Pool Report of Obama and Clinton Joint Fundraiser

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama spoke to the crowd of 125 for about 15 minutes mid-way through their dinner. Sen. Clinton told the crowd they needed to be united because the election would be a tough struggle: “It is not easy for a democrat to be elected president.” Sen. Obama said that he came before the friendly but mostly pro-Clinton crowd with humility—though he noted how he would help expand the Democratic map in the fall, ticking of red and purple states where he was ahead or close (ND, MT, GA, VA, NC, CO, NM, NV).

The event, hosted by Barbaralee Diamonstein and Carl Spielvogel, was moved from their Park Avenue residence to the Loews Regency to accommodate the 125 attendees, per the campaign (seemed about right – your pooler counted 13 tables with about 10). At $33,100 a plate, that's a $4.1 million haul. Diamonstein had served on the commission of fine arts as a Clinton appointee, and Spielvogel served as U.S. Ambassador to the Slovak Republic from 2000-01.

Full report:

The crowd nibbled on rolls and had just midway through the meal (a few diners still had their cream-based soup on the silver platter place holders). Martini glasses filled with chocolates and Obama buttons stood on each table, with votive candles, tablecloths, and the whole nine yards. The room was elegant but not ostentatious, with three large silver and crystal chandeliers, and intimate enough that the pols could maybe have done it without a mic. Your pooler arrived as Barbaralee introduced Sen. Clinton, who spoke for about 10 minutes.

Most of it fairly standard unity stump speak. She received an enthusiastic and extended standing ovation before she started in. Obama stood behind her, arms folded across his chest, the standard pensive look. (And they weren't color coordinated this time, with Sen. Clinton decked out in bright orange and black)

“The stakes could not be higher and the necessity of us to have a united Democratic party that does everything we possibly can between now and November to elect Senator Obama president is I hope self evident,” Clinton said.

She stressed unity given how hard it was for Democrats to win the White House.
“But since I've been an adult there have been ten presidential elections, and democrats have only won three of them. So I take it very personally that we have to win this time and I happen to know very well the person who won those elections and I know how hard it is no matter how good the candidate, no matter how clear the need for change, no matter how the opponent presents himself. It is not easy for a democrat to be elected president.”

Also she stressed that the campaign couldn't be one of media wars, ground wars, and of the “viral in a blogosphere sense,” but that it had to be personal too.

“Whatever brings us here tonight is not only unifying but transcendent. Anyone who voted for me has much more in common with those of you who supported Barack than you do with our republican opponent and that has to be the argument we make and I believe that [applause]… this is going to be not only a campaign that is waged in the media as all campaigns in modern times have to be and not only on the ground…. This also has to be in a sense an old fashioned campaign… where it's not just viral in a blogosphere sense but it's very personal as to why you're willing to put your money and your efforts and your heart and your soul in to this campaign. So I am very appreciative of those who supported me like Barbaralee and Carl, putting your efforts behind this event tonight because it really is important that we make this stand and we do it a way that spreads the message loud and far so it gives me a lot of pleasure to introduce someone… who has been on the stage with me 22 times in debates--but who's counting?--and who has run an extraordinary campaign and is in my view the person who should take the oath of office next January when we finally see the end of the bush administration which cannot come to soon.”

With that, she handed over the mic with the obligatory kiss on the cheek. The crowd applauded politely, then a few stood, and then Obama received the same extended ovation that they'd just given to Clinton. He spoke for about five minutes, most of it standard stump. Thanked the hosts, and joked that “Barbaralee tells us she could have fit everybody in her house. She had it all planned out.”

Thanked “my old friends and my new friends” and most of all, “the woman who is standing next to me.” Praised her “remarkable work at every stage of her life” and called it one of the “great honors of my life to campaign alongside her, to debate her—she left a bunch of lumps on my head at the debates—and was just extraordinary as a campaigner.” Bowed to her “graciousness.”

Then he turned to the campaign ahead, special moment, once in a generation. Talked about the “army” of voters they'd created. “I went to 49 states,” he said, turning to Sen. Clinton. “Did you ever make it up to Alaska?”

“No, I did not,” came her reply.

He talked about his chance to win states that hadn't voted for a Democrat since LBJ. “I was in North Dakota, I'm down two. I was in Montana, we're up five.” And up one in Georgia, statistically tied in Virginia and North Carolina, “We're up in New Mexico, we're up in Nevada. So we've got an opportunity to not just win an election but to change the political map.” He said that Democrats now had the opportunity where they would no longer have “to just thread the needle.”

But it's not about me, he continued. It's about the American people. “If we're going to win this race I'm going to need everyone in the room and I come to you with great humility…. With just half a wing this bird can't fly.” Then he wrapped it up, promising to spend more time talking with folks individually. And with that your pool was escorted out.