3RD UPDATE, 5:54 PM: President Barack Obama at a Hollywood-studded fundraiser tonight reviewed The Dark Knight Rises and Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman performance. “She’s spectacular. I got a chance to see Batman, and she was the best thing in it. That’s just my personal opinion.” Obama said. After an intro by Weinstein calling Obama “The Paul Newman of American presidents”, POTUS also praised The Newsroom’s Aaron Sorkin. The fundraiser was hosted by Hathaway, Sorkin, Paul Newman’s widow Joanne Woodward, and Weinstein at the producer’s Connecticut home. Tickets went for $35,800 each. The 60 guests included Vogue editor Anna Wintour and TV talk show host Jerry Springer. Here’s the condensed of the White House Pool Report which includes a description of Harv’s country estate:
The motorcade departed Stamford at 7:13 p.m. and, after a short trip north on I-95, arrived at 7:33 p.m. at the Westport home of movie producer Harvey Weinstein and his wife, fashion designer Georgina Chapman. Along the way in Westport there were clusters of supporters along the road, waving, some holding signs such as “Westport loves Obama.”
Upon arriving at the estate, your pool was led up a long driveway, past the valet parking sign, past the broad lawn dotted with weeping willows and a badminton court, to the home. It’s a two-story, graceful, white home with black shutters, looking like a large, updated classic New England farmhouse (reportedly 8,900 square feet). Poolers eventually were led into a room to the right of the front door, where guests were seated at six tables.
The room was softly lit, with large rough wooden beams crisscrossing a high arched ceiling. On one end of the room there were bookshelves, the central focal points being two gold Oscar statues. Each table had a low centerpiece of what looked like pale pink Dahlias. Seated at the table closest to Mr. Obama was Anne Hathaway, wearing a silver dress with puffed sleeves gathered from the elbow to the shoulder, and a tight bodice. Also spotted in the audience were Aaron Sorkin, seated next to Anna Wintour, whose signature sunglasses rested on the table in front of her. Also present were Joanne Woodward and Jerry Springer. Connecticut Gov. Daniel Malloy was again present.
As we entered the room, Harvey Weinstein was speaking, introducing the president, who was standing beside him.” Leading with your heart is the utmost for this president. Fighting for Planned Parenthood and protecting women’s rights, this president has fought the good fight,” Mr. Weinstein said. “Recently in Aurora, we saw him put his arms around the people that needed him the most.” He added, “You can make the case that a he’s the Paul Newman of American presidents.”
Mr. Obama then took the microphone, praising some of his celebrity guests. He said of Ms. Hathaway, “She’s spectacular. I got a chance to see Batman, and she was the best thing in it. That’s just my personal opinion.” She beamed and laughed. Of Mr. Sorkin, the president said he “writes the way every Democrat in Washington wished they spoke.”
“We’ve spent three and a half years trying to make sure this country gets back on its feet,” Mr. Obama said. “We have a lot of work to do, and we’re not done. These gains are reversible. On a whole host of issues, you guys are the tiebreakers.”
PREVIOUS 4:13 PM: President Obama is in the car and heading over to Harvey Weinstein’s Westport, Connecticut house, says the White House Pool Report. The producer is hosting a $35,800 a ticket fundraiser for the incumbent at his beachfront home, along with Anne Hathaway, Aaron Sorkin and Paul Newman’s widow Joanne Woodward. Approximately 60 guests are expected to be at the event according to the campaign. Previously, Obama was at a $500 a head fundraiser in Stamford, Conn. in front of an audience of around 400. He concluded his remarks there at 3:58 PM. Obama is set to speak at the Weinstein event around 5:30 PM.
PREVIOUS, 2:45 PM: Looking for some Hollywood money to help him catch up with the amount of cash rival Mitt Romney is raking in, President Barack Obama landed in Connecticut for a fundraiser at Harvey Weinstein’s Westport home. Obama landed in the state at 2:15 PM. Before heading over to the $35,800 a ticket Weinstein event, which is co-hosted by The Dark Knight Rises star Anne Hathaway, The Newsroom creator Aaron Sorkin and Paul Newman’s widow Joanne Woodward, Obama will attend a $500-per person reception at the Stamford Marriott for a crowd of around 400. Obama is scheduled to speak to the estimated 60 guests at Weinstein’s house around 5:30 PM. Weinstein’s name and recent remarks on gun violence came up today on Air Force One, as the plane flew from Washington D.C. to New York City’s JFK Airport, in reference to the fatal shooting this weekend at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.
RELATED: Harvey Weinstein, Maker Of Violent Movies, Wants Filmmaker’s Summit On Violence in Movies
Here, in an edit from the White House transcript, was how the Oscar winning producer was mentioned and the response from Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest:
Q Harvey Weinstein has made some comments recently about the need for gun control. And in light of the temple shootings in Wisconsin this weekend — and he’s talked about the movie industry’s role in glorifying violence sometimes. Does the President have any plans to discuss that tonight?
MR. EARNEST: Well, I don’t know that there will be anything in the President’s prepared remarks this evening. But Jay talked about this pretty extensively during the briefing, about the President’s commitment to protecting Second Amendment rights while ensuring that we make maximum use of the laws that are currently on the books to ensure that people who don’t — who shouldn’t have guns aren’t able to get them.
The President talked about this pretty extensively in his speech to the Urban League a couple of weeks back. But I don’t know that he is going to — that he’s planned to make any additional remarks on that today.
PREVIOUS, 1:32 AM: Hollywood heavyweights and their money will once again be out in force for President Barack Obama today. This time it’s a $35,800 a ticket fundraiser at Harvey Weinstein’s oceanfront 8,900 square-foot Westport, Connecticut house. Obama will be in attendance. A major donor to Obama’s reelection, Weinstein is co-hosting the intimate dinner tonight for 50 guests along with The Dark Knight Rises’ Anne Hathaway, Paul Newman’s widow Joanne Woodward and Aaron Sorkin, creator of HBO’s The Newsroom and NBC’s The West Wing, according to the Hartford Courant.
RELATED: Harvey Weinstein Guest-Hosting CNN’s ‘Piers Morgan’ With Bill Clinton: Live-Blog
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour was originally reported to be co-hosting tonight’s dinner as well but it is unclear now if she still is or even if she will be there. The White House says Obama is expected to speak to the guests at Weinstein’s house at around 5:30 PM, after attending another campaign event in
Stamford, Conn. earlier in the day. The last time Obama was in that part of the country for some Hollywood cash was on June 14 for a similar swanky fundraiser at Sarah Jessica Parker’s house in New York City’s West Village. That event was co-hosted by the Sex In The City star and Vogue’s Wintour. Tickets that night were $40,000 per person. Obama has had some more marquee Hollywood financial help since then. On June 29, it was announced that George Clooney would appear at an Americans Abroad dinner for Obama in Geneva on August 29. Earlier in the year, Clooney had raised a record-breaking $15 million for the Obama campaign with a dinner at his LA home with the President on May 10. Also on June 29, there was a Gen44 fundraiser for Obama, who was not in attendance, at Soho House here in LA. That event featured Young Hollywood types such as Jared Leto and Olivia Wilde and not-so-young Hollywood types such as David Fincher and Peter Frampton plus many more. Anne Hathaway’s participation in today’s event isn’t the first time a Dark Knight Rises actor got behind Obama. On July 19, it was revealed that Morgan Freeman had donated $1 million to the pro-Obama Super PAC Priorities USA Action. The Dark Knight Rises star’s donation matched one made to the same Super PAC by Bill Maher in February. Obama is expected to raise around $2.5 million today at the Weinstein event and the Stamford event. That one day haul will beat the $2.22 million the incumbent has raised in Connecticut so far this year. The money raised Monday is to be shared by the Obama Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee. Obama’s Republican rival Mitt Romney, who received a Hollywood endorsement of his own from Clint Eastwood this weekend, has raised $4.78 million in the state, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. After leaving the fundraiser at Weinstein’s tonight, the President is scheduled to be heading back to the White House via NYC’s JFK Airport around 7:05 PM.
Deadline's Dominic Patten - tip him here.



I was on the fend about Newsroom on HBO. Now I am going to delete all the episodes on my DVR and unsubscribe for the rest of the season.
I can hear Aaron Sorkin crying right now. I’m sure he’ll be absolutely heartbroken.
Its called standing for something, but obviously you’ve never done that in your life
Because non-Republicans don’t have long histories of standing for anything? All the same, I salute your big effort to stand up for yourself by deleting a TV show off your DVR. I’m sure Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Abraham Lincoln are crying in awe of your sacrifice.
In fairness, both Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln were Republicans.
And didn’t Harvey facilitate Bill Clinton’s endorsement of Romney on CNN?
“There is no question that in terms of getting up and going to the office and basically performing the essential functions of the office, a man who has been governor and had a sterling business career crosses the qualification threshold,” Clinton said of Romney.
And…. MLK was a Republican. Is your mind blown?
“My grandfather, Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr., or “Daddy King”, was a Republican
and father of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was a Republican.”
according to his niece Dr. Alveda C. King
But then again standing up for something doesn’t meant you are a blue blood or red blood.
How brilliant of you to say “non-Republican” and mention Lincoln and King. They were both Republicans.
JohnC unsubscribes to Newsroom on HBO : Stop the presses!
Meanwhile , in other news, Newsroom gains 25+ new subscribers.
…and Aaron Sorkin, cast and crew
all gather around to sign a thank you note to JohnC for the free publicity.
So is Sorkin crying and heartbroken, or signing a thank you note? LOL. Apparently “JohnC” DID stop the presses and hit a nerve judging by all this immature squealing. And yes, the idea is to have people watch your show… especially when it’s subscription based and struggling…
On the FENCE, dear. Fend is a verb.
Gotta love the spellcheck police.
This is actually sickening. I can see these people rubbing each other and gooing all over each other and themselves. We have to do everything possible to remove this slime from our White House and our country. Hollywood is about to see a big downturn in their profits unless they see the light. Romney’s 101 million came from direct donations. Obama’s 75 million came from bundlers and Hollywood.
Did you think Sorkin was a Republican? Were you born yesterday?
representing 99% my arse …
I fail to see what this article has to do with watching or not watching a television program.
Oops, replied to the wrong comment.
As for the original comment, I think Obama has to do something when Romney’s is being bankrolled most of the billionaires in the US. With US elections basically about how much money the campaign has, what exactly do you expect Obama to do?
Which explains his so called evolving on first, only using public funding and then using super-pac money even though it will be a ‘threat to our democracy,’. The man does not have one principle he is willing to stand for when things get even a little bit tough.
Yet none of the 0bama supporters were complaining in 2008 when he raised a record setting $800 million from superpacs and Wall Street
As much as I am disappointed in Obama, I have to agree with you. When the guy who is raising $130 million a month is complaining about the guy raising $80 million a month, he and his party start to sound disingenuous.
Leave office in disgrace would be a great start.
Govern?
I’m sure none of the 1% were in attendance.
In truth both candidates are being bankrolled by billionaires. Check out Washington Post’s 12/5/11 article titled “In race for campaign funds from billionaires, Romney outpaces Obama”. Romney was said to have 42 billionaires to 0bama’s 30.
The question is which president wants to rob everyone to give to the rich? That would be Romney.
With the Pres a very close 2nd. Please. Not a dime’s bit of difference between the two. Only who they think best deserves your money.
Says one who thinks malice is an adequate substitute for evidence. There are only two kinds of robbery in this country where the first is “institutional socialism” which robs producers to subsidize constituents. The other is “freelance socialism” (i.e. street crime) where the constituents discover they can increase the robber’s take by cutting out the government middleman. Since freelance socialists compete with institutional socialists the institutional variety (i.e. liberals) outlaw individuals doing for themselves that which is done institutionally. Conservatives, on the other hand, are not thieves but individuals who allow markets rather than force to redistribute goods, services, and wealth.
Well said
Mr. Soetoro licking the 1% er’s boots. Again. Has this guy no shame?
Have you any?
LOL, Indeed Barry licking the 1%ers boots, while they’re kissing his @$$. Quite a visual
Of course the article says nothing about the heli-pad that was built on Sherwood Island State beach (at the cost of the State of CT), just for this one event. And the fact that Sherwood Island State Park will be closed today (note: all state revenue lost from entrance fees). The town of Westport is picking up the expense of overtime for law enforcement as well. The President has no problem feeding off the 1-percenters!
The president has no problem feeding off the 1%ers at the expense of the 99%ers
No more Anne Hathaway movies for me
So should Obama supporters never see another Clint Eastwood movie?
This is the problem with the US. It’s not just about liking one set of ideas over another. It’s come to the point where you dislike a person for liking those other ideas. Saying you’re never going to watch another Anne Hathaway movie is beyond ignorant. Each side has plenty of ammunition to lob at one another, but only when they stop doing that will the country be able to function like it once did.
This is the ultimate tragedy in America. We are witnessing the commercialization of politics to the fullest when people cease to go to the steps of a public office for change and instead go to the line of a fast food restaurant to voice their political will. Consumer politics is here and the people have been fooled. Time to wake up America and take back the political process by voting for a President who doesn’t come from either party and has no money to campaign with. Only then will this cold war armament of political donations begin to collapse and actual ideas become relevant again.
but I have the choice NOT to give MY money to support people that don’t support my views or openly voice theirs, free speech has a cost… no Hathaway for me either!
Shunning celebrities who do not share our views does seem to be more common these days and you are correct– it really doesn’t make sense. However, I do understand how this came about. I have enjoyed the work of Anne and Clint and will continue to do so. They have every right to support any candidate they choose. They have also shown that support with respect for the views of others.
Celebrities who use their visibility as a soapbox to preach, yell and curse at anyone who disagrees do not realize that those same people are their customers. Branding 101- alienate your customers and they will cease to purchase your products. Just ask The Dixie Chicks.
Great response GMiller! The only way I would not support a celebrity is when they start to mix their celebrity standing with political views. It’s like religion. Never mix politics…with ANYTHING. Both politics and religion are personal preferences and I would never tell anyone to vote or believe in something just because I believe it. HOwever, when the air becomes too stifling due to the overbearing views from one side, that is when you will have to make a stand.
If actors exploit their commercial position to campaign politically, then it’s fair game if movie goers stop supporting their movies/tv. Exploiting your public position cuts both ways. Plus, the President plugged the movie. Full circle marketing and undignified all around.
You’ve got it. No more Clooney, either, as well as many others.
Please. Like you were ever a fan. After all the liberal causes Clooney has supported over the decades, this is what drives you away? Give me a break.
Ditto for me as well. Good-bye Anne H.
You sound like the anti chick-Filet idiots. You should let something else shape your decisions for watching or not watching movies. Like personal enjoyment, and appreciation of talent. If this really is how you do things than you are a simple little guy.
I’m sure she’s worried!
Yes, that’s a terrific idea. And while you’re at it you should boycott any democrat’s business. Market, dept store, gas station……everything.
I love America. American intelligence just overwhelms.
Oh, and don’t get in a foxhole with a Libtard! You don’t want to associate with anybody who thinks differently then YOU!
That’ll show her.
#Shameful…. Who’s running the country? All this guy does is go around mooching money and golf.
This is similar to Harvey picking up a mediocre film at a festival…not because he likes the film…but, because he has a hole to fill in his release schedule.
it’s amusing that Obama is willing to take money from and associate with a person known for their “creative” accounting.
The elite arrogance and obnoxious snobbery of these hypocritical buffoons knows no bounds. They remain oblivious that this limousine liberal party they are having has closed a popular public beach so now thousands of “little people” who don’t have much money won’t be able to go to the beach today. But who cares about them so long as fatso Harvey can get his photo taken with Obama. Harvey personifies the limousine liberal. He is the worst.
There are no “little people” in Westport, Connecticut.
They only have rich and richer in Westport.
Why Why Why I dont get why the jews or hollywood supports Obama. I just dont get it.
Because some of us care about issues that are unrelated to the Likud Party.
Perhaps they feel Obama makes a better president than Mitt Romney would.
And can you really lump all Jewish people and all people working in Hollywood together?
and Mitt is out rasing Obama every month since June. Where is Mitt getting all that cash? Wake up they both do it, these campaigns don’t run for free.
How much have the Koch brothers given to Mitt? I would imagine Rupert is mixed in there too. To get your message across it takes money and lots of it.
In the end Romney will still outspend Obama.
I have a question: do these celebrities actually pay $40,000 (or whatever) to attend? Or, like many Hollywood events, do they attend for free to attract other donors?
on the question of whether the Hollywood names get to attend without donating, no – they contribute just like everyone else. However, many major donors (stars, celebrities, plain old rich folks) will “max out” on donations and then still hold other fundraisers, as “bundlers” bringing in other attendees.
$40,000 to a Hollywood celebrity is like buying a 6-pack of beer for the other 99%.
I’m confused by the comment re: Aaron Sorkin. Are you planning to delete the show because he’s an Obama supporter? Does that surprise you? What about his work, and The Newsroom in particular, would lead you to believe that his sympathies don’t rest with Obama and the Dems? Dumb comment.
I have watched one episode of Newsroom and I was not impressed but I thought I would give it one more try when I have the chance. Now I found out Mr AS’s political standing. This fact helps me to decide I do not have to waste any time on this liberal-biased show.
you just now found out Sorkin is a far leaning liberal? I like the show because I like his style of writing, but he’s a political loon, how can this be news to you?
If you really had confidence in your own comment, you wouldn’t need to call others “dumb.”
Generally speaking, do you not understand the distinction between fiction and reality? It’s one thing to fictionalize a political position, but to actively take it into the real world is another.
Some Connecticut TV and radio stations are reporting that two nearby beaches were closed all day for security reasons.
Many nearby residents are irate.
$35,800? More money than a whole lot of people make in a year. But barry is for the little guy? Fairy dust indeed.
What – if anything – is the significance of that donation amount, combined with noting Mr President ending at 3:58? Is it numerological? Or could this be a secret message going out to his volunteers?
Dear Liberty and Disappointed, do you have health insurance covered by your employers?
How about Hollywood control so they do not produce such violent movies that make someone snap and pretend to be one of Hollywoods characters acting out. Hollywood is responsible for more killings than my guns.
Your ignorance is mind-blowingly astounding. Yes, you are right, it is the movies that make people snap. Not the actual real world. Please leave.
These actors have made fame and money. They are easy targets that would allow them to be perceived as CARING. I would expect some to be very well informed, others I would expect that there would be career inhancement for thier names to be put out in this fasion. The other reason that I feel is much more incidious is to use the occasions to promote thier marketability to draw higher monetary contracts for further projects. Example: A photograph with the US. President in the Hollywood arena would mean hundreds of thousands of dollars due to percieved connections. Hollywood and the movie industry for the successful is a cash cow.
Hey Harvey,if your really against gun violence,how about not making anymore movies with guns or gun violence in them,you Hypocrite.
YO Harvey if you are really against gun violence disarm Obama’s Death squad and let him go around like the rest of us fearful that the next uniformed person might shoot us.
Sorkin lampooned Obama’s inaction on gun control via Newsroom, when the “registered republican” Will McAvoy gave him a lower grade on gun regulations than W, so both co-host have criticized the President in this regard…
But I’m sure after Aaron and Barry chow down on some brownies together to commemorate Sorkin’s spiking of the football for Obama last night things will settle down and…..then Obama can fork over a few of his staffers to join the vacant Newsroom Season Two writer’s room
I honestly do not understand hollywood liberals and their obsession with gun control. Do they not understand that gun control only affects law abiding citizens? Criminals already have no regard for the law… How on earth is a law limiting guns going to keep them out of their hands when there are black market guns everywhere, especially here in LA?
It’s almost like they’ve turned off the critical thinking section of their brains.
Theyre hypocrites. While trying to wrestle guns away from law-abiding citizens, the elite have private security who armed to the hilt!
Hollywood sponsored terrorism. Shoot ‘em up blow ‘em up. Looks so cool on the big screen. Extremely sad and pathetic in reality. What a coward hiding behind false flags.
People like Weinstein and Sorkin seem to forget that elected officials are public servants. That means they are to do the will of the people. Well, Obama doesn’t think so but he knows enough that the will of the people is to own guns and his office is precarious enough without having his polling numbers drop further.
The will of the people regarding guns isn’t likely to change either, in fact gun ownership has increased with the passing of more laws.
So for those hoplophobic elitists like the clowns that will be attending the fund raiser, I suggest that you do something anatomically impossible that I cannot post here.
I’d like to know is if these clowns are going to reimburse the tax payers for the use of public land for a private purpose? They are denying Joe Public access to publicly supported land yet we do not hear how the public is being reimbursed and they are charging $35K+ so where is the public cut of this!!!
Harvy Weinsteins’s home is not public land. Are you talking about the beaches closed for security reasons?
Both parties have fundraisers, surely this is not surprising.
Not patronizing the product produced by these super-rich makes more sense than boycotting Chik-Fil-A. These people often produce propaganda thinly disguesed as entertainment. At least at Chik-Fil-A all you get is the best chicken available at a fast food restaurant at a fair price and with pleasant service. Nancy Pelosi tweeting that she prefered KFC just shows that she has never eaten at either…