White House pool report: Joan Baez, elected officials crowd sold-out SF lunch for Michelle Obama
First Lady Michelle Obama starred at a sold-out luncheon for 600 at the Fairmont Friday — an event that honored Congressional women including Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Jackie Speier and Barbara Lee.
Here’s our raw local pool report just filed to the White House:
Pool Report #3
First Lady Michelle Obama
Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, CA
DCCC event
First Lady Michelle Obama starred at a Women’s Luncheon benefiting the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco Friday — an event originally scheduled for October 13, 2013 but canceled due to the government shutdown.
* Background: The sold-out event attracted about 600 supporters, who paid from $500 to $32,400, according to the invite. Supporters were requested to arrive at 9 a.m. for the noon event.
*According to the invite, specific pricing was:
$32,400 per couple – 2 tickets to VIP Reception, Photo, 1 Table of 10 to Lunch
Co-chair $10,000 per person (Write/Raise) – Photo and 1 table of 10 to Lunch Sponsor $5,000 per person (Write/Raise) – 1 table of 10 to Lunch Ticket $500 per person – 1 seat to Lunch
Singer Joan Baez, a longtime progressive activist, performed for the crowd. (Songs: “Imagine” and “Deportees”)
Menu: Rooftop Garden Herb Marinated Chicken Breast; grilled vegetables, olive oil Quinoa salad, and dessert was chocolate mousse.
Among the elected officials in attendance were Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Jackie Speier, Rep. Krysten Sinema, Rep. Lois Capps, Candidate Amanda Renteria (CA-21), Candidate Staci Appel (IA-03), and Candidate Martha Robertson (NY-23) Additional Members who are expected to attend include: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Rep. Sam Farr, Rep. John Garamendi, Rep. Anna Eshoo, Rep. Mike Honda, Rep. Jared Huffman and Rep. Doris Matsui
Some notes on the program honoring three key women in office:
*Pelosi was honored for her induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY
*Congresswoman Barbara Lee honored for her appointment as Congressional Representative to the United Nations
*Congresswoman Jackie Speier honored for her work on Women in the Military
Some notes on 2014 DCCC fundraising from a DCCC official:
“For the first time in history, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $75.8 million in the off-year, positioning the committee to head into the election year with a warchest that dwarfs its counterpart. The DCCC has banked nearly $18 million more than at this point last cycle – raising $14.3 more, and spending $2.7 million less.” “For the first 11 months of the year (the last month figures for both committees were available), the DCCC was $13.7 million ahead of the NRCC and built an $8 million cash-on-hand advantage.”
Program remarks:
The First Lady’s speech to the crowd today was almost a mirror of her address last night to the DNC crowd. (See pool report #2 for detailed remarks.)
Pelosi introduced the First Lady, saying that her advocacy on issues like the Affordable Care Act and children’s health issues have been key. And “the president has said that “when Michelle is doing good and happy, I’m happy,” she said, to laughs.
Michelle Obama, taking the stage to cheers and a standing ovation, said, “Keep it up, Nancy, we need you.”
Some key lines today:
“Your president wants to lift up the middle class and restore opportunity for everybody in this country.”
And the 2014 elections “are less than 10 months away…please understand that’s what’s at stake.”
“We don’t believe in handouts. We don’t believe that anybody should get a free ride.”
“I’m also going to be straight with you….most districts in this country are not like San Francisco,” she said to laughs. “We have a lot of tight races in other parts of California and all across the country, and every single one of these seats matter.”
“We can’t just sit back and hope for the best, and be surprised and outraged when things don’t work out,” she said. “You can write a check. Yeah, and if you’ve written one, you can write another one…write the biggest check that you can possibly write.”
“Leave San Francisco. Leave this bastion. Go out into the wilderness and roll up your sleeves….we’ve done this before. We’ve done this!”
“We can’t be passive when there isn’t a president running (in midterm elections). We have to be as passionate as we were when we got Barack elected to office…. Are you up for this?”
To see this story in its original format, go HERE.