Politics & Government
Obama Arrives on Westside
The president is scheduled to attend a fundraiser in Beverly Hills before making his way downtown to the Nokia Theatre.
President Barack Obama arrived in the Southland Sunday to participate in three events in the Los Angeles area, where he will be joined by former President Bill Clinton and actor George Clooney.
Air Force One landed at 1:10 p.m. from Washington, and Obama quickly transferred to Marine One, the presidential helicopter. It landed at 1:35 p.m. at Rancho Park, and then a presidential motorcade headed to a no-media-allowed event home in the hills above Sunset Boulevard.
That event, at the Beverly Hills home of DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, was described by campaign press secretary Jennifer Psaki as "a thank you event for a small group of donors" who had either previously donated the maximum amount to Obama's re-election effort "or contributed a high amount."
Find out what's happening in Beverly Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
About a dozen people were expected to hear from Obama and Clinton at the event, Psaki said.
After a brief period in Beverly Hills, Obama and Clooney will motorcade across L.A. to a "30 Days to Victory" concert at the Nokia Theatre at the L.A. Live entertainment complex in downtown Los Angeles. Jon Bon Jovi, Earth, Wind and Fire, Jennifer Hudson, Katy Perry and Stevie Wonder are scheduled to perform.
Find out what's happening in Beverly Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Antonio, Texas Mayor Julian Castro, the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention, also are scheduled to speak to about 6,000 people. Tickets ranged from $44 to $2,500.
Following the concert, Obama will speak to about 150 guests at a $25,000 per person fundraising dinner at WP24 by Wolfgang Puck, an eatery on the 24th floor of the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles at L.A. Live.
Proceeds from the fundraisers will go to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee of Obama for America, the Democratic National Committee and several state Democratic parties.
The trip is Obama's 12th to the Los Angeles area since taking office, the ninth solely for political fundraising. He has spoken at political fundraisers during all but his first visit to the region as president.
Obama is scheduled to leave Los Angeles Monday morning, bound for the small town of Keene in Kern County, where he will announce the establishment of the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument.
