Hillary Clinton Facing Hollywood Defections — And “Clinton Fatigue”? (UPDATED)
Senator Hillary Clinton’s camp can’t be too happy over New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd’s latest column, which has some peppery words about her candidacy and her husband from Hollywood bigwig David Geffen.
The news peg is a big, A-list fundraiser in Hollywood — for Barack Obama. There was a time when columnists basically said that then-President Bill Clinton was Hollywood’s man in Washington. Now it sounds like some in Hollywood are ready to work for — and give money to — Barack Obama.
The quotes in this piece (which is on the Times’ Times Select for-pay section) will not be helpful to the Clintons since Geffen’s words will be all over ON conservative talk radio and likely be recycled by political analysists in talking-heads sessions, columnist and (most assuredly) weblogs throughout the campaign. A sampling:
On Hillary Clinton Versus Obama:
“Not since the Vietnam War has there been this level of disappointment in the behavior of America throughout the world, and I don’t think that another incredibly polarizing figure, no matter how smart she is and no matter how ambitious she is — and God knows, is there anybody more ambitious than Hillary Clinton? — can bring the country together.[Barack] Obama is inspirational, and he’s not from the Bush royal family or the Clinton royal family. Americans are dying every day in Iraq. And I’m tired of hearing James Carville on television.‿
On The Clintons’ Vulnerabilities:
“I don’t think anybody believes that in the last six years, all of a sudden Bill Clinton has become a different person,‿ Mr. Geffen says, adding that if Republicans are digging up dirt, they’ll wait until Hillary’s the nominee to use it. “I think they believe she’s the easiest to defeat.‿
On Ms. Clinton’s War Stance:
“It’s not a very big thing to say, ‘I made a mistake’ on the war, and typical of Hillary Clinton that she can’t,‿ Mr. Geffen says. “She’s so advised by so many smart advisers who are covering every base. I think that America was better served when the candidates were chosen in smoke-filled rooms.‿
On The Clintons And Hollywood Defections:
Did Mr. Spielberg get in trouble with the Clintons for helping Senator Obama? “Yes,‿ Mr. Geffen replies, slyly. Can Obambi stand up to Clinton Inc.? “I hope so,‿ he says, “because that machine is going to be very unpleasant and unattractive and effective.‿
Once, David Geffen and Bill Clinton were tight as ticks. Mr. Geffen helped raise some $18 million for Bill and slept in the Lincoln Bedroom twice. Bill chilled at Chateau Geffen. Now, the Dreamworks co-chairman calls the former president “a reckless guy‿ who “gave his enemies a lot of ammunition to hurt him and to distract the country.”
On What He’d Say To Bill Clinton (he broke with Clinton after Clinton would not pardon someone):
I ask what he will say if he ever runs into Bill Clinton again. “ ‘Hi,’ ‿ he replies. And will he be upset if Hillary wins and he never gets to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom again?“No,‿ he says with a puckish smile. “It’s not as nice as my bedroom.‿
What’s not surprising about this interview is opposition to Ms. Clinton. After all, there have truly been few steamroller presidential candidacies in recent years when a major party’s presidential nomination is wide open. Those who support one candidate, do tend to “diss” other ones.
This interview is more of a warning sign. It’s a warning sign to the Clinton camp that they have not done sufficient fence-mending with longtime supporters, including some who perhaps gave their support while holding their noses. It’s also a warning sign that they may face another negative out there to confront — dynasty fatigue (Jeb Bush take note.)
Meanwhile, it’s also a warning sign to the media — and to bloggers on the right, left and center — that it ain’t over till it’s over. Especially given the fact that primary season has not even started yet.
UPDATE: The L.A. Times reports that Obama did quite well in California:
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama wrapped up his first California campaign swing Tuesday by invoking the civil rights legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at a Crenshaw rally, then collecting more than $1 million in checks at a celebrity-studded gala in Beverly Hills….…Stars who showed up for the $2,300-a-ticket event included Jennifer Aniston, Morgan Freeman, Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller. From the reception, Obama headed to Geffen’s Beverly Hills estate to dine with about 40 guests — those who raised at least $46,000 apiece for the Hilton gathering. Obama raised money earlier this week in La Jolla, San Francisco and Palo Alto.
The huge crowd at the Crenshaw event reflected the extraordinary interest that Obama has generated nationwide among Democrats. It is highly unusual for a presidential candidate to draw thousands of supporters to a Los Angeles rally nearly a year before California’s primary — or even to try.
“Obama may be the only one who can do that right now, which is significant,” said Joe Trippi, who ran Howard Dean’s White House campaign in 2004.
UPDATE II: The Clinton camp is demanding that Obama cut ties with Geffen and return any contributions. Here’s the statement on Hillery Clinton’s website:
Clinton Communications Director Howard Wolfson issued the following statement today demanding that Barack Obama disavow personal attacks that his campaign finance chair made against Senator Clinton in this morning’s New York Times:“While Senator Obama was denouncing slash and burn politics yesterday, his campaign’s finance chair was viciously and personally attacking Senator Clinton and her husband.
“If Senator Obama is indeed sincere about his repeated claims to change the tone of our politics, he should immediately denounce these remarks, remove Mr. Geffen from his campaign and return his money.
“While Democrats should engage in a vigorous debate on the issues, there is no place in our party or our politics for the kind of personal insults made by Senator Obama’s principal fundraiser.
15 Responses to “Hillary Clinton Facing Hollywood Defections — And “Clinton Fatigue”? (UPDATED)”
Hollywood’s Clinton Fatigue?…
Joe Gandelman thinks the defections from Hollywood’s bigwigs –such as David Geffen who is quoted blasting Hillary and praising Obama in the latest Maureen Dowd column– is a “warning sign to the Clinton camp that they have not done sufficient……
For me Hillary has three strikes against her. First I am one of those with “dynasty fatigue�, it is time to break the Bush/Clinton cycle of presidencies. Second , I think that Hillary will bring out the conservative vote, deserved or not she is a polarizing and on the right a greatly detested figure, the right will stop at nothing to defeat her. Right now we don’t need that type of vicious and bitter national dialogue, although I will admit that it could be inevitable no matter who runs. Third, she comes off at being too calculating for me. Years in the spotlight has made her very aware that one wrong statement and you have a media show. I can’t blame her for carefully measuring every word but the overall impression for me is that I really don’t know if she stands for something or is just giving me a line to get my vote.
Hillary Clinton Facing Hollywood Defections — And “Clinton Fatigue ……
…
Oh, it’s hardly surprising that Obama is drawing more support than Clinton from Hollywood. Hollywood loves celebrities…heck, they invented celebrity.
[...] More, Joe Gandelman, Moderate Voice. [...]
The Democrats perceive this upcoming election as theirs to lose, and probably rightfully so. As such, many are looking at the primaries and nomination as almost a lock for being elected.
As such, I think it will be some of the most vicious and hard-scrabble infighting we have seen in a long, long time.
The danger that has to be avoided is the candidates so damaging each other with personal attacks that the eventual Republican candidate will be provided with a weakened opponent and ready-made ammo for the general election, plus possibly a divided Democratic party.
This will be a real test for Howard Dean and the Democratic leadership in general to make sure they do not commit political Hari-kari.
However, truth be told, there is absolutely no one on the Republican side that seems to be really wowing everyone, either.
But hey, the election is still almost two years away. Anything can, and likely will, happen.
Charisma and intelligence are the forces of change in politics (witness the Terminator governor of CA), and when that’s combined with being un-blemished by the political landscape and all it’s machinations, Barack Obama will quickly become an un-stoppable force.
As to one commentator’s remark that the election is still almost 2 years away, remember that the majority of the primaries that matter are only a year away.
LINK
‘Nuff Said
-Hardliner
hillary loves playing the poor victim. Oh, Geffen was mean to me so I want to blame both him and obama.
boo hoo.
Hillary is a viper. I’m sure everything geffen said was true.
[...] Hello! We’re 11 months away from the first caucuses and primaries, but Clinton and Obama are dueling like the race will be decided next week. Not just Geffen will have Clinton fatigue. We’ll all have a case of Clinton fatigue, and McCain fatigue, and Giuliani fatigue, and Romney fatigue (but certainly not Kucinich fatigue because he’s so wacky he’s entertaining). Newt Gingrich was right. This endless campaign is an “absurdity.” Democrats are already beating each other up, and soon Republicans will do the same. Stuck in the middle will be an American public who wants to tune it out, change the channel, and just want their leaders to lead. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
It’s Her Party, And She’ll Cry If She Wants To…
It’s difficult to figure out what Hillary Clinton hopes to gain with her spectacular temper tantrum today, directed as it is against the wrong man. After Maureen Dowd briefly achieved relevancy briefly by relating some tough criticisms of Hillary by…..
[...] Also writing: Ed Morrissey The Moderate Voice Roger L. Simon Sensible Mom Political Pit Bull Hot Air Pre-emptive Karma Q&O Small Town Vet Riehl World Gateway Pundit The Political Pit Bull tracked back with Hillary vs. Obama: A Video Interpretation Posted on: 8 Comments ? [...]
Religion & haters, abortion, Jamil and more…
Okay, real quick because there’s so much stuff out there and so little time:
Read Bill Maher’s recent remarks about religion and those eeeevil evangelicals.
Then read the sneering comments below this piece.
Then read this: (excerpted)
erry …
It Ain’t Over til Its Over…
If you aren’t fond of Hillary, it was a good day for you. Hollywood megamoguls Spielberg, Geffen and Katzenberg (the Jews really do run Hollywood…) hosted a big dinner for Barack Obama at 50K a plate, but the real news……
In other words, she is not far enough to the left. And she actually understands that islamic terrorism and fascism are real threats, not something concocted by Bush and the neocons as an excuse to wage war and take away civil liberties, as the michael moore crowd of Hollywood leftist moonbats contend. Anyway, the political views of the Hollywood elite have no influence over the American public with which it is completely out of touch with.
barak obama has absolutely no qualifications to be president, he is not fit to serve in that office.