And, as the Chicago Tribune's Christi Parsons wrote about today, it may be just the start of the talk-show diva's efforts on behalf of her favorite candidate.

It also appears that entertainers on the East Coast don't intend to be upstaged by Hollywood types when it comes to contributing to Obama's coffers. A New York Times blog item details a Broadway bash planned for him later this month.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[chotto10]

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!

[Kit Stolz]

I also attended the speech. I came curious but uncommitted; I left very impressed. Obama has plenty of confidence, but his speech didn't sound canned, remarkably, but fully present. You might think his faith in looking beyond the red state/blue state divisions is just a politician posturing, but he clearly believes in it.

For me the turning point came when he said he felt the job was "Not just telling the people what they want to hear, but what they need to hear."

That's all I needed to hear. Call me naive if you wish, but that's what this country needs -- someone who can help us all face hard truths, economic, environmental, societal, international. If Obama can do that while preaching hope, we really do have a chance at a better future.

I put away my notebook and moved forward to shake his hand -- with about a thousand other people.

[PoliticalBrandwagon]

Sen. Obama has something that both parties are hungering for –– legitimate charisma, authenticity, and more than a touch of hope. Sen. Clinton may currently lead in the polls, but the reality is that voters are hankering for definitive change in Washington. If Oprah is will to take this show on the road, Obama might have a real chance at the nomination.

Peter S. Cohl
The Political Brandwagon

[Mike Melley]

I don't think Oprah is fooling anyone, by endorsing Obama. It has nothing to do with his credentials, It's because he's black. She say's this is her first time endorsing any candidate, well I'm sure there have been many more qualified than him and she withheld her endorsement. Why should anyone else be influenced by this obvious racial motives behind her endorsement? She's not the only black endorsing Obama only because of his race. If he was white, do you think she would endorse him then? Who's the prejiduced one here? Mike

[Mark]

I support Obama because of what his colleagues have said. He has acknowledgement from all over the political spectrum that he has the ability to lead and solve America problems.

Listen to those who have worked with him.
Denny Jacobs, (D) EM, IL Retired Mayor and State Senator
Dick Lugar, (R) Senator -INdiana
IL STate Senator (R) Sieben Geneseo Illinois
Senator OK (R) Tom Coburn
Warren Buffet
The list goes on........

PS.
Obama on tour for Iraq, Foreign Policy, and Restoring America's image
check out the local news next week Sept.12, 2007

[TJFRMLA]

Posted by: Mike Melley..."it's because he's Black..."
This is the voice of people "stuck on stupid". ELLEN is supporting Hillary...is it because she's white? Jay Leno is supporting Republicans...is it because their White??? This is such a stupid, racist comment. If only Black people were supporting Barack Obama he wouldn't have a chance. If only white people were supporting Hillary Clinton ...she wouldn't have a chance. These people (and I use the term loosely) need to find a better way to hate. The "black thing" is old and tired. Maybe we'll just have to breed it out.