Paltrow hosting Obama fundraiser: ‘You’re so handsome that I can’t speak properly’
Movie star Gwyneth Paltrow hosted a fundraiser for President Barack Obama at her Los Angeles home Thursday that raised some eyebrows, created some controversy and led to some major traffic snarls.
The actress, singer and food writer gushed over the commander-in-chief as she introduced him at the Democratic National Committee reception and dinner held in her backyard ‒ when she could form words at all.
In a brief introduction punctuated by "ums," Paltrow declared, "I am one of your biggest fans, if not the biggest, and have been since the inception of your campaign," according to the Associated Press. Throughout her remarks, she showered him with compliments, ending with, "You're so handsome that I can't speak properly.”
As Hot Air pointed out, the leading lady is no stranger to good-looking men: “As regards the part about O being so handsome that he rendered her dumbstruck, remind yourself that this is a woman who was once engaged to a young Brad Pitt.” She also dated Ben Affleck and recently went through a “conscious uncoupling” (read: divorce) with Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin.
But in between Paltrow’s effusive adulation, she tackled several political topics. The actress noted November’s approaching midterm elections in which Democratic control of the Senate is at risk. She called it a "critical time" for Democrats. "It would be wonderful if we were able to give this man all of the power that he needs to pass the things that he needs to pass," she said.
L.A., you are in for a Goop-tastic evening. @BarackObama to headline high-$$ DNC #fundraiser at @GwynethPaltrow's pad pic.twitter.com/M0r8ECi9jD
— Political Party Time (@SFpartytime) October 9, 2014
The woman who earned an estimated $19 million from her acting last year called Obama’s push for equal pay “very important to me as a working mother.” She also praised the president’s efforts towards investments in sustainable energy and "everything green."
Obama tackled more hard-hitting political problems in his speech, including the Middle East and the Islamic State, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and relations with Russia over Ukraine. He also reminisced about Democratic successes during his nearly six years in office: economic recovery from the Great Recession, rescuing the auto industry in America, the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act (better known as Obamacare), increasing production of clean energy and rising test scores and graduation rates in the country’s schools.
The president then outlined policies he would like to tackle after the November 4 elections. He spoke of raising the minimum wage and closing the pay gap between men and women; rebuilding infrastructure throughout the country; and investing in education, research and development. He mentioned actions he’s been able to take without help from Congress ‒ including attempts to give women equal rights in the workplace and to help DREAM kids stay in the country. Then he asked for support from the attendees.
“So we’re acting despite Congress. But imagine what we could do with a Congress that operated on some common sense. Imagine that. Imagine what we could do not just on any particular issue ‒ although it would make a huge difference for us right away to be able to pass comprehensive immigration reform, or to pass a minimum wage law, or pass a fair pay law ‒ but just in terms of the mood of the country; in terms of people believing that once again we can do something in common,” Obama said. “Believing that we can rise above narrow, ideological interests. Believing that we can match the decency and common sense of the American people with our politics.”
About 200 supporters, including Julia Roberts and Bradley Whitford, spent at least $1,000 each to attend the Democratic fundraiser, with 50 dropping at least $15,000 to attend a dinner with the president.
@OriginalFresca MY NAME IS SABO. I POSTED THE PHOTOS AROUND PALTROW'S HOUSE LAST NIGHT. I LIKE YOUR VERSION BETTER. pic.twitter.com/zRIcRgChyd
— unsavoryagents (@unsavoryagents) October 7, 2014
Even outside Paltrow’s home in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood, the effects of the president’s three-day visit to the area were visible. A right-wing artist known only as Sabo began hanging posters around the area depicting the actress as an “Obama Drone,” Curbed LA reported.
In the greater metropolis, the commander-in-chief’s arrival snarled the city’s traffic even more than usual its usual state of gridlock. Obama began the day at Cross Campus in Santa Monica, about three miles away from Brentwood. Deadline reported a “hard closure” and rolling street closures between 8 a.m. on Thursday and 4 p.m. Friday “to make all this fun possible” for Angelenos “just like earlier in the week when VPOTUS Joe Biden was in town making life a perfect hell for commuters.”
LA traffic right now #THANKSOBAMA#mydayinlapic.twitter.com/YaksbUtROT
— Claire (@DougalMurphy) October 10, 2014
On Friday, Obama had breakfast at a DNC event at a West Side residence before heading to the Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park to announce the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a national monument. He will fly out of Los Angeles International Airport in mid-afternoon local time.
