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If I were a betting man, or a Valley commuter hoping to avoid tonight's presidential motorcade traffic snarl, I would avoid the route between Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and Studio City as the clock approaches 7 p.m. Air Force One from Seattle is due in to LAX after 6 p.m., then it's a short hop by helicopter over the hill to Burbank. There are plenty of secure spots to land around the airfield, and indications around town are that the security folks have decided to use Burbank rather than commandeer a landing zone closer to George Clooney's house in the Fryman Canyon section of Studio City. LA Observed readers are noticing activity on the west side of the airport.
There's also no shortage of street routes that the motorcade can take from the airport to Studio City. Though, eventually, the president and his entourage have to interface with Laurel Canyon and Ventura — so it may not be the best night to get your Du-Par's fix.
If Obama is lucky, maybe he'll catch a glimpse of the classic Wayne McCallister-designed Bob's Big Boy drive-in, on the city line line between Burbank and Toluca Lake. He'll likely get a taste of legendary Laurel Canyon on the drive back to Beverly Hills for the night. Though there's always Coldwater Canyon — or both if the team wants to give Obama a little Mulholland Drive time.
The fundraiser at Clooney's house, co-hosted by Jeffrey Katzenberg, is attracting a star-spangled crowd of mostly Hollywood Democrats. The president's reelection campaign expects to raise $15 million between those in attendance and the donors who who were pitched to give online.
