President Obama Visits L.A. For 2nd Time In A Month
President Barack Obama is scheduled to be back in Los Angeles Monday to attend a pair of star-studded fundraisers to bolster his re-election campaign, followed by a Tuesday visit with Jay Leno on the set of “The Tonight Show.”
The visit will be Obama’s second to Los Angeles in about a month, as he continues to mine some well-heeled entertainment industry supporters for donations.
“You can count on street closures as the president’s motorcade moves across town on Monday afternoon,” said L.A. city councilman Tom LaBonge. Airspace has also been closed over western Los Angeles to all but scheduled jetliners starting Monday afternoon.
Traffic in the Caheunga Pass and Burbank areas may also be affected Tuesday, as the president is scheduled to tape the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” at the NBC studios, before leaving L.A. later in the day.
Obama is scheduled to arrive at Los Angeles International Airport at 4:50 p.m. Monday and head for Hancock Park, where he is expected to attend a $35,800-a-plate dinner at the home of producer James Lassiter. Will Smith — who starred in Lassiter’s film “Hitch” — and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith are among those co-hosting the event.
He will then travel to the nearby home of Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith for an event organized by the Futuro Fund, a group of Latino Obama supporters from across the nation. “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria is among the co-hosts of the event. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to attend.
Tickets for the event range from $5,000 to $35,800. The upper price is determined by the contribution limits of $2,500 for a primary campaign, $2,500 for a general election campaign and $30,800 for a national party committee.
Obama will spend the Monday night in the Southland, then tape an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” Tuesday morning. It will be Obama’s fourth appearance on the show, and his second as president.
His appearance on the show on March 19, 2009, was the first by a sitting president. It was best remembered for Obama’s comment that his bowling score of 129 — out of a maximum of 300 — “was like Special Olympics, or something.” Before the episode aired, Obama called Timothy Shriver, the chairman of Special Olympics, to apologize.
Obama is scheduled to depart from Los Angeles International Airport at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, bound for San Francisco.
Obama was last in Southern California on Sept. 26-27, when he attended a pair of fundraisers — one at the House of Blues in West Hollywood and another at the Fig & Olive restaurant on trendy Melrose Place.
Today’s visit will be Obama’s eighth to the Los Angeles area since being elected president. He has spoken at political fundraisers during all but his first visit. Of the eight trips, this will be the third where the schedule includes an event other than a fundraiser.
