hillary clinton - H 2015
AP ImagesBy the time Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton leaves Los Angeles Saturday, she hopes to have added well over $1 million to her campaign war chest and to have cemented her family’s famous Hollywood ties to a new generation of entertainment industry donors.
The lynchpin of her two-day swing through Southern California was Friday evening’s gathering at the home of Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire and his wife, Jennifer Meyer Maguire, who introduced Hillary to the crowd of supporters. With all 250 tickets for the event sold out at $2,700 apiece, attendees include Leonardo DiCaprio, Elizabeth Banks, singer Sia Furler, ID PR founder Kelly Bush, CAA exec Alex Avant, Dustin Lance Black, and an array of other “young” Hollywood types, one insider told The Hollywood Reporter. The event, which was organized by Greg Propper and Mark Daley of social advocacy firm Propper Daley, is slated to raise more than $500,000.
Clinton spoke for about 30 minutes, telling the crowd that she needed the help of the entertainment industry “to help inspire and get people excited,” said one attendee. She closed her speech by saying how great it would be to have a grandmother in the White House.
California, and Hollywood in particular, always have been Clinton country. When Bill Clinton first sought the Democratic presidential nomination, he raised funds and campaigned relentlessly in the state and ultimately defeated California’s favorite son, the once and future governor Jerry Brown, in the primary. In 2008, Hillary Clinton bested Barack Obama in California’s Democratic primary.
Friday’s schedule demonstrated just how wide the Clinton’s entertainment industry reach remains. Earlier in the day, she was the star attraction at a $2,700-per-person event hosted by Westfield Corp. co-CEO Peter Lowy and his wife, Janine. That was followed by a $2,700-per-person conversation with the former First Lady and Secretary of State at the home of HBO president of programming Michael Lombardo and his husband, Sonny Ward.
On Thursday, Clinton was in Newport Beach to scoop up presidential campaign cash. Supporters at Balboa Bay Club paid between $1,000 and $50,000 to mingle with the Democratic front runner.
Clinton will continue her California tour with a Saturday visit to San Francisco, where she’ll address the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
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