Hollywood Endows Obama with $1.3M
Three of the most powerful men in Hollywood - Steven Spielberg, Jefrey Katzenberg and David Geffen - hosted celebrity Democrats at a lavish reception at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Together, Spielberg, Katzenberg and Geffen are Dreamworks studio and form a collaborative network that stretches throughout Hollywood.
Tickets to the glamorous event were sold for $2,300, the maximum individual donation allowed for a federal campaign. Attendees included actor Eddie Murphy and singer Jackson Browne.
Big spenders, those who raised at least $46,000, were treated to a late night dinner at Geffen's home in Los Angeles.
Traditionally, Democrats have found deep cash wells in the entertainment industry. In the 2004 presidential election, the entertainment industry shelled out $33.1M to federal candidates and parties.
Hollywood responds to star quality and many powerful celebrity Democrats have touted Senator Barack Obama as a candidate that's got it. As one of six Democratic party hopefuls, Obama has support from some of Hollywood's biggest names.
George Clooney calls him a friend and has made no secret of his support for Obama. Oprah Winfrey says he's her man and starlet Halle Berry has said she would "collect paper cups off the ground to make his pathway clear."
While Senator Obama scored big in endowments at Tuesday night's fundraiser, endorsements aren't necessarily part of the deal.
Of the three Dreamworks founders who threw the fundraising bash, only Jefrey Katzenberg is backing Obama. Steven Spielberg hasn't decided yet and is co-hosting another fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in the spring. Clinton's fundraiser will be sponsored by Spielberg, producer Steve Bing, media mogul Haim Saban, supermarket magnate Ron Burkle and investment banker Sim Farar - all heavy Los Angeles donors.
At the Beverly Hilton Hotel Tuesday, Obama told his famous friends they had "enormous power" because of their impact on American culture, emphasizing the responsibility that comes with power. He told the audience "you are the storytellers of our age."
Hollywood's impact isn't always a blessing for presidential candidates. Even George Clooney reserves his enthusiasm - he's not made an official public endorsement for Obama and is unlikely to campaign for him.
Support from liberal Hollywood can alienate voters from other regions, like the Midwest.
Hollywood political activist Marge Tabankin says people are excited about the Democratic field and are offering support to several candidates to "keep a healthy debate going." She and other analysts like Todd Boyd point to Clinton as the strongest Democratic candidate so far.
Still, like Hollywood, analysts can't deny Obama's 'It' factor. Boyd told the AP, "Obama has the potential to be a star like nobody else does."
Sources
"Celebrities raise $1.3M for Obama" BBC News, February 21, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6381375.stm
Jocelyn Noveck "Obama Excites Entertainment Community" My Way, January 26, 2007 http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070126/D8MSPAFO0.html
Published by Anna Burroughs
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11 Comments
Post a CommentNice article. You did a good job on getting two nice articles out of one basic news event, the 1.3 M fundraiser dinner.
I am totally with you Sam. That's exactly what I was trying to get at, but you did it a lot better than me.
I just think, once a fetus is viable, if the mother truly is against continuing the pregnancy, just deliver the child prematurely and put it in the NICU, giving it a chance at least rather than just killing it. :/
(cont'd) what we need. And this is just scratching the surface.
Doctor C, unemployment may be low, but so are wages. The working poor in this country is double what it's been at any point in our nation's history. That is unacceptable. All it means is you have a job that doesn't pay enough, so you have to take another. You take another and then are screamed at by the right wingers for not spending enough time raising your kids. Meanwhile, tax cuts are going to the richest 1% while the rest of us suffer? Ray Charles sang "Them that's got is them that gets," and that's never EVER been more true than it is now. This administration should be ashamed of itself for how it has alienated the middle class of America. Meanwhile, making it impossible to declare bankruptcy (helping the incredibly super-rich credit card companies) means MORE debt for MORE people. Our government reflects that by devaluing its currency to the point where there's a good chance it will be worth nothing in 10 years. Yes, Doctor C. A new direction for America is EXACTLY wha
Partial birth abortion is the most horrendous thing that I have ever heard of. Obama supports it. Therefore, I cannot support Obama. If he would make a statement denouncing the procedure, perhaps I might consider him, but for now, I remain disgusted.
Obama is not ready yet, He is a predident in grooming, nut not ready yet. For the "war has to stop"... there is only one way to stop a war and especially one like the one we are in. The enemymustb be squashed. We waited to lomg to engage this enemy. They grew formigable in all those years we waited. Obama has no idea what to do about that. The other problem is that Hollywood endorses him...that makes the whole thing suspect before he even starts in that Hollywood actually believes they somehow represent an all-knowing condition in which they know what is best. Hollywood is fantasyland and has nothing to do with life as life is for people who actually need their money to live/exist. Obama is a likeable fella, though, and I'd like him better if he'd blow off the eliyists and represent himself as ours...unique thing is, he could do that.
I just wish he'd open his eyes about partial-birth abortion and premature babies who are abortion survivors and deserve treatment so that they can live once born. :/
LOL. Oil prices aren't plumetting here in Colorado Springs, I can tell you that. And the federal deficit was practically nonexistant before Bush took over office. :) Do you think that home valuations increasing is good? Not for young married couples looking to buy their first home--or for people looking to sell their home, who are unable to find a buyer who can afford the high price. Not for single moms or dads who are trying to buy a nice home for their children to grow up in. And definitely not for people trying to get decent mortgages with affordable payments. Increased home value = increased cost of living, and as we all know, unless the amount of income the average family is making keeps up with cost of living, all the numbers about unemployment, taxes, etc. are pointless.
Amen, sista Heather! I fully agree. I think Obama would make a fantastic president. I've read a lot about him and I truly believe in my heart that he's a great candidate and a outstanding individual. I wonder whatever happened to Wes Clark who threw his hat in the race for the Democratic primary back in 2004...I think he would make a great president too, but odds aren't likely that he'll try to run again.