McCord backs SAG prez Rosenberg

Incumbent candidate nabs key endorsement

By DAVE MCNARY

SAG president Alan Rosenberg has received a key endorsement from Kent McCord in his bid for re-election against a trio of challengers.

Move comes nearly a year after a falling out between Rosenberg and McCord, sparked by the Hollywood board's election of McCord as national first VP over Rosenberg ally Anne-Marie Johnson. That vote was seen as an endorsement by a significant number of SAG's elected leaders of the more confrontational and assertive style favored by McCord and his allies.

Rosenberg is facing a challenge from Seymour Cassel, Charley De La Pena and Barry Simmonds; Cassel has gathered more than a dozen high-profile endorsements and strongly criticized Rosenberg for not being aggressive enough.

But McCord announced Thursday that he is supporting Rosenberg, citing progress during the past two years in the areas of selecting a new exec director, trying to re-establish SAG's franchise over major agencies, fighting runaway production and adding organizing and new-media departments.

"Looking back over my 35 years of guild service, I can't remember a time when we didn't have strong differences of opinion and controversy," McCord said. "But when it has counted most, Alan has stood tall in defense of our membership. Alan has attempted, with all his considerable heart and soul, to unify us heading into 2008, possibly the most important year in the history of the Screen Actors Guild."