It was at an intimate gathering of Hollywood’s A-list, congregated Wednesday night at the home of Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn and his wife Cindy, that President Barack Obama talked about a political climate of dysfunction continuing to afflict Washington.

Democratic Party members and supporters on hand included Barbra Streisand, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Tom Rothman and James Brolin. Guests had dinner under a tent in the Horns’ backyard — and paid handsomely for the privilege. Tickets to the event started $10,000 per person; those donating $32,400 per couple got listed as “sponsors” and could take part in a VIP reception; Those giving $64,800 per couple were listed as “hosts” and could take part in a “VIP clutch.” Proceeds were to be split equally between the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

In a 15-minute speech, the president talked about a “disquiet around the country” and “an anxiety, and a sense a frustration.” He cautioned his audience not to lose sight of their political objectives during the upcoming midterm elections, when “people who have the most at stake in a government that works opt out of the system; those who don’t believe government can do anything are empowered; gridlock reigns, and we got this downward spiral of even more cynicism and more dysfunction.”

The soiree’s guests included House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who was playing hookie from House proceedings going on back in Washington. And not just any proceedings — the House was conducting a vote series to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt for refusing to testify about the agency’s improper scrutiny of Tea Party groups.

Pelosi also missed the vote on a resolution calling on the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel in the IRS investigation.

Lerner directed the IRS division that processes applications for tax-exempt status. A year ago, she publicly disclosed agents had improperly singled out Tea Party applications for extra scrutiny. An inspector general’s report blamed poor management but found no evidence of a political conspiracy. Republicans in Congress aren’t buying that explanation. They want a U.S. Attorney to investigate.

It was irresponsible of Pelosi to miss those votes, although her reluctance to attend the proceedings is understandable — she simply didn’t want to be there.

It would be easy enough to find examples of Republicans being equally irresponsible — both parties, in fact, are going out of their way to prove the president’s point that Washington politics is in a state of dysfunction.

However, Pelosi’s decision to go politicking was ill-advised. It does nothing to dispel Obama’s notion of political dysfunction or cynicism. And that’s unfortunate.