The host was Alec Baldwin and the list of patrons, organisers and supporters on the invitation included everyone from J J Abrams, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jon Hamm and Martin Sheen to Barbra Streisand, Kathleen Turner, Larry Flynt and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Among these pillars of the entertainment industry’s liberal establishment, there is palpable frustration with the President; he has failed to deliver on almost all their pet issues, from gay marriage and climate change to human rights and social justice.

In fact, PFAW founder Norman Lear, an influential producer, last week responded with anger in an interview as Obama’s name was mentioned.

“He can’t make up his mind about anything,” Mr Lear said. “He just vacillates. Like Democrats do generally.