Are there public figures you like personally but disagree with politically?

[el_bryanto]

I was just thinking about this in regards to Chris Matthews and his recent diabetes stuff - I think in general he's a sellout Democrat and he did a lot to put Bush in the white house, but on a personal level I react positively to him - he seems like a good guy in a lot of ways, just wrongheaded politically.

Are there people like that for you?

Bryant

[Chemisse]

1. If it is a public figure and I know their politics is opposed to mine

Then I don't like them. Period.

It's not as if we have personal relationships with public figures so that we will take the trouble to overlook the political differences.

I may still like their work, whatever they are famous for, but I will dislike them.

[el_bryanto]

2. are there issues you are more lenient on? or is it across the board? n/t

[Chemisse]

8. Just the extreme positions

I can tolerate minor or moderate differences, but rigid Christian, anti-environment, outspoken bashing of Democrats - I just can't overlook those things.

[Jennicut]

3. I don't hate Laura Bush. And after his speech at Teddy's wake I don't dislike

Orrin Hatch though I do dislike his politics. McLame did not endear me to him however..LOL. Lugar, Hagel. Nancy Reagan for her support of stem cell research and for treating the President with some respect. I hate most of the rest.

And I have diabetes too. It can be hard on you physically when your blood sugar gets too high or too low. I relate to Chris on that level even if he can drive me crazy other times.

[Chemisse]

9. Ahhh, Laura Bush - I just can't dislike her

I like to think she would be a moderate if she wasn't married to W.

[Chemisse]

10. Dupe

[mdmc]

4. Democrats

I've been in a few smokey rooms in my time.
What I hate most is when dems say "the drug war is a failure" but I would never say so publicly.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

5. I like some of Mel Gibson's work - but I strongly disagree with his opinions

I liked several of John Wayne's movies but I was at the other end of the political spectrum. I guess I don't know any public figures in a personal setting to know if they are genuinely likable or not. But I can separate my enjoyment of their professional work from their politics.

As far as Chris Matthews goes, he frustrated me too many times with his flattery of a monkey man in the White House for me to like him, although I know that he was one of the few people in the media to strongly oppose the Iraq War before it took place. You can read his editorials in the San Francisco Chronicle to know just how much Matthews opposed the war and doubted the motives of the Bush Administration. Here's one of them, entitled "The Road To Baghdad":

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2002/03/24/IN164155.DTL

[Chemisse]

12. I can't watch Mel Gibson now

I used to like him before I found out what an extremist he is.

[emilyg]

6. I like Huckabee but

disagree with him.

[DutchLiberal]

7. Kelsey Grammer comes to mind. And, yes, Joe Scarborough...

I still can't believe that a mad that smart and classy as Kelsey Grammer supported Rudy Gulliani (of all people!) in the presidential primaries. And just the other day I saw a direct-to-dvd movie in stores which was supposed to be a 'satire' on Michael Moore, a real third-rate flop, which had Grammer in it, and I shook my head in disbelief. Sad to see an actor who used to play in such a sophisticated comedy series now in a direct-to-dvd flop, just to attack "a cynical anti-American filmmaker" (it said on the cover).

And I know I will likely be attacked for this, but I think Scarborough is a good guy. He's easier to like when he's on other people's shows (like Bill Maher's), but even on his own show he's battling the extreme-right fringe and all the nonsense that people like Palin and Beck are spewing. He mostly comes off as a friendly kind of guy. (Although I must admit I've never watched a full episode of his show.)

[pipi_k]

11. Ted Nugent is a total scumbucket piece of dogturd Republican asshole...

but I really kind of like his music.

[Deja Q]

13. Yes. And I won't name names. Even though one of them has already been stated...

:)

[MindPilot]

14. Jon Cryer, PJ O'Rourke, Penn Jellett

Really funny guy, and absolute master of physical comedy, but I hear tell he is quite conservative. I'm really not down with PJ O'Rourke's politics, but again he can make me laugh. And I don't always agree with Penn & Teller's libertarianism, but they are pretty cool entertainers. And for some odd reason, Newt Gingrich. He strikes me as a really smart guy, until he starts to deal with politics; I want to like him, really.

[galledgoblin]

15. Ed Koch

he's an interesting guy. there's a handful of others... if they're not a homophobe, an ass, an unquestioning idiot, or all of the above, then I may like them.