ATHERTON — President Barack Obama swept into Silicon Valley on Thursday to rake in money for fellow Democrats, telling his supporters not to lose faith about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision this week to temporarily block his administration’s efforts to fight climate change by regulating coal plant emissions.
In his first public remarks on the subject, Obama said that he expected his administration to prevail after the high court takes up the issue in earnest.
Although some legal observers had called Tuesday’s 5-4 court decision to stay the regulations “stunning” and a possible setback to U.S. efforts to reduce global warming, Obama tried to calm the crowd of about 200 gathered at the Atherton home of Steve Westly, a former state controller who is mulling a run for California governor in 2018.
“Don’t despair, people. This is a legal decision to simply say hold on until we have the opportunity to review the legality of it,” the president said. “We’re very confident that we’re on strong legal footing here.”
Obama spoke in the intimate setting of a backyard gazebo that Westly and his wife, Anita Yu, had built to host the president.
“They have been extraordinary friends from the start,” Obama said. “They are people who got involved before people could pronounce my name.”
The president started his speech by rattling off some of his administration’s achievements, noting that the jobless rate has dropped from 10 percent at the start of his presidency to 4.9 percent. Wind power has increased threefold and solar power tenfold, he said. And when he took office in January 2008, he said, the U.S. auto industry was on the verge of collapse. Now, he said, Detroit is producing more cars than ever.
“I have a pretty long list,” he quipped. “We could keep going.”
His biggest cheer came when he said: “Eighteen million people have health care that didn’t have it before.”
When he remarked that his political career was ending, one woman yelled “Four more years!”
“Certainly not,” Obama said. “Not only is there a constitutional provision. But Michelle would kill me.”
He said that people in both parties are “deeply concerned” about income inequality and believe that the system is rigged against ordinary folks.
“And they are not wrong,” he said. “Unaccounted and undisclosed money is distorting our politics in a way that is going to be damaging over the long term.”
Carol Henton, of San Mateo, later called his speech “uplifting.”
“I got to shake his hand,” Henton said. “I love the fact that I met a sitting president, someone I admire and respect.”
Outside of the event, Steve Banich, of Menlo Park, indicated he didn’t share that sentiment. He held a sign that said, “Birth certificate while you wait.”
Attendees ranged from Democratic Party volunteers to celebrities like the drummer from Metallica, Lars Ulrich, and the current Mrs. California-America, Jacqueline Bhagavan. Ticket prices at the Democratic National Committee event ranged from $250 to $25,000.
Obama arrived in the Bay Area Wednesday night, then caught some shut-eye at the Sheraton San Jose in Milpitas before heading to an Old Palo Alto neighborhood Thursday morning to raise funds for Democrats running for the U.S. Senate.
That event, which was closed to the press, cost attendees $33,400 per person. It was held at the home of Harry Plant, a vice president with Aeris Communications.
Plant’s neighbors lined nearby streets to get a glimpse of the president.
Bob Foley and his family planted two American flags on his front lawn on Emerson Street and wasn’t the least bit annoyed that the tail end of the president’s motorcade was parked in front of his house.
“It’s always nice to have him around,” said Foley, a 74-year-old health care executive. “He gets too much grief elsewhere. This is a safe harbor.”
Foley’s daughter-in-law, Christina Foley, tried to climb up on her back fence to try to see the president. She didn’t spot him but was still excited about the visit.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “I would say better than the Super Bowl.”
Will Eggemeier, 10, swears that he caught a glimpse of the president as the motorcade passed.
“It was really cool,” Will said. “I’ve seen him on TV, but it was awesome to see him in person.”
Sue Kemp and Don Ryan, who live a few doors down the block, said they didn’t see Obama, though they had a hunch he was the “somebody important” visiting their neighborhood.
Kemp, 80, said she started to pay attention when signs closing the street were affixed to trees on Monday. “I didn’t go to my volunteer job today,” she said, “because if the president is coming to your street, you want to be there.”
The neighborhood is familiar with famous faces. Kemp said, noting that President Bill Clinton visited Steve Jobs’ house years ago.
Obama had landed at Moffett Field in Mountain View on Wednesday night.
After the two Silicon Valley fundraisers Thursday, Obama left for Los Angeles at 2:35 p.m. for more DNC fundraisers, as well as an appearance on comedian Ellen DeGeneres’ show.
The president will spend the weekend in the Palm Springs area before hosting a summit with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Rancho Mirage on Monday and Tuesday. After the summit, Obama will fly back to Washington, D.C.
Staff writer Emily Benson contributed to this report. Contact Matthew Artz at 510-208-6435. Follow him at Twitter.com/matthew_artz.
