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The Hollywood Stars Are Out for Biden
Politico ^ | 11/06/24 | Emmy Martin

Posted on 06/11/2024 5:53:31 PM PDT by nickcarraway

George Clooney and Julia Roberts are beseeching you — chip in $25 to Democrats’ fundraising operation today to enter their “Premiere Night with the Presidents” contest.

The fundraising blast, which has shown up consistently in inboxes over the past week, is the clearest sign that the Democratic Hollywood machine is cranking back into gear with the presidential election just five months away.

In recent weeks, actor Robert DeNiro showed up in lower Manhattan for a press conference at the Biden campaign’s behest. Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame made a White House briefing room appearance to ask if he could call Biden “JoeBi-Wan Kenobi.” Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer campaigned with Vice President Kamala Harris on a recent trip to Michigan, a key swing state.

Next up is a star-studded June 15 fundraiser in Los Angeles where late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel will interview President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Barack Obama, along with special guests Clooney and Roberts.

It’s the latest indication that Hollywood, long a significant part of the Democratic coalition, is beginning to focus its attention on an election where Biden has consistently trailed in the polls against former President Donald Trump.

“We’ve all been kind of freaking out since 2020,” said David Mandel, executive producer of “Veep” and a longtime Los Angeles resident. “You know what I mean? It wasn’t like that was a cakewalk.”

Mandel explained that he has seen — and felt — an increased sense of urgency among Democrats in Los Angeles with the prospect of Trump’s return to the White House. When Trump defeated Hillary Clinton eight years ago, Mandel said he was shocked.

“It made me think to myself that I could have done more, I could have sent more letters, I could have been more public and I could have given more money,” said Mandel. “And I wasn’t going to let that happen again.”

Hollywood has historically served as a money machine for the Democratic Party, and some of its most high profile stars have been vigorous supporters of Democratic nominees. In the last presidential election cycle, individuals in the television, music and movie industries contributed more than $104 million to Democrats, compared to just over $12 million for Republicans, according to non-profit Open Secrets.

Biden isn’t exactly inspiring the entertainment industry to action. It’s more about distaste for the alternative. Alex Gregory, a writer who worked with Mandel on “Veep” and “White House Plumbers,” said the choice between Biden and Trump — which he views as “malaise or chaos” — has made him nervous.

“Nobody’s excited about Biden the way that they were about Obama and the way they were about Bill Clinton,” said Gregory.

While splashy endorsements from liberal stars (and the attendant backlash from Republicans) traditionally come in September and October, the familiarity of the two nominees and the Democrats’ anxiety are accelerating the process this year. “There’s a little bit of a different dynamic at play this cycle,” said Democratic political consultant Alyssa Cass.

Former Biden speechwriter Matt Littman, who began a volunteer group of Democratic actors, producers and writers in 2017, said he has seen Democrats mobilizing on their anxiety this year. The private working group, which focuses on increasing voter turnout in swing states, has an email list of more than 300 people. It hosts frequent Zoom meetings with several dozen entertainment professionals to talk strategy.

He has noticed an increase in Hollywood Democrats asking how they can increase their political engagement over the last few months. “It’s a very small number of people who are freaked out and more numbers of people like, ‘How can I help?’” said Littman.

While established movie stars and industry titans will be front and center at next week’s Biden fundraiser, a more youthful face of Hollywood has enlisted in the effort to shore up the president’s sagging support among young voters. In one example, Lexi Underwood, a 20-year-old actor known for her role in “ Little Fires Everywhere,” recently worked with the Biden campaign to register voters in Nevada, where the president is trailing in the polls.

And a new Biden-allied super PAC is leaning on millennial and Gen Z writers, directors and producers to help create content designed to pitch the oldest American president in history to hard-to-reach voters under 30 years old.

The Biden campaign declined to provide further details about its starry upcoming fundraiser. Charles Lutvak, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, said they are working with a “wide range of trusted messengers” to reach voters.

Cass suggests star power could matter more in 2024 than ever because of celebrities’ increased online influence and ability to connect with individuals virtually.

“The people you’re trying to persuade,” she said, “are not reading the news, or are reading the news less, are on social more, and they’re really hard to reach.”


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: biden; emmymartin; fjb; hollywood; losers; politico; pollutico

1 posted on 06/11/2024 5:53:31 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

2 posted on 06/11/2024 5:57:00 PM PDT by Allegra (Toss a zeeper in the Dnieper)
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To: nickcarraway

Well! In that case...


3 posted on 06/11/2024 5:58:39 PM PDT by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing))
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To: nickcarraway

Why are some of the richest degenerates begging for money? They’ve got wallets. Let them put their own money where their loud mouths are if they’re so fired up about it.


4 posted on 06/11/2024 5:59:06 PM PDT by cross_bearer_02
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To: nickcarraway

“I pledge to be a servant to our president.”
https://youtu.be/Pb51PtIT5tM?si=_7h6w7uwrOrn5Hel

When celebrities tell you what to do with your life. One must listen. They are wise and stoic. Just look at their romances.


5 posted on 06/11/2024 6:03:05 PM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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To: Flaming Conservative

AAAAAAANNNNDDDD??? So I’m supposed to be impressed? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣…. so I’m supposed to be impressed by the demons of hell…right?😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


6 posted on 06/11/2024 6:13:17 PM PDT by RoseofTexas
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To: cross_bearer_02

Exactly.


7 posted on 06/11/2024 6:27:54 PM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: nickcarraway

Buncha has beens.


8 posted on 06/11/2024 6:34:42 PM PDT by Enterprise
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To: nickcarraway
star:

{Opposite}

noun

1. nobody

A fitting definition of the majority of hollywood hollow souls.

9 posted on 06/11/2024 6:37:08 PM PDT by chief lee runamok ( Le Flâneur @Large)
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To: nickcarraway
I had a dream last night that I was walking along a ravine with a steep drop off into deep water below...along comes Robert De Niro wearing his large platform shoes, as he walks towards me and eventually right next to me...I push him over the edge, into the water below...I look down to see him trying to get those heavy anchors off his feet as he sinks deeper and deeper, while yelling at him "who's the clown now?"

I woke up laughing.

'think I've had my fill of these parasites.

10 posted on 06/11/2024 6:59:29 PM PDT by RckyRaCoCo (Time to throw them out of the Temple...again)
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To: nickcarraway

They are as brain dead as the turnip.


11 posted on 06/11/2024 7:02:34 PM PDT by VTenigma (Conspiracy theory is the new "spoiler alert")
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To: nickcarraway

I shut off big entertainment 6 years ago. Haven’t been to the movie theatre since. No longer watch the networks. The music I listen to is pretty much all oldies now. Slowly shifting to more faith based music. The last concert I went to was in 2017 and a theatrical play way further back. I miss none of it.


12 posted on 06/11/2024 7:10:54 PM PDT by xp38
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To: cross_bearer_02

I think they max out their donations.


13 posted on 06/11/2024 8:02:35 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: nickcarraway
I just got this email from Carole King
When I’m not singing or songwriting, I’m thinking about how I can make a difference in our country. And I can’t think of a more important mission right now than reelecting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in November.

I’ve known Joe since he was a senator. I was proud to support him in 2020, and even more so in 2024. ,p> I’ve learned that elections aren’t won in the days or weeks leading up to Election Day. They’re won with early support, and I’m fully there for Joe and Kamala! Will you join me today?

Will you make a $25 donation -- or whatever you can afford right now -- to President Biden’s reelection campaign? Every donation will be put straight to work to ensure Donald Trump never steps foot in the White House again.

Disappointing, but not unexpected. But she she could really rock in 1958.

Going Wild--Carole King (1958)

14 posted on 06/12/2024 2:15:46 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: Fiji Hill

What do you expect for someone who went to Havana and sang “You’ve Got a Friend” to Fidel Castro.


15 posted on 06/12/2024 2:17:14 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: nickcarraway

George Clooney beard ‘wife’ is trying to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu for protecting the people of Israel. She also was a lawyer who tried to free Muammar Gaddafi right hand killer who was responsible for untold number of deaths.


16 posted on 06/12/2024 10:37:58 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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