SAN FRANCISCO, CA --- As the San Francisco Chronicle’s Carla Marinucci reported on October 12, 2011, “one month after he last hit the Bay Area, President Barack Obama will be back in San Francisco again...with an Oct. 25 fundraiser...The event is billed as a luncheon for 200. While the location isn’t yet announced, those numbers suggest some larger hotel venue.”
It’s unusual that the venue was still a mystery – with the event scheduled just 12 days after Marinucci’s blog post.
That’s because the word on the streets is that Obama campaign’s original ‘venue’ request was rejected by a notable Democrat operative who refused to offer a ball room located in one of his prime real estate buildings.
Worse, one of Silicon Valley's most successful venture capitalist, and major Obama donor in the past, said 'no' to an invitation to donate, no matter where it’s held. And he’ says that he’s seeing many former staunch Obama supporters in the high tech community unwilling to donate to his re-election. Finally, a prominent retired judge who proudly voted for Obama in 2008, indicates for the first time he’s thinking of not voting in next year’s presidential contest.
The common reason for these chilling responses: they don’t want to waste their money. They think he’s unelectable in 2012. Additionally the donors aren’t warming up to the President’s ‘tax the super rich’ message. The ‘rich’ in California – democrats and republicans -- are familiar with tax surcharges. The State now collects 41% of all taxes from the top 1% of income earners...including surcharges.
Like in the Golden State, they don’t see how the troubling Federal budget deficit will be helped much by a surtax on the super rich.
Still, Obama and the Democratic National Committee have raised more than $150 million so far for his bid for a second term, far outstripping Obama's Republican rivals.
They’ll find a venue in San Francisco; but it’s unclear whether they’ll find enough votes in 2012 – from even those attending the October 25th fundraiser.
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