President Barack Obama will appear on the ABC late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Thursday, the network announced Tuesday.
The appearance will be Obama’s first on the show as president. He appeared on the program via satellite in June 2008.
The White House confirmed Friday Obama would be in Los Angeles Thursday for a Democratic National Committee fundraiser.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Obama will attend a fundraiser hosted by ICM Partners co-founder Chris Silbermann and his wife, Julia Franz. Attending the roundtable discussion will cost $33,400 per couple, The Times reported.
“President Obama’s upcoming trip to Los Angeles is another example of why he cares more about the Golden State as an ATM machine than a constituency,” Ninio Fetalvo, spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said. “The president should focus on addressing our nation’s most pressing issues.”
It was unclear exactly when Obama would arrive and depart. He is expected to be back in Washington, D.C., on Friday, according to the White House.
The visit will be Obama’s second to Southern California in two months. He visited friends and played golf in the Coachella Valley Feb. 14-16.
Obama last visited the Los Angeles area in October, attending a pair of fundraisers and announcing the creation of a national monument in the San Gabriel Mountains.
The October fundraisers were Obama’s 30th and 31st in Los Angeles County as president. Bill Clinton conducted 36 and George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan eight each through the sixth years of their administrations, according to research by Brendan J. Doherty, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the U.S. Naval Academy, for his book “The Rise of the President’s Permanent Campaign.”
George H.W. Bush conducted 10 and Jimmy Carter six during their single terms, according to Doherty.
Obama’s visit will be his 21st to Los Angeles or Orange counties since taking office in 2009. Obama has conducted fundraisers during 17 of his 20 trips to Los Angeles or Orange counties as president.
— City News Service