Insiders Offer Details About Obama Fundraisers in Pacific Palisades

By FRANCES SHARPE | Editor-in-Chief

President Barack Obama flew over Pacific Palisades in the Marine 1 helicopter accompanied by an Osprey helicopter before landing at Will Rogers State Historic Park just blocks away from two fundraisers he attended in the Riviera on Saturday, Oct. 10.

Obama’s motorcade wound its way from Will Rogers up Sunset Boulevard to the Riviera where it made its way to the home of J.J. Abrams—director of the upcoming “Start Wars: The Force Awakens” and a graduate of Palisades Charter High School—and his wife Katie McGrath.

The event at Abrams’ estate, described as a $33,400-per-person “roundtable discussion” by The Hollywood Reporter, benefited the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Following the Q&A, Obama headed to the nearby home of Ed and Robin Berman where about 200 guests paid $1,000-$5,000 per person for a concert by Jamie Foxx and “remarks” by Obama. For $10,000 per couple, guests earned the opportunity to have their picture taken with the President, but they had to wait in a line in the blazing hot sun to do so, according to guests who spoke to the Palisadian-Post.

Guests told the Post the party was “more intimate” than they anticipated.

Foxx entertained guests with renditions of Motown hits, Kanye West’s “Gold Digger” and Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It” and invited people to join a “Soul Train” dance line in the aisle, according to people who attended the fundraiser.

He also welcomed Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child to the stage for a duet of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

The Oscar-winning actor invited another Oscar winner in the audience, Riviera resident Reese Witherspoon, to share a few words.

“This is an incredible moment,” Witherspoon reportedly told the crowd.

Other Riviera neighbors in the audience included actress Kate Hudson, co-founder of Fabletics yoga wear.

The Bermans introduced Obama, and guests said Robin got emotional as she thanked him for his “compassionate, heart-centered leadership.”

Some guests told the Post it was their first time attending a political fundraiser. Others, like 9-year-old Evan Farar, a 4th grader at Village School, said they have met the President before.

Evan, who came with his grandfather, Palisades resident Sim Farar, said he was “excited to see him again.”

For still others it was a chance to see an old friend.

Greg McGrath later told the Post he went to Punahou High School in Honolulu, Hawaii with “Barry” Obama, as he was called back then.

McGrath drove up from Dana Point to attend a celebration in nearby Brentwood for the high school’s 175th anniversary and decided to attend the fundraiser too.

“[Obama] was a funny, cool guy in high school,” said McGrath, who added that he got a chance to say hello to Obama at the fundraiser.

According to guests, Obama wore a jacket but no tie and joked about taking the stage after Foxx, saying, “I can’t sing like him. I can’t dance like him and I can’t tell a joke like him. He’s hard to follow.”

They also said the President spoke about what he called the “good news” from the past seven years—unemployment rates lowered, more people with health insurance and marriage equality in all 50 states, among other things.

He countered that by saying there’s a lot more work to be done and urged people to participate in the process, attendees said.

Guests who talked to the Post said they felt “enthusiastic” after the afternoon concert.

For other Palisadians, the President’s visit was just a nuisance that impacted local traffic and closed Will Rogers State Historic Park for half the day.

“Can you please go somewhere else? There’s only one way in and out [of] the Palisades so how are we going to get home, [especially] on the weekend!” Rossanna Olgui Vanoni posted on the Post’s Facebook page.

Considering the amount of money raised from Obama’s latest visit to the Palisades, it’s likely he will return for more fundraisers leading up to the 2016 election.