Friday, January 26, 2007

Campaign 2008: Who Will Hollywood Heart More?

Ah, how fun it is to see how Hollywood is trying to deal with the Presidential Primary! Oh, and especially with the early primary looking more and more like reality, their early contributions could make a big difference right here in the Golden State. So is this good news for Hillary Clinton, or can Barack Obama make inroads in Tinseltown?



Oh, my! Guess who has Obama-mania now: (From Hollywood Today)

DreamWorks founders Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen are hosting a fundraiser Feb. 20 in Beverly Hills for U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) “in support of his presidential exploratory committee,” according to invitations that went out Wednesday to top Democrats in show business.


... And from CNN:

Some 700 invitations to the $2,300-per-head event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel went out this week, Andy Spahn, political adviser to Katzenberg and Spielberg, said Thursday. Katzenberg, Spielberg and Geffen are the founders of the DreamWorks movie studio.

Katzenberg has endorsed Obama, but Spielberg, a longtime supporter of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, hasn't made up his mind. Geffen also has not publicly endorsed a candidate.


WOW! Even as Presidential candidates always try to stay away from those "Hollywood Values", they sure don't have a problem taking (a whole lot of) cold, hard Hollywood cash! But until now, it seemed like Hillary Clinton had the Hollywood ATM cornered. But apparently, she isn't quite as loved by the stars as she used to be: (From LA Times)

... In December [2005], the Sunday Times of London quoted George Clooney as saying that he was "frustrated and disappointed" that the Democratic leaders -- including Clinton -- had "backed themselves into a corner" over the Iraq war. According to the paper, Clooney reportedly called Clinton "the most polarizing figure in American politics." [...]

Kathleen Turner, starring in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" in London's West End, was asked by a British reporter if she thought Clinton could win in 2008.

"I have my doubts about that," Turner told Rosie Millard of the New Statesman. "We don't want a celebrity woman president. We want someone who is really proven, someone with a really good foundation at that level, not just a star." [...]

A writer for More magazine took up the matter with Susan Sarandon. The actress was blunt. "I find Hillary Clinton to be a great disappointment," she said in the interview, which appears in [the April 2006] issue.


So are the Netroots really not alone in the Democratic fold when it comes to ambivalence over Clinton? Perhaps just like many of us dirty fucking hippies, some of the big Hollywood players are still angry over Clinton's previous support for the Iraq War. Perhaps, they are concerned about her "electability". Perhaps, they are just looking for something new...

But don't count her out quite yet: (From Washington Post)

Elizabeth Taylor likes the way Hillary Rodham Clinton thinks and that is worth a check for $2,100. [...]

In a statement released on Thursday, the actress said, "I have contributed to Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign because she has a mind of her own and a very strong one at that.

"I like the way she thinks. She is very savvy and a smart leader with years of experience in government, diplomacy and politics."


Perhaps, the lovely Liz Taylor has a point. Hillary has real-world experience. She is quite a smart leader, and a very able campaigner. Oh, and she does have a mind of her own!

Still, Senator Clinton has all that baggage... But Obama hardly even has a track record! Obama's been waffling on the environment lately... But Clinton has waffled on Iraq! Perhaps they both have issues, but does Edwards even have a chance in California?

We still have a full year before the California Presidential Primary, but it's already a hot topic. The Netroots is debating it out, and Tinseltown is now beginning to pay it out. Oh my, I think this may be one interesting campaign!

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

: )

No comments: