President Obama departs LA after appearences, fundraisers

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - President Barack Obama departure from Los Angeles Friday, concluded a 19-hour-plus visit to the area, where he criticized the tenor of the campaign to succeed him.

A motorcycle officer assigned to the protective services detail that handles travel security for President Barack Obama was involved in a non-injury accident on the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway at Olympic Boulevard in West Los Angeles about 10:20 a.m., apparently while escorting him from Westwood to LAX.

The officer wasn't hurt, according to the California Highway Patrol.

"You're seeing in our election cycle a lot of the anger and frustration," Obama said at the first of two fundraisers in Hancock Park Thursday night. "Some of it is manufactured for political purposes, some of it is hype. But the frustrations are there, and they are real. There are people who afraid. They watch the evening news, what's happening in Syria and other troubled parts of the world.

"Fear, if not unaddressed, if not channeled, can result in some pretty ugly politics. It has never been more important for us as citizens to fight against that fear."

In an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' set to air today, Obama criticized what he called the Instagram culture -- "We expect quick answers without sacrifice.'' He also complained about what he described as politics that demonize opponents and about "factually incorrect news.''

Following the taping of the show, Obama flew from Burbank on Marine One, the presidential helicopter, to Los Angeles High School. He then traveled by motorcade to the Hancock Park home of entertainment lawyer Aaron Rosenberg and Danny Rose, a producer of the CBS drama "Scorpion,'' for a reception, concert and fundraiser for about 340 people.

Tickets ranged from $1,000 per person to as high as $33,400 per couple, which included prime seating and admission to a reception with a presidential photo line. Some of the money went to the Democratic Hope Fund, which helps retire Obama's campaign debt.

Obama began a nearly 20-minute speech by telling the crowd he keeps a checklist in his desk of campaign promises he made. "We haven't gotten 100 percent of what I wanted to get done, but we got about 80,'' Obama said. ``We have made progress. The country is indisputably better off now than it was.''

However, there is still work to be done, he said, citing Los Angeles' needs. "Right now as we speak, there are children in this city who have no place to sleep,'' Obama said. "There's still millions of people that don't
have health insurance.''

Obama cited climate change, health insurance and lesbian and gay rights as other areas where there was still work to be done.

The fundraiser also included John Legend singing his hit "All of Me.'' Obama's second fundraiser of the night, also in Hancock Park, was what was described by the Democratic National Committee as a "discussion and
dinner,'' with tickets costing $10,000 per person. Obama reiterated what he had said earlier in the day.

The fundraisers were the 38th and 39th Obama has attended in Los Angeles County as president. He has taken part in fundraisers during 21 of his 24 visits to Los Angeles and Orange counties as president.

Air Force One touched down at Los Angeles International Airport around 3:30 p.m. from San Jose. Obama spoke at a Democratic Senate Campaign Committee fundraiser in Palo Alto and a Democratic National Committee in Atherton.

Obama jogged down the stairs to the Tarmac and quickly boarded the Marine One helicopter for a flight to Burbank, where he was driven to Warner Bros. Studios for the "Ellen'' taping.

Obama is heading for the Coachella Valley in advance of a summit of Asian leaders on Monday and Tuesday, which the president will host at Sunnylands resort in Rancho Mirage. He will be joined by Secretary of State
John Kerry at Sunnylands for the gathering of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The summit is aimed at strengthening the new U.S.-ASEAN strategic partnership, forged last November during a presidential trip to Malaysia. Obama has no events scheduled Saturday or Sunday, which suggests weekend
golf in the Coachella Valley is a strong possibility for the president.

"I do expect the president to take advantage of gorgeous California and take some down time over this holiday weekend in advance of the summit,'' Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Obama also found time Thursday night for a private meeting with Dreamworks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn and actor Will Smith, Deadline.com said.

The White House did not disclose the meeting, and deputy press secretary Eric Schultz refused to elaborate on it aboard Air Force One, according to media reports.

"I am going to protect the president's ability to have private conversations, whether that's with lawmakers, whether that's with candidates for president, or whether that's with Hollywood artists,'' Schultz said.