by Mark Silva and updated
They don't call it Star Island for nothing.
Gloria and Emilio Estefan, of Miami Sound Machine fame, live on the gated island, a circle of mansions on a Biscayne Bay island along the causeway to Miami Beach.
This evening, they were playing host to President Barack Obama, headliner for one of two fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee said to net $2.5 million.
Reps. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Broward County, instrumental in the party's campaigns for Congress, and Kendrick Meek, a Miami congressman running for Senate this year, greeted the president at the airport -- a kiss from Wasserman-Schultz, known in her state legislative days as Debbie Wasserperson for her campaign to rid state statutes of gender-biased language, and a handshake from Meek, known in his early days as a Florida Highway Patrol trooper who once drove dignitaries like Obama.
The price of entry for the fundraiser at the Estefan home was $30,400 per couple.. The ticket for a second fundraiser this evening at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts was $250 to $1,250.
After an appearance today at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, where the president spelled out his plans for the nation's space program, and a quick flight to Miami, the president's motorcade sped through cleared Miami roads to Star Island. It appeared to be a "neighborhood event,'' with people pulling chairs out to their driveways to watch the proceedings. Palm trees line the looping road that circles the island, the mansions arrayed on the bay side of the circle.
The press pool was holding at the Estefans' guest house, a white, Caribbean-style home behind white iron gates. It has a jacuzzi on a veranda ringed by banana trees and palms. Sushi was delivered. Who says the party never caters to the press?
At the performing arts center later, Obama addressed more than 1,000 cheering people who had begun arriving around 4 p.m. Among those in the audience was Florida CFO Alex Sink, a Democrat running for governor, and Meek.
Before the president's arrival, a couple dozen people, including some from Environment Florida, were protesting oil-shore oil drilling off of Florida's Gulf Coast across the street from the Arsht Center. They held signs asking Obama to protect Florida's shores but were not particularly loud or rowdy.
Wasserman Schultz told the crowd: "I'm so proud to be here; I'm so proud of our community. We have the honor of hosting President Barack Obama in beautiful South Florida on a beautiful day."
DNC Chairman Tim Kaine, eyeing the midterm congressional elections, said: "The prognosticators are under-estimating us for a couple reasons... First, we have a great president," he said to applause. Also, great candidates" and "we have you...
"You don't mind being the underdog, you don't mind running into a head wind, you don't mind an uphill race," Kaine told the party crowd. "You don't mind being the
underdog. Becasue that's what Democrats do. We are the underdogs."
Obama spoke for half an hour, leaving at 7:12. pm EDT. But before he left, he drew a standing ovation when he mentioned passage of healthcare reform, the audience interrupting with cheers of "O-ba-ma!"
"Change is never easy, I don't know if you've noticed that," the president said to laughter in the hall. "People hold onto the status quo, even when the status quo is not
working for them."
(Only one of the men pictured above in the president's appearance at the space center today did not fly in space. That would be President Barack Obama. Sen. Bill Nelson, above left, a Florida Democrat, flew aboard a space shuttle as a member of Congress. Retired Marine Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden, above right, the NASA administrator, flew aboard a shuttle four times, twice as mission commander. Photo by John Raoux / AP)
Comments
Speaking of stars...
US TAXES LOWEST IN 60 YEARS, THANKS TO DEMOCRATS AND PRESIDENT OBAMA
I'm sure the Teabaggers in DC will take time out from their klan rally today to thank Pres Obama and the Democratic Congress for overcoming GOP obstructionism and lowering taxes to their lowest level in 60 years?
"In fact, tax refunds reached an all-time high this year in part because of the stimulus, the president said in his weekly address on Saturday. Meanwhile, taxes are at their lowest levels in 60 years. The relation between what is said in the tax debate and what is true about tax policy is often quite tenuous," Gale told Hotsheet. The rise of the Tea Party at at time when taxes are literally at their lowest in decades is really hard to understand."
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002548-503544.html
The misconception is largely due to Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, living in their alternate reality and sharing it with their audience of millions of incredulous wingnutters.
98 percent of Americans got tax cuts. The richest two percent, well, they didn't. The Teabaggers, doing the bidding of America's richest elite, will remain outraged about that injustice. So they are always welcome to send their record-high tax refunds to Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill O'Reilly. That way, they can prove once and for all that they are not all sound and ignorant fury.
Or are they more concerned about the deficit? If so, they are always free to tear up that refund check, doing their part to lower America's deficit.
Actions! They should speak louder than angry, uninformed Teabagger words.
Posted by: HHH | April 15, 2010 7:00 PM
Trickled On,
Federal taxes lowest in 60 years? Could the reason be that 47% of the population does not pay any federal taxes?
The rise of the tea parties is not hard to understan becuase the tea party members are part of the 53% that are paying the freight for losers like you that can't get out of mom and dad's basement.
Posted by: Terry | April 15, 2010 7:11 PM
DNC - Divide 'N Conquer.
Posted by: Banderman | April 15, 2010 7:31 PM
Sen. Reid said 98% of Americans got a tax cut last year.
His source for the above whopper?
Pres. Obama said "Refunds reached an all-time high this year because of the stimulus."
HIS source for the above whopper?
Just because they said it doesn't mean it's true.
Posted by: terry | April 15, 2010 7:48 PM
Obama is like Joe Montana - he understands politics as a team sport - but also understands the need for a star quarterback ...........
http://thefiresidepost.com/2010/04/15/politics-individual-or-team-sport/
Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | April 15, 2010 9:49 PM
I would suggest before you start hurling abuse you go and look at your taxes. Compare what you made in 2009 with what you made in 2008. Compare your taxes for the two years. And then comment. For the vast majority of people, your effective tax rate dropped, and unless you did very well in the raise department, your actual taxes dropped too.
Posted by: DBX | April 15, 2010 11:06 PM
Uh-oh, Republican-Libertarian-T.Baggers, here comes the D-Train, "D" for Democratic. Guess what, it has started it's grassroots route, in search for funds to counteract the vicious, baseless and malicious lies that you have been spreading and smearing President Obama and Vice-President Biden since they thrashed your darling pair of McCain-Palin, 17 months ago. !! While President Obama and Vice-President Biden have been working their tails off for the American citizen, especially those who suffered the consequences of the Bush&Cheney years, there have been those rodents that have been busy gnawing at the mooring ropes, in hopes of keeping our ship-of-state in troubled waters. Their silly schemes have backfired, they are taking a beating at home, for the obstructionism they are perpetrating in our Senate. To hold up, for months, unemployment benefits for those in need of help, after their loss of jobs, in the Bush&Cheney catastrophe, is outrageous, Un-American and chicken-shit !! All of these Obstructing Senators, don't have to worry where their next paycheck is coming from, our Treasury, but let someone who is in real need and what do they get from these well-fed, well-heeled, Republican-Libertarian-T.Baggers, disrespect, insult, lies and hypocrisy !! That is all that Party is capable of, callous, Un-american pettiness, that they visit on our suffering citizens. I hope their constituents are paying attention to this despicable, reprehensible conduct, this time. Maybe now, they will recall them and replace them with individuals that choose our citizens' lives over petty politics !! With individuals who choose America's well-being over a bankrupt agenda, championed by retreaded leadership, only interested in filling their pockets with Corporate funds !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | April 16, 2010 6:51 AM
How come when rich people gather and give piles of money to democrats it is portrayed as a wondrous event but when other rich people give piles of cash to Republicans they are "special interests"?
Posted by: Rick H. | April 16, 2010 8:20 AM
I would suggest before you start hurling abuse you go and look at your taxes. Compare what you made in 2009 with what you made in 2008. Compare your taxes for the two years. And then comment. For the vast majority of people, your effective tax rate dropped, and unless you did very well in the raise department, your actual taxes dropped too.
Posted by: DBX | April 15, 2010
11:06 PM
DBX, my tax rate did drop because of a horrible economy and lower income. The tax rate dropping had Nothing to do with anything Obama did as he and his Cult Supporters claim. My big question is that the State of Illinois owes my $3.00. I wonder when I will get it?
Posted by: Depot- Jim | April 16, 2010 10:24 AM
Just one big love fest...,give me a break.
Posted by: Paul | April 16, 2010 10:24 AM
My taxes are down 5 percent from last year. However, my income is dowm 6.5 percent from last year; who do I get to thank for that??
Posted by: Dan K | April 16, 2010 12:50 PM
Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh is having his ANNUAL fundraiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Come on Loons and the Left and Silva, give a little money!!!
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/today.guest.html
Posted by: John D | April 16, 2010 12:58 PM
HHH
Please read the article in the Wall street Journal from April 15, 2010. And how the Bush tax cuts are still helping today and Obama extending them. And Obama taking credit for it. I don't support either party, but am sick of the bull crap, and the name calling. Your all children for the way you act on here, and cyber bullies. I hope your proud of yourselves. Neither party deserves my vote, thankfully I'm now an Independent.
Posted by: Calvin | April 17, 2010 9:23 AM