George Clooney: Stars Should Stay Quiet About Politics For Now

[Dixon Cox]

Interesting what George Clooney has said recently about
stars' involvement in politics. I especially appreciate
what he said about how liberals have historically been on
the right side of important issues such as women's suffrage,
civil rights, and Vietnam:

Clooney Vows to Keep Quiet About Politics
"Ocean's Eleven" star George Clooney is urging his fellow Hollywood stars to keep quiet when it comes to politics, because he fears celebrity endorsements could wreck their favorite candidates' chances of victory.

Democrat Clooney and a number of screen stars have recently come under attack for voicing their political views.

And the actor, whose father Nick Clooney was recently defeated in his bid to be elected the congressional representative for Kentucky, has now vowed to be a lot more politically low-key.

He says, "My father ran for congress last year. I couldn't campaign for him and I knew I couldn't, because I'd hurt him. They tried to get me to get on the John Kerry train and I said, 'We'll hurt him. They'll use us as "liberal."'

"Now, I would argue that (throughout) American history, it's pretty hard to find a time when liberals were on the wrong side of an issue. We thought that the conservative view was, 'Witches should be burned at the stake.' Moderate view was: 'Well, just in case,' and the liberal view was, 'There's no such thing as witches.'

"We thought women should be able to vote and blacks should be allowed to sit at the front of the bus and Vietnam was wrong. We haven't really been on a lot of wrong sides for us to be sort of used as this bad word.

"But we hurt candidates right now, so we can do fundraisers quietly and make some money. But I think it's dangerous to get up and talk about it."

[mzmolly]

1. I love this analogy:

'Witches should be burned at the stake.' Moderate view was: 'Well, just in case,' and the liberal view was, 'There's no such thing as witches.'

Interesting philosophy, thank you.

[Lisa]

39. moderate: "well, just in case"

Funniest line I've heard in the past few weeks!

[tuvor]

2. Freedom of Speech. Just Watch what you say.

Shut up, be happy.

[Catherine Vincent]

3. I agree with everything you say Clooney!

:loveya: Swoon! :loveya:

[incapsulated]

4. Sadly, he's correct

It's a shame that actors may need to silence themselves because of the blowback to Dem candidates, but Clooney did it for his own father, he knows what he's talking about.

He's a good man. I hear he's easy on the eyes, but I don't think like that.

:evilgrin:

[gulfcoastliberal]

42. Lot of good it did for his dad. Somehow Clint Eastwood and Arnie, Reagan,

and other hollywood types get elected but only if repuke? Is that how it's supposed to work? Never mind those batshit crazy conservatives burning witches, if we say witches don't exist, more people will believe in witches and thusly burn more witches? Is that what he's saying? Or is this just above my pay grade?

severe grammar edit

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

5. I like George Clooney...

...but I think he's wrong here. Encouraging silence for fear of who might be labeled what and possibly (God forbid) alienate an anti-liberal voter. This kind of fear driven timidity is what keeps the Democratic party so weak. Liberal endorsements aren't what hurt, what hurts is the failure to be bold, clear and unapologetic with your message. This is one problem the Republifascists don't have.

The endorsements that really hurt the Democrats are the ones given to GOP candidates by Diebold, ES&S, Triad and a few others.
These are the only endorsements that actually COUNT, and they are the only ones Democratic leadership should be talking, no screaming, about.

[Obiepup]

6. Does this include Ahnuld?

Hey Arnie take Clooney's advice and STFU

[murdoch]

7. If actors tended to be right-wing...

I'm sure we would never hear the end of it, the corporate media would have them on all the time pushing their issues. Maybe because actors work for a living, and tend to have a working class background (which probably helps make them popular - who likes Paris Hilton? I don't), they tend to side with workers over big business. Most actors are not rich, only a small minority are, most actors are struggling to make a living and waiting tables.

I went to the AFL-CIO anti-RNC rally in New York in 2004 and Tom Morello was there with an AFL-CIO hat. I think Morello is an awesome guitar player and I was glad he was there. It adds to the event - some labor lieutenant comes out, a singer comes out, some other AFL-CIO pie card comes out, James Gandolfini came out (well maybe it's not always a good idea - I think Gandolfini is great, but people think of Tony Soprano when they think of him, and many construction unions in NYC are unfortunately all mobbed up), another speaker comes out, Tom Morello plays. It's the way to do things, you don't want to be like ANSWER with hours of boring speeches, half of them people screaming. I probably agree with what most of the ANSWER speakers say, but you don't have to scream it at us.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

8. No, don't shut up

One of the morons wrote "Shut Up And Sing" or whatever.

This is just one of their talking points, and attempts at demonizing a segment of the population and a political philosophy held by a large portion of the population.

Plus self-censoring will give those doing it a sense of having something to hide, ie shame.

Anyone alienated by all stars is lost anyhow.



:crazy:

[Dr Fate]

9. Meanwhile, RW "actors" like Wolf, Sean, O'Reilly, Chris- will continue.

Daily.

[Bucky]

10. I think Clooney is overestimating his worth as a spokesmodel

He's a smart guy. But like most prima donas, he seems to have an inflated sense of his own influence. I find celebrity endorsements of positions I hold validating, but when celebrities hold views counter to mine, I find them quaint and vapid. A celebrity endorsement will rarely bring my attention to a new issue, but it will never swing me to a new position. I suspect I'm pretty typical in that respect.

[incapsulated]

12. Well, you're opinion of Mr. Clooney aside

The media love to tie celebrities to candidates, and then attack them as lefty freaks for having an actor endorse them if they are Democrats or blame them for everything wrong with decadent, evil hollywood or whatever the fuck. I don't know if this has much of an effect either way, but I understand his reluctance.

[ladylibertee]

11. Yeah, they can be quiet.They really can't help right now.It will be

harder to win over "undecideds" with extreme liberalism.

[BulletproofLandshark]

13. Anyone "undecided" by now is a moran!

Liberals need to show that they are not willing to sacrifice their principles (thus alienating large swaths of traditionally Democratic voters) to try to the win the votes of a few wishy-washy people in the middle. Triangulation and appeal-to-the-middle strategies have proved to be losing strategies time and again.

[ladylibertee]

14. It wont if YOU stay faithful now will it?

[BulletproofLandshark]

15. Will WHAT? I don't quite understand your response.

[ladylibertee]

16. You said this :

"Triangulation and appeal-to-the-middle strategies have proved to be losing strategies time and again." It wont be a losing strategy if,you,the complainer,votes democratic.:*

[BulletproofLandshark]

17. What the hell are you talking about?

I DO vote democratic and have voted Democratic in every election in which I've been eligible to vote (since 1994). But the issue is not me. The issue is trying to appeal to a small group of people that pales in comparison to the numbers the Democratic Party stands to leave behind by
abandoning what we have traditionally stood for. You don't like my complaning about that? Tough shit! I'm hear to talk issues, not make everyone I come across happy.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. Bravo

by the way some folks are touchy that the criticism is getting louder

[ladylibertee]

19. I understand your frustration and why you seem to be under the

impression that we are targeting a small group while being threatened with losing a larger group of Democrats.If that were true, I would share your concern.I have good news for you .No,it's not that I saved 15% by switching to Gecko either.The Democratic base is secure.Realistically, we may lose a small number of super-duper " Kill the President" extremist, but the large base is secure.

[BulletproofLandshark]

20. I hope you're right.

It seems as though the things that the party stood for,like civil rights, fighting poverty,and making sure children have a chance at a good education and a good life (to cite a few examples) have all been to pushed to the back-burner. If Democratic leaders ignore or refuse to fight for these ideals, then they truly are Democrats In Name Only.

I apologize for being testy with you in my previous posts. I may strongly disagree with you on how to take back Washington, but at least we want the same thing in the end.

Peace

[ladylibertee]

21. I understand.Our party is very passionate about the issues you mentioned

Look at how we are defensive about it now and there is no threat to it?I think our Leaders understand the reciprocations.

[cassiepriam]

23. the wingnuts say whatever, has not hurt the repugs

Why can't dems? Says a lot about how fragile the dem party is.

[cassiepriam]

22. Fear of speaking out widespread over all america

many are afraid to talk ....
repugs did a good job of taking away freedom of speech.
But then we let it happen.

[Totally Committed]

24. Love this quote:

"Now, I would argue that (throughout) American history, it's pretty hard to find a time when liberals were on the wrong side of an issue... the conservative view was, 'Witches should be burned at the stake.' Moderate view was: 'Well, just in case,' and the liberal view was, 'There's no such thing as witches.'"

And, he's good-looking, too....

TC

[hadrons]

25. Difference between wingnut actors and liberal actors seems to be ...

that RW actors/actress use the same rehashed GOP talking points, but that liberal ones 1) tend to be more liberal than the politicans they endore and 2) tend to have a more complex view of the world and that's much easier to take out of context than it is to take out of context the simpleton views of a Bruce Willis or Ah-nold

[Lorien]

26. Every American citizen has the right to express their political viewpoint

celebrity or not. Too many Democrats have been far too quiet in the past five years, imho.

[Catchawave]

27. Celebrity links to political parties from Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Republican_celebrities
Republican Celebrities

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_celebrities_with_links_to_the_U.S._Democratic_Party
Democratic Celebrities

[ArkDem]

28. Historically, it hurts the politically outspoken actor at the box

office.

[NYCGirl]

29. And then we have this— "Clooney Proudly Wears Liberal Label":

Clooney proudly wears 'liberal' label

Associated Press

NEW YORK - George Clooney is mad that liberal has become a dirty word.

"I'm going to keep saying 'liberal' as loud as I can and as often as I can," Clooney told Newsweek magazine in an interview about the film "Good Night, and Good Luck," which he co-wrote and directed.

-snipped-

The 44-year-old actor is taking on another politically charged role later this year, as real-life CIA agent Robert Baer. The film, "Syriana," is a drama about terrorism, oil and the Middle East.

To prepare for that role, he has gained 30 pounds, trimmed his hairline and grown a beard, he told Newsweek. The movie will probably get him in "a lot of trouble" politically, he said.

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/entertainment/movies/12807430.htm

[cyberpj]

30. Link? I love the guy but have to disagree...

:hi: Welcome to DU Dixon Cox!

At first he says it would hurt because he'd be called a liberal.

Then he credits liberals with the correct frame of mind.

Well, which is it? Either you're proud of it or not.

And by the way, what do you care what 'they' say? Their only power is the belief that they have the numbers. And there is only the beilef that they have the numbers because so many of US have kept quiet!

TALK GEORGE, TALK!

And then defend being a LIBERAL:
lib·er·al
a. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.

[Bridget Burke]

31. I Googled "Clooney vows"....

And discovered that he vowed never to gain weight for a role again. If this is a real article, shouldn't the extract be pruned?

Wait! I found the article on Ireland Online. The site is an entertainment guide; the article has no by-line.

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=158016214&p=y58xy69zx

[cyberpj]

33. Thanks. Now I guess I'll have to write him, saying what I said here.

It's a slippery slope, I know, but it seems to me that we all need to be more afraid for the future of our country than what "they" might say about us.

ps - funny that you found the "never gain weight" article - I'm sure it was for the movie I'm taking my Mom to see this Friday: Good Night and Good Luck:
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/_/id/7488220?pageid=rs.Home&pageregion=double1&rnd=1128438757468&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1212

[Bridget Burke]

34. Maybe you can find out who wrote the article....

Where did he say this? Usually a journalist sets the scene.Nobody took the credit.

The site is geared toward entertainment--not politics.

[Armstead]

32. I disagree with George on this -- except for maybe Barbara Streisand

The Dixie Chicks got attacked by the Freepers but they helped to chip a hole thtough the wall of silence of that time.

Fox and the right-wing machine is going to attack librerals regardless of whether they are celebrities.

But people speaking out and supporting candiates helps otehrs to feel it's safe to come out of hiding.

[kerrygoddess]

35. Where's the link?

[OneTwentyoNine]

44. Link right here......

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=158016214&p=y58xy69zx

[Marleyb]

36. not just a right...we have an obligation to speak out!

And how does this make sense??

"And the actor, whose father Nick Clooney was recently defeated in his bid to be elected the congressional representative for Kentucky, has now vowed to be a lot more politically low-key.

He says, "My father ran for congress last year. I couldn't campaign for him and I knew I couldn't, because I'd hurt him. They tried to get me to get on the John Kerry train and I said, 'We'll hurt him. They'll use us as "liberal."'

He didn't campaign for him and His father LOST! Perhaps more people would have heard of his father if he had said something.

George Clooney is setting a really bad example IMO. He should not be telling others to keep quiet !WTF!

[rocktivity]

37. But George, you're about to release a political movie!

(link) You're saying this just to grab headlines away from Paris Hilton's broken engagement, aren't you?

:crazy:
rocknation

[FrenchieCat]

38. My feelings.....

that he wants the RWers to come to see his movie too.

If so, that's pretty self serving and disappointing. :(

[incapsulated]

40. Nah, that's a bit harsh Frenchie

He wouldn't be talking publically about what a (potentially damaging) liberal he is, which is already well known, if that were the case. I think Clooney is a decent guy whose heart is in the right place.

[crispini]

41. Link please?

I don't believe anything I read without a source, and I don't believe half of what I read WITH a source. :evilgrin:

[OneTwentyoNine]

43. Kidding?? Scream at the top of your LUNGS....

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=158016214&p=y58xy69zx

So what if they're actors,should truckers shut up too? How about plumbers? Meanwhile the whole TV WHORE crowd of actors goes about their daily business. We loose because we keep quite,although lately I think the trend is finally changing.