Romney's secret billionaire bash

PARK CITY, Utah — It was the kind of image Mitt Romney has sought to blunt during his campaign for president: a prodigious display of wealth.

At a private retreat this weekend, major Romney campaign donors quaffed 1927 Port they'd brought in for the occasion, mingled in the lobby of a posh resort called the Chateaux at Silver Lake and watched an aerial display of Olympic ski jumpers.

Billed as a "senior leadership retreat," the three-day gathering in Deer Valley was a reward for the wealthy GOP donors who have fueled Romney's fundraising, giving at least $25,000 each or raising at least $100,000 by June 18. Many of the more than 700 who attended had donated much more.

The campaign is counting on these supporters to raise $500 million of its $800 million fundraising goal, according to one top fundraiser. The retreat is part of a meticulous effort by the campaign to keep its biggest supporters personally invested in the candidate as he hurtles toward November.

"They're our major investors," a senior Romney adviser said, declining to speak openly because of the campaign's desire for secrecy.

Romney hobnobs with mega-donors | Nation & World | The Seattle Times

On Thursday night, movie megastar George Clooney will host President Obama at his enormous estate in the hills of Studio City, Calif. at a $40,000-a-plate re-election fundraiser. Team Obama is tight-lipped on the guest list for the private 150-person dinner, although DreamWorks mogul and prolific Democratic donor Jeffrey Katzenberg is co-hosting the affair.

The event marks what the New York Times referred to as a return to Hollywood for the President in a Wednesday story. His 2008 election was buoyed by the support of wealthy celebrities. But Obama isn’t just courting the stars on his L.A. trip. The really big checks come from the super-rich behind the camera. As the Times story noted, Obama recently invited Haim Saban to the Oval Office to ask for his backing. Saban isn’t a household name like Clooney, but he can afford to shell out more cash to help re-elect the President: he’s worth $2.9 billion.
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The Israeli-born entertainment tycoon made his money with the Power Rangers brand, but more recently bought out Spanish-language broadcaster Univision in a $13.7 billion deal. He and his wife Cheryl ...\have, between them, given over $10 million to political causes in the last decade. The vast majority have gone to left-leaning candidates and committees. They’ve both donated the maximum $5,000 per person allowance to Obama’s campaign this cycle, and Cheryl pitched in the maximum $30,800 to the Democratic National Committee in January.

Saban’s fellow Hollywood billionaires have also been opening their wallets to re-elect Obama. Director Steven Spielberg donated $100,000 to Priorities USA Action, a left-leaning super PAC backing the President’s re-election bid.

The right wing puppets and their corporate owners meet to program the agenda. Welcome to fascism!