In what may be the first of its kind at the South by Southwest interactive conference, Aneesh Chopra, the first Chief Technology Officer for the United States, along with members of President Obama’s technology team are set to host a special cocktail reception on the opening night of SXSW where anyone can attend–well, that is, if you can afford it. Tickets are currently running at around $500 per head and all that will get you is time with some of President Obama’s trusted tech advisers and team helping his re-election.
While it’s very much appreciated to have the incumbent president hosting a fundraiser in one of the biggest tech events of the year, one needs to wonder whether the $500 ticket price is a bit excessive. It’s understood that he’ll need this money for his re-election and most people in Silicon Valley who are going to be at SXSW are supporters, but the attendees are already spending a pretty penny for their registration badges, their hotel stays, and airfare into Austin–maybe they just don’t have the $500 to spend on a fundraiser?
Nevertheless, several well-known tech personalities are part of this effort to help President Obama get re-elected. From Menlo Park’s managing director Shervin Pishevar to Salesforce.com’s CEO Marc Benioff, investor Sean Parker, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, Paul Jacobs, former Facebook employee Chris Kelly, and Neil Young, the president has definitely got some sound technological advice in his corner.
If you’re so inclined to attend this fundraiser in-between parties at SXSW, it will be a cocktail reception at Six Lounge this Friday starting at 5:00pm central time. You can RSVP by going to the Tech for Obama website here. And no, Obama will not be making a scheduled appearance at this event.
Thanks Rob Craddock.
Photo Credit: President Barack Obama using an iPad via ABC News (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
