Obama also attended a campaign fundraiser that featured a private concert by Mariah Carey.
By Gil Kaufman
President Barack Obama, Sarah Jessica Parker
Photo: Getty Images
After a hard day of trading stump speech barbs with Republican rival Mitt Romney during dueling appearances in the crucial swing state of Ohio, President Obama jetted to New York City on Thursday night for a pair of celeb-studded campaign fundraisers.
His first stop was at the home of "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker for a money ball co-hosted by Vogue editor Anna Wintour. The 50-person, $40,000-a-pop event, attended by celebs including Oscar winner Meryl Streep, Bravo boss Andy Cohen and fashion designer Michael Kors, included a moment of levity when Parker's nine-year-old son, James, interrupted Obama during his speech with a round of applause, according to Politico.
"He wanted to fire up the crowd," Obama quipped. "He knows an applause line," Cohen chimed in. "Right on cue!"
"We've got as fundamental a choice this time out than we have had in 30, 40 or 50 years," the president told the small group packed into a low-lit, art-filled room. "What we are going to have to do is present very clearly to the American people that choice."
Making a rare joint appearance with First Lady Michelle Obama, the president raised $2 million at the event, which included a private question-and-answer session between the commander-in-chief and his guests.
Parker's husband, actor Matthew Broderick, was not present due to his current starring role in the Broadway musical "Nice Work If You Can Get It." The First Couple then moved to another glamorous 250-person, $10,000-a-plate dinner event at the Plaza Hotel that included a performance by Mariah Carey and some remarks from Alicia Keys. That soiree raised another $2.5 million for the campaign. While Romney has been filling his coffers with huge donations to his campaign and to Super-PACs supporting his effort from a number of mega-millionaires and billionaires, Obama has struggled to get the same kind of big-cash donations from his supporters.
He continues, however, to have a solid (if somewhat diminished from 2008) base of entertainment industry boosters who have stepped up lately to help raise money, including George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Cher, Spike Lee, Julia Roberts, Ellen DeGeneres, Jessica Alba, Keys, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, Jon Bon Jovi and Cee Lo Green.
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