Obama to star with Kanye West at S.F. fundraiser
Old- and new-school politics will hook up when President Obama appears at an Oct. 10 political fundraiser in San Francisco with rapper Kanye West, who’s already sort of declared his intention to run for the White House in 2020.
The Democratic National Committee fundraiser at the Warfield Theatre — a 2,300-seat venue on Market Street usually reserved for rock acts — should be a quick sellout with tickets starting at just $250. That’s a low-price event for a presidential fundraiser and for West, whose hits, including “Gold Digger” and “Jesus Walks,” have made him one of the world’s leading hip-hop artists.
VIP seats will be $1,000, and even pricier tickets are available — $5,000 gets you a photo with
the president, and the $10,000 ticket includes a reception with Obama. Tickets to the event are being sold at http://bit.ly/1OCWaaW.
West is billed as a performer for the Democratic donors. He and his wife, Kim Kardashian, became engaged in San Francisco during a lavish surprise party in 2013 at AT&T Park, complete with a 50-piece orchestra, roman candles, and an entire film crew from “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”
The joint appearance by Obama and West suggests they have resolved some headlinegrabbing past disagreements.
In 2009, Obama was among those who piled on, calling West a “jackass,” after the star crashed the stage in protest at the Video Music Awards and hijacked an award given to then newbie Taylor Swift.
West, known for his ego as much as his music, told a radio station back then he was incensed with criticism, and likened his work to the leader of the free world.
Bringing joy
“I don’t care if somebody’s the president or not. I care about thoughts and how you helpin’ people and what you bring to the world. My music brings joy to people. What I create brings joy to people. And I’m about people.”
Kardashian has endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton in the 2016 presidential race and took a much-tweeted selfie with her earlier this year.
West’s appearance to benefit Democratic candidates in San Francisco alongside the president should put to rest rumors that he’s ready to stump for Ben Carson, a Republican — a buzz that got started after West told Vanity Fair he was mightily impressed with the retired neurosurgeon.
“As soon as I heard Carson speak, I tried for three weeks to get on the phone with him,” he told the magazine. “I was like ‘this is the most brilliant guy.’ ”
On Sunday, Carson told ABC’s “This Week” that the feelings of admiration are mutual — and with regards to a 2020 West run, “I’m certainly willing to give him a chance.”
Reaching young voters
Carson told moderator Martha Raddatzhe admires West, who he said could have a message for younger voters.
“I did have an opportunity to talk with him. I was extremely impressed with his business acumen. He knows a lot about business,” Carson said. “I talked to him about the possibility of maybe himself and some of the other people in pop culture doing some music that might be uplifting, that might give young women a sense of their value and young men a sense of responsibility. I think it could be a tremendous thing in our society.”
West’s jump into the political arena — whether tongue-incheek or not — came at the Video Music Awards last month, where he defiantly announced he was running for president in 2020.
The move prompted a joke from Clinton, who told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres she would ask West to “wait” to run for president in 2020 — because she hopes that’s when she’ll be running for a second term.