Sarah Palin to star at California fundraising bash
A Silicon Valley billionaire is playing Oprah to Sarah Palin's Obama, hosting the Alaska governor at what will likely be a must-attend fundraiser for Republicans later this month. And as was true when Oprah Winfey feted Barack Obama at her 42-acre estate in Montecito last September, getting in to software magnate Thomas Siebel's shindig on the 25th won't be cheap.
The Associated Press is reporting that for $50,000, contributors become co-chairs of the event, with access to a reception for six people, a couple of seats at the nominee's table, a table for 10 at a lunch and a photo op with Palin. Mere mortals who are invited can cough up $1,000 for a ticket. (Actually this is cheaper than the Obama affair; admission to Oprah's retreat, which she calls "The Promised Land" came with a $2,300 campaign contribution).
When it comes to sheer star power, however, it's hard to imagine the Republican event attracting half the Hollywood dazzle that flocked to Obama's. Stevie Wonder played, Cindy Crawford and Halle Berry, Will Smith, and Sydney Poitier mingled with bundlers and big donors.
But Siebel is no slouch. He's not as rich as Oprah--last year she was #165 on the Forbes 400, with $2.5 billion, and he was #261, with $1.9 billion--but he's incredibly well connected. Siebel is chairman of First Virtual Group, a diversified holding group with a long reach: real estate, agribusiness, global investment management and more. His philanthropy has been on behalf of the homeless, methamphetamine addiction prevention, alternative energy and education.
Also, according to the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation web site, in 2002 the couple gave $2 million to the Museum of the Rockies for its new dinosaur wing, to be known as the Siebel Dinosaur Complex. The museum has one of the largest collections of dinosaur fossils in the U.S. and has links on its site to explanations about evolution and lesson plans for educators.
Uh oh. Doesn't the Republican vice presidential candidate believe creationism should be taught along with evolution in schools? We can only presume that the Siebels won't chat with Palin about the Mesozoic Media Center they've funded -- the Mesozoic era lasted 250 to 65 million years ago, and the public record isn't clear on whether Palin is a Young Earth creationist or an Old Earth creationist. Young Earthers believe the planet is between 6,000 to 10,000 years old. Old Earthers accept geological findings that date Earth to 4-to-5 billion years, but they reject evolution.
On the whole, it might be better if the subject didn't come up. That way the Siebels, who give generously on behalf of science education, can focus on Palin's conservative tax ideology without pesky pangs of conscience.
The AP photos of Thomas Siebel, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey were taken by Dan Krauss, Carolyn Kaster, Chris Carlson and Lefteris Pitarakis, respectively.
Oprah,
scared of interviewing Palin,
I can't believe people still watching this show.
She's fake 10000%.
If she's honest and really care about EVERYBODY
(including Republicans) She will have her on the show just like she had Obama on the show.
I'm sure Palin just wants the interview and not all the millions of $ Oprah give to Obama.
Posted by: minzione | September 10, 2008 at 05:24 AM
Sarah Palin is a superstar, a beautiful person, and a good candidate. Best of luck to her.
Posted by: Celia Wells | September 10, 2008 at 05:28 AM
Republican hypocrits, start your engines. You want to criticize Streisand for performing at a $28000/plate fundraiser for Obama? You'd better save some of that vitriole for your lady, Palin. Her Hollywood fundraiser will be $50000/plate.
Posted by: Jeff Bazell | September 10, 2008 at 05:48 AM
Creationism is so scary!!!
Bah!!!
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html
Obama just destroyed the Democratic party by running for president on an empty list of credentials.
Posted by: John | September 10, 2008 at 06:01 AM
And this is the way ADULTS play together. It never ceases to amaze me the numbers of people that believe you have to follow 100% the beliefs of a political candidate in order to elect them. There are MANY issues at stake. A TRUE elected official will understand that the separation of church and state is such. Our civil liberties are not at risk, it's simply fear the democrats are now playing on in the hopes thier "smoke in mirrors" candidate will be elected.
Posted by: Helen | September 10, 2008 at 06:06 AM
Celia Wells:
Palin's a good person?? No kidding. In my opinion, good people don't lie to the American people repeatedly like Palin's doing with her "bridge to nowhere" claims. She's even been doing it after major networks have proven it's a lie that she was against it. That's not good, that's downright shameless and dishonest in my opinion. Not to mention all the other disturbing stories that have emerged about Palin (troopergate, librarygate). Also, good people don't give mean-spirited, spiteful speeches especially in their introduction to the American people.
Posted by: Kelly | September 10, 2008 at 07:08 AM
John:
Obama has the same credentials as Abraham Lincoln who many think is one of the greatest US presidents. Republicans like him so much they named their party after him - funny that they're the first to say Obama is unqualified!
Lincoln was a lawyer, state senator, and US Rep. Obama was the same except now's he's a US Senator. He's also been a constitutional law professor for 12 years.
Besides, Bush's record pretty much throws out the "executive experience" baloney.
Posted by: Kelly | September 10, 2008 at 07:16 AM
Oprah had Obama on her show BEFORE Obama was a candidate. Oprah said she would LOVE to have Sarah on AFTER she is a candidate (i.e. in 60 days).
Posted by: Andrea | September 10, 2008 at 07:27 AM
It must have taken some work to dig up the Siebel donation to the Dinosaur museum and then connecting it to lie [according to watchdog Fact Check .org] that, Sarah Palin supports teaching creationism in Schools.
What are the chances of you writing about the scores of fund raising soirees held in Hollywood and Beverly Hills, where every fat cat donor was on the opposite side of Obama because of his flip flop on very important issues like, FISA, Off Shore Drilling, Campaign Finance Reform and Separation of Church and State.?
Zero to Nil, in the opinion of this Hillary supporting, Graduate degree in engineering holding, New York City dwelling, 30 something, Muslim - American female.
Posted by: Naseem | September 10, 2008 at 08:01 AM
Didn't she amend the "teach both" statement by saying, "I don't think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn't have to be part of the curriculum." ? And I think her father was a science teacher, so who knows, Siebel might strike up a discussion.
The Siebel Foundation should give the money to me, though. All of it.
Posted by: Jason S. | September 10, 2008 at 08:35 AM
No big deal ya'll. Oprah's been a Black Supremacist for years - with all you white folks flaggelating yourselves at her feet for the sins of your fathers. Why in the world would she threaten her adulation of The One by getting to know The Gov? If she's truly the feminist she's claimed to be, she might end up regretting the investment she's made in Barry.
Foolish white people; gullible blacks - she's as fake as those eyelashes she cried off at O's cornonation. She's been laughing at you all the way to the bank for years. This proves it.
Posted by: deyeah | September 10, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Sarah Palin is a very likable person. It's too bad she knows less about science than most grammar school students. As an everything-is-magic creationist she is not likely to support science education and scientific progress.
Posted by: bobxxxx | September 10, 2008 at 11:06 AM
OPRAH is a RACIST Plain and SIMPLE.
She is so FAKE it makes me sick because her Ugliness is so thinly disquised her Grotesques’ are a lot more than Skin deep.
I BOYCOTT OPRAH !!
Boycott her Racism.
Posted by: Kane Enable | September 10, 2008 at 01:09 PM
The fact that Oprah will not interview Sarah Palin is shameful. Oprah has been a vocal advocate of women for decades, yet because she is so beholden to her liberal ideology, she violates the very principles that have made her who she is today. By failing to even talk to the woman who might be our nation's first female Vice President she shows that she cares more about her personal political agenda than she does women. It's akin to ESPN refusing to cover the Super bowl because they don't agree with the team owner's politics.... Disgraceful!
Posted by: Lori Parks | September 10, 2008 at 01:29 PM
How someone with a belief set straight out of the 19th century can be nominated for VP of the most powerful nation in the world shows the intellect of the Republicant puppet masters.For them to actually win the election will take a lot of brainwashing which they'll attempt to do with all the money they will be throwing at this pair (or with shenanigans like in FL or OH!)
Folks, it's your wake-up call, register AND vote. Send Palin back to govern her state and her clan.
Posted by: EnoughIsEnough | September 10, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Well my friends... us republicans can't wait the finish off this country, oops i mean election
Posted by: Moose | September 10, 2008 at 07:04 PM
Sarah could probably give Oprah some tips on how to improve her figure. Get off the couch Oprah.
Posted by: McCain Palin 2008 | September 10, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Oprah is a total phony. Her audience is mostly made up of republican woman - the better heeled type.
She's always been a racist and her committment to her own race is miuch higher than her committment to women - any women.
Hopefully she will take a huge financial hit for this hypocrisy.
Posted by: Jake Arlen | September 11, 2008 at 11:50 AM
I think they found a place for her to thrive - she will be doing fundraisers that is until someone there offends her. I am surprise they have not put out an add about Charlie Gibson making her look bad. You do know it is his fault she did not no what the Bush Docterine is.
Posted by: Jim | September 12, 2008 at 07:04 AM
How bout no more lawyers in pulblic office? DC is full of these bastards that have been slurping out of the public trough for 30+ years! I'll take an M16 shooting hockey mom any day over these clowns. NO MORE LAWYERS!!!!
Posted by: Ken Clark | September 12, 2008 at 12:15 PM
I LOVE PALIN!!!!!
Posted by: M.Lars | September 13, 2008 at 01:20 AM
palin wants nothing more than money for her campaign. You may remember some financial trouble that mccain had...well palin is part of the solution. you can't win the executive job without a bunch of scratch and that's a big part of palins job. Another part is distraction from the real issues. Beter to talk about the beauty queen from the tundra than iraq or trickel down economics. She's not smart or qualified or experienced in any meaningful political sense so what is her job for mccain? "Oh wouldn't you love to have a glass of sweet tea with that nice miss palin" Sound familiar yet?
Posted by: albert monson | September 14, 2008 at 07:59 AM