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Aug.15
9:32 PM ET
Wednesday, 15 Aug 2007
Real-Time Blog Coverage: Warren Buffett Hosts Barack Obama Fundraiser in Omaha Tonight

This is the real-time blog coverage of Warren Buffett's fundraiser for Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama tonight (Wednesday, August 15) from Omaha.  CNBC's Becky Quick reported from the event.   All times are Eastern. 
Earlier tonight, she filed a video dispatch for CNBC.com on her exclusive interview with Warren Buffett, in which he says that market turmoil can create opportunities.

9:26pm:

About 200 people at the country club, sipping wine and eating hors d'oeuvres. They paid as much as $2300 apiece to be here.

9:27pm:

Buffett making introductions now.  Thanks everyone for coming tonight -- says it can get lonely being a Democrat sometimes (to big laughs from the crowd.)

9:30pm:

Barack's wife and two children are here. Says it's a real treat.

Warren telling a joke about turmoil on Wall Street. Trader goes home and tells his wife that they are really struggling. Coming into tough time. He says, "Honey if you could learn how to cook, we could fire the chef."

She says, yes, and if you could just learn to make love we could fire the gardener.

Huge laughter from crowd!

Warren follows it up with "what we're gonna do is fire the administration!"

9:31pm:

Now Warren is talking about how unfair the tax structure is.

The person who just served us the drinks is paying 15.3 percent in payroll taxes. I top out at 15 percent, including dividends and such, he says.

9:33pm:

Buffett says Barack Obama believes in all that, he can be an outstanding leader .... Warren introduces Obama.

Obama says not only am I a less successful investor, but my jokes aren't as funny as his.

9:34pm:

Barack thanks Warren and his daughter Susie for the fundraiser.

He says they are all blessed. That we could be working just as hard and not have enough money to live, or for retirement.

When people ask who do you listen to, Barack says Warren Buffett is one of those people I listen to.

9:36pm:

Barack refers to his daughters .... Says he wants to make sure his daughters have the same opportunities as sons do.

Introduces the person he calls the star, his wife Michelle. Says he is the "discount Obama".

Says she's too smart to want to run for President, she just wants to tell the President what to do.

9:37pm:

Barack thanking all the other people who organized the event.

9:42pm:

Obama says he gets huge crowds wherever he goes .... Says he would like to think it's about him, but that Michelle (his wife) assures him it's not.

Says it's because America is desperate for change ... the rank unfairness we've seen in Washington. The things that have robbed from what makes America great. Says that notion has been lost.

Why do we have an economy that is doing very well for some, but leaves millions of people across the heartland unable to pay for a gallon of gas or send their kids to school?

Obama talks about the Iraq war being a mistake.

Says and this is before you get to Scooter (Libby). And says as his colleague Dick Durbin points out, even Paris Hilton spent a little time in jail.


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