July
31Will Obama be Star-Struck?
George Clooney thinks it’s risky. Sean Combs (P. Diddy) thinks it’s urgently important.Every celebrity feels differently on the question of political advocacy – whether a star should campaign for a candidate and whether that effort helps or hurts.
That argument has taken on a different perspective now that John McCain has made celebrity a key campaign issue. His new ads depict Obama as a rock star, a kindred spirit of folks like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. He’s not a serious man-of-the-people like John McCain.
Political strategists are fascinated by this McCain ploy. Here is one of history’s most uncharismatic candidates attempting to capitalize on his blandness by stressing the celebrity of his rival.
On the one hand, the tactic seems too transparent to succeed. But the strategists behind the McCain campaign were mentored by the team that sold George Bush as a man-of-the-people, even though he was a rich Yalie who’d never held a job.
The strategy nonetheless brings into question whether stars will be helping or hurting Obama by rallying behind him. Only last week, a group of Obama backers in Hollywood were prepping another “star-studded gala” with an honorary board including Jessica Alba, Don Cheadle, Ashley Judd, Lucy Liu and others.
Indeed, it’s hardly a secret that the show-business community favors Obama – political contributions from Hollywood total $4.4 million for Obama vs. $757,546 for McCain.
Obama’s tacticians reportedly are pondering a ploy similar to that used by Arnold Schwarzenegger a few years ago – namely, stepping away from Hollywood backers and reinventing himself as a non-celebrity crusader for his political ideals.
Only in American politics would a strategy this surreal even be contemplated. The guys who plot campaigns clearly have become more akin to Hollywood screenwriters than to traditional politicos.
Obama, a black guy who fought his way through Chicago politics, is being reinvented by the Republicans as Bono. John McCain, who spent virtually his whole life working for the government in the military, is reshaped as a man who is intimate with the problems of the working man.
Since politics has become more Hollywood than Hollywood, should stars get mixed up in this mess? I can understand why a Clooney would say, “Careful, we may reinforce the stereotypes if we campaign for Obama.”I would argue the opposite. The dialogue is so surreal that the presence of the true stars may remind voters that, in politics as in the arts, reality and unreality are constantly colliding. Hence, star power still counts.
Besides, why let the Karl Roves of the world have all the fun?
EDITED TO ADD:
If stars are wary about backing Obama, Jon Voight has showed no such inhibition in his support for McCain. Writing an op-ed piece in the Washington Times, Voight warned that an Obama win would trigger “a socialist era” in America.
Voight reminded readers that he had endured the sixties in this country when, he recalled, “The radicals undermined our Vietnam initiative” and “were successful in giving the communists power.” Voight predicted that others in Hollywood would soon rally on McCain’s behalf.
Personally, I appreciate Voight’s fervor, but worry about his intellectual equipment. I remember that moment in the early ‘70s when Paramount offered Voight the lead role in “Love Story,” opposite Ali McGraw. Voight had just achieved stardom thanks to “Midnight Cowboy” and suddenly had his choice of roles.
As a young production executive at the studio, I was trying to push “Love Story” forward and joined colleagues in trying to interest Voight in the part. However the more we prodded, the more reluctant he became.
He finally blurted: “The character in this movie is a Harvard student. He’s bright. He reads books. I could never be believable as that smart young guy.”
Reading Voight’s op-ed piece these many years later, I realize how right he was.
(Voight AP Photo by Mark J. Terrill)
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wow for got to love the libs<br>so tolerent so inclusive while the working stiffs behind the cameras sit in traffic with sean pean approved chavez fuel<br>the libs speaker is selling a book instead of looking a a comprehensive energy policy with it over a 1000 dollars to fill up a grip truck and and on coming actors strike no wonder speilberg is looking at india<br><br>please don't black list me like you have voight
Posted by: scared to say i produce | 8/9/2008 10:32:08 PM
Get on the Bus, Jon! The Obama Empty Suit Express...
Posted by: Bubba | 8/6/2008 7:46:52 AM
4444
Posted by: sf | 8/5/2008 9:12:27 PM
You end with a snide remark about Voight's intelligence that had absolutely nothing to do with the article to that point. <br><br>Is he unintelligent because of his opinions on Obama? If so, say why. <br><br>Or is he unintelligent because he voiced a conservative opinion in the most liberal town in the U.S.?<br><br>I've been reading about crazy Hollywood for years now and it never really bothered me, but it's scary and pathetic that so many people have to fear for their jobs and worry about being blacklisted just for stating a political opinion. Grow the hell up.
Posted by: RG | 8/5/2008 6:19:21 PM
"Reading Voight’s op-ed piece these many years later, I realize how right he was."<br><br>But it took you these many years to realize it! And YOU try to paint VOIGHT as stupid?<br><br>HAHA!
Posted by: JimC | 8/4/2008 9:58:20 PM
Very simple. John Mcain visits the soldiers to support them and Obama goes to Europe to accept the Presidency of the United States. One fought for this Country, the other fights for more Papparazzi. Obama is a joke, and this idiots reasons for not Voting McCain prove he was just a little ignored little boy who tells everyone he tried to fix Love Story? You were a Gopher.....lololo
Posted by: Mark | 8/3/2008 10:21:40 AM
Celebrities raised a fortune for Clinton and helped him get elected. McCain would embrace the help of celebrity endorsements if he could get them, why else would he stand proudly with Erik Estrada saying that "He's the man!"<br><br>Come on, face it. When used properly, stardust helps candidates raise money and awareness. McCain is in desperate need of some glitz because he looks like he's Grampy Simpson more and more.
Posted by: Allison Solow | 8/3/2008 8:31:44 AM
The first commenter was right, Peter. Wa-ay beyond your depth. I don''t like McCainn but I think Hollywood is going to get another lesson in how the world beyond the fantasyland bubble thinks cone November
Posted by: Banjo | 8/3/2008 7:17:35 AM
Don't be a dummy Peter. You live in a vacuous and vainglorious little community that is isolated and protected from the rest of the country as well as the world.<br>I enoy your take on the 'biz' -- let's keep it to that, before you wade in too far over your melon.<br>
Posted by: jimbunny | 8/2/2008 7:10:06 AM
I think,for once, Peter's argument is spurious. Unless he really is saying that a candidate would make a fantastic President purely because he is an utterly shallow casuist whom, just happens to be a media show pony. Best to stick with the candidate whom embodies substance. If Peter's argument was correct, Harry Truman would be a mediocrity (he wasn't)and Bill Clinton would have been fantastic (he wasn't, if he ever took tough and difficult decisions-largely not). Please children remember one thing: The most charismatic political leader of all time, wasn't Kennedy, it was Hitler. Get the point now?
Posted by: Charlie Bluhdhorn | 8/2/2008 4:08:45 AM
I don't care who supports who. I'm not looking to a celebrity for voting advice; and nobody with a brain is either. (And don't respond with, "but there are a lot of dumb people in America.")<br><br>Also, I would never do anything that P. Diddy has done. He tried to kill Tupac. Hey-oh!
Posted by: Trott Felipe | 8/1/2008 10:57:51 PM
nazis were not socialists. They were appeased by most of the western powers because they thought they could be used against the soviets. they were fanatically anti-communist and anti-socialist.
Posted by: george bailey | 8/1/2008 8:52:12 PM
Yes, thank goodness Bart was successful in convincing the noted intellectual Ryan O'Neal to take the part.
Posted by: 62Lincoln | 8/1/2008 6:01:00 PM
Oh yes, Texas, the Jack Ass state
Posted by: fido | 8/1/2008 4:57:28 PM
Wow, Hollywood does suck! Of all the wars that have been fought in the last one hundred years. It was Socialists who murdered and destroyed a vast amount of there own citizens Think of Communists, Nazis (yes they were socialists too). So should we continue to reap the praises upon the likes of Obama, Pelosi and Reed? All of them have their hands in the pocket of the leftist nut jobs or simply just hate the America that was founded in 1776.
Posted by: think before you leap | 8/1/2008 2:14:49 PM
Please don't use the poor analogy of Republicans saying that Obama is like Bono. Bono is a charitable human.<br>Obama is inexperienced and Hollywood's fascination with Obama will last as long as a Hollywood marriage.
Posted by: JD | 8/1/2008 2:03:12 PM
I am fully aware that this article is posted as an opinion, but the author should have at least presented an opposing view(without totally belittling it)and his argument against it in order to justify his opinion satisfactorily. As I read this, I was astonished at the bias that practically leapt from the page. In other words, present your opinion, but do not ignore the facts!
Posted by: elizabethk | 8/1/2008 1:16:09 PM
I don''t mind celebrities speaking out about issues and supporting candidates, but only if they take the time to do a little research about the issue or the candidate. I hear the most outrageous and quite frequently incorrect things coming out of some celebrities'' mouths, and you know their only knowledge is coming from a conversation they overheard or was told to them third-hand from somebody else. If they want to bash Bush and praise Obama, at least get the facts straight. And if you threaten to leave the country if your candidate isn''t elected, at least have the decency to follow through with your own words and leave. <br><br>
Posted by: Dan Petitpas | 8/1/2008 9:44:19 AM
are you kidding? did you just defend George Bush?
Posted by: txmman | 8/1/2008 8:33:48 AM
George Clooney is speaking from bitter experience. He inserted himself into his Dad's Congressional campaign in Kentucky and screwed it up. Nick's rival just ran against George. (although in fairness, Nick ran as a "D" in a strongly "R" district - but George didn't help)<br><br>As for "Love Story" being an IQ test for Jon Voight, both Bart and Robert Evans have acknowledged the project was seen as having limited potential. A lot of people missed that "Love" train.
Posted by: "you're" wrong | 8/1/2008 2:59:33 AM
This is so absurdly baised and arrogant i almost threw up. Did this guy really just call Jon Voight dumb because he doesnt support the same candidate? I can't believe this was allowed to be published. John McCain may have worked for the government and served in the military, but did he mention that McCain served years as a P.O.W. and has held political office for many years. Obama has said that he "hates" America (along with his wife), and is a three year senator. He has nowhere near the experience to be the leader of the free world.<br><br>McCain 08
Posted by: Your wrong | 7/31/2008 9:50:13 PM
NO, please don't! Every time the Celebs help a Candidate, they lose. Go support McCain!
Posted by: Julienne Ford | 7/31/2008 5:42:11 PM
Obama should step up, flip the script, and pick Clooney as his VP.
Posted by: Flaneur | 7/31/2008 5:06:50 PM
I agree that is too many celebrities misspeak for Obama, he could land himself into trouble. And while the average american may be obsessed with hollywood, most of those people, after making it, are clueless about what is real in the working world. They make endless amounts of money (IMO) for a majority of crap. <br><br>Also I think those who are ultra liberal might hurt Obama's need to capture the independent, who it appears in a lot of cases to be moderate in politics. Having Ultra liberals with more money than they know what to do with, b acking someone who could potentially tax the hell out of us, is in min d mind SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: kk | 7/31/2008 3:41:22 PM
No, it doesn't.
Posted by: briton | 7/31/2008 3:14:56 PM
"sold George Bush as a man-of-the-people, even though he was a rich Yalie who’d never held a job."???<br><br>I guess being governor of Texas doesn't count??????<br>
Posted by: texan | 7/31/2008 2:11:19 PM