President Obama goes 'looney for Clooney' but has he gone too far?

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President Obama's team goes loony for George Clooney

By PATRICK GAVIN | 4/25/12 6:36 AM EDT

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Seems like just about everyone wants a piece of George Clooney, and now that the president has his — the actor hosts a fundraiser for Obama on May 10 — is he going too far in reminding us?

First, on April 19, came an email from Obama Deputy Campaign Manager Julianna Smoot titled, simply, “Clooney.”

“Want to meet George Clooney and Barack Obama — at Clooney’s house?” Smoot wrote. “He’s hosting supporters at his home next month to help build support for this campaign and elect President Obama in November. And he’s saving seats for two grassroots supporters like you and their guests. It’s just not a chance most people get — well, ever.”

The very next day, Obama for America’s national finance director, Rufus Gifford, sent an email himself. The subject line? “George Clooney. Really.”

April 23 brought yet another email, this time from Chief Operating Officer Ann Marie Habershaw, promising “Some advice about George Clooney.”

A day later, the president himself jumped into the fray with his own email to supporters. The subject: “Clooney and me.”

Then there were the tweets from @BarackObama, all linking to a page on BarackObama.com called “Obama, Clooney, and you”:

April 19: “Dinner with the President at George Clooney’s house. Chip in $3 now for a chance to win”

April 20: “This one’s hard to turn down—chip in $3 for a chance to meet the President at George Clooney’s house”

April 23: “Meeting President Obama at a party hosted by George Clooney—check two things off your life list”

April 24: “George Clooney is hosting the President next month, and you’re invited. Start thinking about your +1”

It’s been enough to spark some snickering from the Fourth Estate.

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Clooney, Barack And Me

By STEVE OTTO | The Tampa Tribune

April 27, 2012 - 12:00 AM

'Steve — I'm going to a special event at George Clooney's house in a few weeks, and two grass-roots supporters and their guests will join us.

The only thing we've still got to figure out is whether those two spots belong to you and your guest — or somebody else and theirs.

So let's nail it down: Any donation you make today will automatically enter you and a guest to win.

Once you decide who you're inviting to join you, we'll be all set. The campaign will take care of your airfare and hotel for you. Please pitch in $3 or whatever you can today, and keep your May 10 clear:

Hope to see you soon,

Barack''


* * * * *

I'll be honest. I was just a tad surprised to get an invitation from my good friend "Barack'' to a party at George Clooney's house, although maybe the White House is still a little messy from that Easter egg roll they had on the White House lawn a couple of weeks ago, and the Clooneys offered to step in.

And — to be brutally honest about all of this — Barack and I just aren't that close. We were in the same University of Tampa field house last year when he came to town for a 15-minute speech. But other than a brief wave in my direction, where I was standing with a few hundred other media types, that has been about it.

But then who knows what the president of the United States reads? I assume he must be a subscriber to Mother Trib. So maybe there is a familiarity with reading about what's going on at our house, although I'm sure the Frau hasn't had much contact with Michelle or she would have said something.


* * * * *

For a second I thought that maybe it was George Clooney who had just handed out a guest list for the coming soiree and figured the president would be on a first-name basis with some of his friends.

"Honey,'' I said to the Frau, "I've got this invitation from Barack Obama, who wants us to come to a dinner party at George Clooney's house. All we have to do is bring three bucks, I guess to cover the valet parking. What do you think we ought to wear?

"I mean they get pretty casual in Hollywood, but this is the president of the United States. Maybe if I wore a Hawaiian shirt that would cover both bases. I could be Hollywood casual and still honor the president.''

Anyhow, the Frau was less than impressed, pointing out it was a campaign device and that millions of people received the same invitation.

"First of all,'' she said, "you're not a 'grass-roots supporter' and secondly that three dollars is for fundraising.'' She added, "You don't think they really want someone like you to come to their house, do you? You would probably tell them about the time you got Richard Nixon to sign your baseball when he was running for vice president.''

"Honey,'' I tried to explain. "He called me 'Steve' and signed it 'Barack.' Doesn't that tell you something? I'm sure he just has to invite everyone as some sort of official protocol. Besides, he said they would pick up the airfare and the taxi out to the Clooney house.

"My only question is, do you think we ought to bring a bottle of wine?''