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President Obama Addresses Attendees at Hollywood Fundraisers
President Obama was present at a series of Hollywood-based fundraisers on Thursday, following the tragic events in Charleston where he lost two of his beloved friends.
While some GOP candidates for the presidential run canceled their events in the eve of the mass shooting of Charleston, South Carolina, President Obama took the opportunity to both raise funds for the Democratic Party as well as decry the racially triggered violence and discuss the overarching situation with those present at the fundraising events.
The Hollywood-based fundraisers were hosted by Tyler Perry and Chuck Lorre, both known producers in Hollywood, perhaps best acknowledged by their “Madea” series or “Two and a Half Man”.
The Democratic National Committee is to benefit from the funds raised in the Beverly Hills and Pacific Palisades homes of the two producers.
The fundraisers were preceded by a heart-touching statement on the mass shooting at the historic Charleston church, that took the lives of nine people. At the fundraisers, President Obama conducted lengthy discussions with industry donors about the motivations of gun violence.
The fundraiser hosted by Chuck Lorre was attended by 30 people. Among the guests, some prominent figures could be seen: James Burrows, Ken Solomon, Kiefer Sutherland, Conan O’Brien, Matthew Perry and others.
They were all witnesses to an eye-opening, heart to heart discussion about the gun violence, roots of gun violence, industry involvement and the shortcoming of the presidency of President Obama who took a swipe at what he considers his own failings after two mandates.
He touched upon legislation regulating the possession and use of guns, upon race and mental health and the disturbing thought that even in a place where peace and solace are sought, these tragic events still manage to shatter belief in a better future.
One statement coming from President Obama reads:
“We don’t have all the facts, but we do know that, once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun. At some point, we as a country, have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries.”
Another particular troubling mark for President Obama was the division in the political system and his failing in trying to patch it up. Neither one nor another party is accurately reflecting the decency or the common sense characterizing the American people at large.
Telling a story of one letter he received from Colorado, President Obama admitted his shortcomings in accomplishing the ideals he had campaigned for. Partly, he blamed Congress for being obsessed with petty interests rather than understanding that the next generation of Americans should be at the core of their concerns.
President Obama commented that instead of the next generation becoming a priority, the stump of next elections is always in the way for Congress to pool resources together and infer meaningful action.
The attendance at the two events came at a cost of as much as 33,400 dollars.
The series of fundraisers will continue this Friday with two scheduled events planned in San Francisco’s Shervin Pishevar and Tom Steyer’s homes.
Image Source: Variety
