Obama to visit DreamWorks for economy address

0

LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Barack Obama is wrapping up athree-day West Coast tour by making
an economic pitch at the studio ofmovie producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, one of his top fundraisers
andpolitical supporters.Obama will push his economic agenda atDreamWorks Animation in Glendale, Calif.,
on Tuesday. Before deliveringhis remarks, Obama planned to meet with film industry executives andtour
the studio that created "Shrek," ”Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda."Hewill also
attend his last Democratic Party fundraiser of the trip atthe home of Marta Kauffman, co-creator of the
sitcom "Friends."TheSeattle-to-San Francisco-to-Los Angeles trip featured seven fundraisersfor
the Democratic Party and the committees that help House and SenateDemocrats. So far this year, Obama has
been the main attraction at fivefundraisers for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, fivefor
the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and two joint House andSenate fundraisers.Late Monday, at a
fundraiser at the sprawlingBeverly Hills home of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Obama praised
thelegendary Los Angeles Laker, saying that when Johnson revealed his HIVdiagnosis in 1991 he prompted
the country and the world to think in anew way about the disease. He said Johnson changed "our
attitudes withthe kind of grace and courage that only true leaders can display."The160 attendees
who paid as much as $15,000 to attend included actorsSamuel L. Jackson and Diane Keaton and basketball
players Antawn Jamisonand J.J. Redick of the Los Angeles Clippers.Obama, a basketballfan who still plays
with friends, joked that his basketball career endedin high school, though he said he may have been able
to play at aDivision III college."Also keep in mind that the last time Magicplayed basketball was
with me at my 49th birthday party, and I just wantto tell you, it wasn’t pretty," he said.Later,
Obama spoke at adinner for about 120 donors hosted by Israeli-American media mogul HaimSaban. Among the
guests was actor Tom Hanks. Saban, known for hispro-Israel views, applauded the international deal with
Iran totemporarily limit Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. The agreement has beencalled an "historic
mistake" by Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu.While in Los Angeles, Obama also visited with
thefamily of a Transportation Security Administration officer who waskilled at Los Angeles International
Airport earlier this month.TheWhite House said Obama gathered with relatives of officer GerardoHernandez
at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The president also met with TSAagents Tony Grigsby and James Speer, both of
whom were wounded in theshootings.By visiting DreamWorks, Obama will be reunited withKatzenberg, a major
campaign contributor. The White House rejectedsuggestions that the visit to DreamWorks was a reward for
Katzenberg’ssupport."DreamWorks obviously is a thriving business and iscreating lots of jobs in
Southern California," White House spokesmanJosh Earnest said. "And the fact of the matter is
Mr. Katzenberg’ssupport for the President’s policies has no bearing on our decision tovisit there;
rather, it’s an opportunity."Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material
may not be published, broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.

No posts to display