Hillary is Pimping Out Bill, but Kucinich Has Sean Penn

Ah, presidential elections really bring out the best in the people, like celebrities and former Presidents. For a donation to a campaign, you could be watching the next debate with Bill Clinton, or if you host a fund-raising house party for Kucinich, you can be in on a conference call with Sean Penn, who will thank you for raising money.

This is a fun, new trend in presidential politics. Did Bush offer someone famous to back him up in the last election? I honestly can't remember, as I have been in hypno-therapy to block out the year 2004. Was John Kerry ramming a celebrity-du-jour down his potential contributers' throats?

Dennis Kucinich recently sent out an email to those who signed up to receive news from his campaign (which I did out of curiosity, as I did with all candidates, even the Republicans). In this email, if you sign up to host a house party to watch the next debate and to raise funds for the Kucinich campaign, you will receive a call after the debate. Well, let me include exactly what the email said,

"Right after the debate, Dennis and his good friend - Academy Award winning actor, political activist and humanitarian - Sean Penn will be phoning in to hundreds of house parties all across the country to say "Hello," share your thoughts and answer your questions."

The Kucinich website only hints at a special celebrity guest. In fact, the website goes so far as to say that you will only find out who that celebrity is when you have signed up for a house party. Considering that I have not signed up for any such party, the Kucinich campaign must be getting desperate to leak this big news out to those on their mailing list, trying to convince more people to attend/donate. Does Sean Penn really have that power?

And it's only a conference call. Share your thoughts? I sat in on a live-chat with Kucinich the other night, and there were so many crackpots in on it, that I cannot possibly see how any thoughts could be expressed with so may people trying to speak at the same time. By the way, I still have no confirmation that Kucinich ever showed up for the "live chat". Someone mentioned "technical difficulties".

Hillary Clinton's campaign at least realizes that their celebrity, Ol' Bill, can realistically only handle a few people at a time. If you donate to the Clinton campaign, you will have the chance to be one of three people that will be invited to sit with Bill and here's what Bill says about it.

"We'll sit down in front of a big TV with a big bowl of chips, watch the debate, and talk about the race. If you enter before the Sunday midnight deadline, you and a guest could be the ones to sit down with me to watch a presidential debate."

Sounds great, huh? Bring your college age daughter as your guest, I dare you.

Let's see what the other Democratic candidates are offering in order to get your money.

Barack Obama: No celebrities, but you can sign up to attend "Camp Obama Training". Not sure what, if any, cost, but you have to be in Chicago to attend.

John Edwards: No celebrities. Only an earnest email asking for donations because John doesn't take money from special interest groups (unlike the other candidates, so says the email).

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson: No celebrities, but instead he has a new ad in which he shows that he is the only candidate that wants to bring home all troops from Iraq, leaving no residual force behind. Also, his campaign sent out an email comparing Richardson to Appalachian State, and I suppose that makes Hillary Michigan (as a Michigan grad, I take offense at that one).

Joe Biden: No celebrities. Only rhetoric on bringing the troops home, because he has been there so many times, so he knows.

Chris Dodd: No celebrities. More rhetoric on how he will end the war, with the bonus of restoring the Constitution.

Mike Gravel: No celebrities, only crankiness, but that makes him appealing, I guess. In a Wilford Brimley sort-of-way.
Suddenly, I want some quaker oats.