Spare $35,800? Or need a date? Because there are few things we love more than this scene from Waiting to Exhale. And this SFist editor would like to personally thank Angela Bassett for bringing it into our world, into our simple life. See, Bassett will join President Barack Obama and actress turned celebrity chef Gwyneth Paltrow on May 9 for a special presidential fundraiser at an undisclosed San Francisco home. Which house? No idea. But it's sure to be an opulent one, we can only assume. And tickets will run at $35,800 per person. (Hey, it beats a BBQ with Toby Keith, Patricia Heaton, and Mitt Romney.) more ›

While visiting San Francisco for a couple of fundraisers on Thursday, President Barack Obama stopped off at Chinatown's Great Eastern Restaurant to grab some dim sum. Many of us have done this before, right? Right. They have some of the best dim sum in town. However, did you know that Great Eastern still sells shark fin, which was banned at the start of 2012? That's right, Obama buys dim sum at restaurants that aid in the destruction and depletion of the shark population. Classic socialist behavior. more ›

Could California Attorney General and former San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris be the next nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court? Maybe, says Tom Goldstein of SCOTUSblog who claims with certainty that Harris is a shoo-in for candidacy. Working on the assumption that Obama will want/win a second term (which seems likely), Goldstein says: more ›

We're getting word that President Barack Obama and his inarguably divine wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, will be in San Francisco on February 16th for a fundraising dinner and reception. It's all part of a west coast three-day swing that will include stops in LA and Seattle. Ticket prices to see President Obama at a reception prior to the dinner will start at $100. Dinner ticket prices to the dinner? A hell of a lot more. Though not confirmed, the Obama fundraiser dinner will be at local writer and society stud Robert Mailer Anderson's abode. more ›

Comparing Barack Obama's campaign to "a fragile patient who must be checked on every day," noted Winfrey-esque new-age thinker Deepak Chorpa penned a piece in today's Chronicle, one that shows a reasonable fear that Obama won't get reelected. And since "no sitting President since Roosevelt has been re-elected with unemployment over 7.4%," there's a mild-to-sorta-good chance that President Romney could be on the horizon come November. But. That doesn't mean the Republican party's "ostrich with its head in the sand"-like stance on, well, almost everything won't resulting in handing Obama the election on a red, white, and blue commemorative plate. more ›

How did the woman who brought us Handi-Off turn into this paranoid, confused pile of a human being? Who can say. Only the voices that swim inside her head know for sure. But she sure is zany these days. Take, for example, the most recent bout of logic diarrhea she shat on Politichicks, her painful YouTube show: "I just went to a briefing in Washington DC, across the street from the Capitol, at the Longworth building at 8:30 am two days ago and it changed my life. For six hours, I saw pictures and names and dates and facts and Islamic law books and Korans, Surahs for six hours and they proved to me...that the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated our highest positions in government and this is serious." more ›

President Barack Obama's impending San Francisco visit for a fundraiser at the W Hotel this afternoon will result in several street closures for at least one hour. If you drive or ride on the following streets at noon today, please find an alternate route: more ›

Remember Solyndra, the Fremont-based solar panel manufacturer who got a $535 million low-interest loan guarantee from the Obama administration in 2009, and whom Obama visited on one of his last trips to the Bay Area? Well, they're now suddenly bankrupt, shocking the White House and prompting an investigation by the FBI starting today. more ›

Monday afternoon post-lunch distraction alert: Your San Francisco Giants are currently enjoying their off day at the White House Rose Garden where President Obama is scheduled to honor the World Championship baseball team at 1 p.m. PST. more ›

As a friend succulently pointed out just now, "Obama just ended 'don't ask don't tell.' So much for staying in tonight." Indeed. President Barack Obama today signed a certification of Congress' repeal of the United States' antiquated ban on gay men and women from serving openly in the military. The 18-year-old Clinton-era law will officially be squashed on September 20 more ›

In an effort to help raise funds for Barack Obama reelection campaign -- which: let's face it, he's a shoo-in for four more years -- First Lady Michelle Obama and delicate-masher-of-garlic-so-as-not-to-bruise-the-clove's-oil maven, Alice Waters, will help host at least two breakfast fundraisers on June 14. Berkeleyside notes: "Tickets to see the First Lady range from $1,000 for general seating at the Claremont to $5,000 for the photo reception to $25,000 to be a 'co-host.' " more ›

Oakland activist Naomi Pitcairn and a gaggle of friends attended a fundraising lunch with President Obama at the St. Regis today, paying a total of $76,000 (funded by Pitcairn) for their seats in order to sing an a capella ditty at the President that seems to be called "We Paid Our Dues, Now Where's Our Change?" Pitcairn revealed, in the middle of the song, a t-shirt she was wearing under her clothes protesting the imprisonment of Pfc. Bradley Manning. more ›

Traffic along Third Street at Brannan up to Market is at a standstill this morning. President Barack Obama, who is staying at the Intercontinental Hotel during his visit, made his way to the St. Regis for an "exclusie" breakfast at 9 a.m., which has caused the massive delay. Mission Street between New Montgomery & 4th and 3rd between Folsom and Market will be closed for most of the morning. We see nothing but cars and angry faces looking outside the window of SFist HQ. Sorry folks. more ›

U.S.-born citizen and President of the United States, Barack Obama, will be in San Francisco on 4/20. If you'd like to see him speak live at his campaign kickoff, and donate to his reelection campaign, you can catch him at the Nob Hill Masonic Center on Wednesday for a scant $25. Hopefully -- get it, hopefully? -- he'll talk about fulfilling some of the promises he flaked on during his first few years in the Oval Office. Expect a speech by a charismatic Obama, tunes by DJ Hope, and a performance by Goapele. More details. Nob Hill Masonic Center, 1111 California (at Taylor) more ›

With no budget deal on the horizon, the Obama administration warned today that a federal government shutdown would spark layoffs of as many as 800,000 federal employees and "could stall tax refunds, close national parks and museums, and put tens of thousands of Californians temporarily out of work," reports the California News Service. Although there has been "progress" with budget talks today, Obama will meet again with Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid at 4 p.m. PST. "It will be their second White House negotiating session in one day — the first time that has happened and an indication that pressure is intensifying to reach agreement ahead of Friday night's shutdown deadline." more ›

When President Barack Obama comes to San Francisco later this month, you can meet the most powerful man in the world for a hefty price -- $35,000 to be exact. "Obama supporters acknowledge that the $35,800 per person San Francisco Obama Victory Fund dinner may represent a new pricetag high for political fundraising," reports the Chronicle's Carla Marinucci. "After all, loyal Dems thought the ceiling was reached last Oct. 21, when tickets to that Obama dinner in the Palo Alto home of Google executive Marissa Mayer hit an astonishing $30,800 per person." more ›

A Daly City man who'd set up a table with political literature and a sign supporting President Barack Obama was the victim of a seemingly random attack Monday morning in the NoPa neighborhood around 11:30 a.m., on the 1200 block of Fell. According to the Ex, "A man and woman approached the victim, tore one of the signs and shook the table, causing the political literature to fall to the ground." Furthermore, they kicked the man in the hand, presumably as he was trying to pick things up. The two Obama haters then fled down Broderick Street. One of the assailants is described as an Asian man with long black hair; the other, a Caucasian woman with long, curly brown hair, about 5 foot 6 inches tall. more ›

SFist commenter fizzandpop captures the mule-like tone of the entertaining Tea Party sect via the following comment on President Barack Obama's re-election bid. Behold: more ›

Much to no one's surprise, President Barack Obama announced his bid for re-election in the 2012 election on Monday. "Obama formally launched his re-election campaign Monday, urging grass-roots supporters central to his first White House run to mobilize again to protect the change he's brought over the past two years" reports Associated Press. While Obama hasn't done nearly as much as one had hoped for during his brief tenure, he did manage to help erase some of the last eight years prior to his taking office. (The clumsy Bush administration, as you know, could go down as the worst eight years in modern U.S. history.) more ›

President Barack Obama will make another trip to the Bay Area in April. Why? A White House representative cryptically explained to The Chronicle that Obama "plans to strengthen our economy and win the future" during his stay here. OK then. more ›

After news broke that Obama will no longer defend DOMA (Defense Of Marriage Act), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Maeo) released the following statement: more ›

As SFist reported yesterday, Barack Obama will hold dinner party tonight featuring a bevy of privileged dorks from Silicon Valley, who will chitchat about "[p]romoting American innovation, and [a] commitment to new investments in research and development, education and clean energy." Zzzz. more ›

President Barack Obama's visit to San Francisco this Thursday will involve a meet and greet "with a number of business leaders in fields of technology and innovation," according to NBC Bay Area. What will they discuss? The White House would only say the power group "will discuss our shared goal of promoting American innovation, and discuss his commitment to new investments in research and development, education and clean energy." more ›

President Obama will once again grace San Francisco with his formidable presence, this time in support of DA Kamala Harris. more ›

Kamala Harris scored a major, though not surprising, coup today. President Barack Obama endorsed the San Francisco City Attorney in her bid for State Attorney General. more ›

Hmm. Care of the minds behind Go Back to Berkeley, here we see President Barack Obama posing with the owners of Cafe Gratitude, the cult-adjacent yet tasty vegan restaurant with locations in Berkeley and San Francisco. more ›