H'wood's newest key demos?
Act, Media Fund go after celeb coin
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Whatever the outcome of that debate, the larger question of the night was whether deep-pocketed Hollywood donors, who routinely filled Democratic coffers before unlimited "soft money" contributions were outlawed last year, would embrace the two groups, Americans Coming Together (ACT) and the Media Fund.
The ambitious plans of the two groups, which are running a joint fundraising campaign, call for raising $190 million to run an extensive get-out-the-vote and advertising campaign opposing Bush's re-election in 17 battleground states. Loopholes in the new campaign finance laws, for now, allow what are known as "527 committees" to accept unlimited donations as long as they are completely independent of any candidate or political party.
That's where the Hollywood donors come in. But there is some skepticism the groups must overcome. Andy Spahn, who advises David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg on political affairs, said while many in Hollywood oppose Bush, these new organizations had not proven themselves yet.
Complications for donors
"It's certainly more complicated for donors who understand giving to a presidential nominee or a national party committee," he said. "It's one thing to give $100,000 to be in the room with Bill Clinton. It's another thing to give $100,000 to be in the room with a 527 committee."
Political activists say, though, that the aura of Clinton is hovering over ACT and the Media Fund. At a similar pitch session in New York, held at the home of billionaire financier George Soros, who has pledged $10 million to the effort, Clinton himself made an appearance, a source said.
Tuesday's meeting was hosted by Laurie David, along with 20 other co-hosts including Julia Louise-Dreyfuss. Among those who showed up were Rob Reiner, Lynne Wasserman, Harry Thomason, Lyn Lear, Aaron Sorkin, Steve Levitan, Mike Farrell, and Arianna Huffington.
The agenda for Tuesday's meeting called for the three veteran political operatives heading the effort -- Harold Ickes, a former political aide to President Bill Clinton; Ellen Malcolm, head of influential political action committee Emily's List; and Steve Rosenthal, former political director for the AFL-CIO -- to make a presentation and then send people home with packets urging them to send in checks or hold parties.
More details
The pitch at the Beverly Hilton, attendees said, was more detailed than the Democratic National Committee's past pleas for cash.
Rosenthal broke down how ACT staffers would knock on doors of prospective voters. "It's a very high-tech operation that uses marketing techniques, including having canvassers walking around with Palm Pilots with voter names and a complete write up on those people."
No one was asked to write a check on the spot, but Marge Tabankin, a co-host of the event as well as a political adviser for Barbra Streisand, said she personally knew of five Hollywood donors who have already pledged a total of $2.5 million to the effort.
Several there said they were impressed. Thesp Christine Lahti said, "I felt hopeful after leaving. It felt like there was a real plan about where and when and how the groundwork and media needs to be done." She added, "Yeah, I will contribute."
Likewise, producer Sid Ganis, who attended with his wife Nancy Hult Ganis, said, "Democrats for years have been saying, if only we were as organized as the opposition. This group can be the coordinating council."
Some not sold
Others, who chose to go unnamed, were not sold yet: "The media aspect of it is the part I need to be convinced on. Where does that money go? Who's going to oversee it? And no one talked about the content of those ads," said one.
Still, Chad Griffin, a political consultant who works with Reiner among others, said, "I am convinced this is one of the best places for Democratic contributors to put their money. This is the effort I would urge my clients to support."
The hosts of the event had originally hoped for a 100-person turnout. But after Internet gadfly Matt Drudge caused a fuss over the use of the words "Hate Bush" in the subject line of an email invite -- which organizers said was added by someone not connected to the event -- led Laurie David, host of the event, to sarcastically give Drudge credit for generating publicity.
"I want to thank Mr. Drudge for helping turn a small gathering of political activists," David said, "into a very large gathering of political activists."
The media scrutiny (six TV news crew showed up) and a protest by Bush supporters across Wilshire Blvd. were a small price to pay for the increased interest. After moving from their smaller meeting room, organizers watched the 230 chairs set out in the Versailles Room quickly taken and got a fire marshall's okay for another 70 people to stand along the back wall.
