Obama raises funds in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO -- A lucrative trip to raise campaign cash in California this week brought President Barack Obama to the Bay Area, where he shared his message with crowds of supporters and made an unscripted appearance at a San Francisco restaurant.

"I'm here not just because I need your help, San Francisco. I'm here because this country needs your help," the president exhorted the crowd during a Thursday night speech at the packed Nob Hill Masonic Center, citing the support he had in 2008. "The campaign was not about me -- the campaign was about you."

Speaking to a crowd of 2,500, Obama said it is important to believe in free markets and entrepreneurship and to ensure that anyone who works hard should have the chance to get ahead, so everyone should do their fair share and play by the same set of rules.

"Taking care of each other is not a Democratic or Republican ideal but rather an American ideal," he said, "Our politics may be divided ... but most Americans understand we're greater together. We rise or fall as one nation, that's what people understand. ... That's what this election is all about."

The president's stop in San Francisco followed several fundraising events in Los Angeles. After landing at San Francisco International Airport about 12:30 p.m., Obama mingled with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and other top state officials and greeted well-wishers, including a 44-year-old cancer patient from Cayucos.

He then made a surpriseappearance at a dim sum restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown before meeting with about 20 supporters at a swank hotel and dining with 70 more at novelist Robert Mailer Anderson's Pacific Heights home. Ticket cost to the events: $35,800 per person. There, Al Green performed a rendition of "Let's Stay Together" -- the song with which Obama recently made headlines by singing a few bars at a New York City campaign event. This time, Obama refrained from singing.

At the Nob Hill event, Obama spoke about his administration's rescue of the U.S. auto industry, and the 200,000 jobs created recently. He also talked about cutting out middle men from the student loan process to increase young Americans' access to higher education and addressed health care reform legislation.

Citing his repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, Obama said "to serve the country you love, you shouldn't have to hide who you love," receiving a huge ovation. He also noted that no Americans are fighting in Iraq anymore and "bin Laden isn't around anymore."

At least two protesters were removed after standing up and yelling about ongoing fighting in Afghanistan and oil drilling. "I love it, that's what San Francisco is all about," the president said. "People are not afraid to share their ideas here."

Obama acknowledged that he has made some mistakes, but "real change is hard, and it takes time, it takes more than a single term, it takes more than a single president."

Entry to the Nob Hill Masonic Center event cost as little as $100 or as much as $7,500 for a photo with the president. Attendees were serenaded first by former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell, who performed an acoustic set including the Soundgarden hit "Black Hole Sun," the rock standard "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding?" and John Lennon's "Imagine." Cornell also sang "I Will Always Love You," the song made famous by recently deceased diva Whitney Houston.

San Francisco 49er Vernon Davis told the crowd Obama is a great leader who saved the auto industry and knows what it means to give 100 percent every day to fight for victory.

Outside the event, about 100 to 150 protesters stood carrying signs and chanting in opposition to Obama's stances on marijuana, war, oil drilling and other issues.

Source mercurynews