Hollywood and Hillary Are Falling in Love Again
Back in 2008, many Hollywood producers and celebrities broke up with Hillary Clinton for then-Sen. Barack Obama. Now, it appears Tinseltown is falling back in love with Hills — because she's the Democratic heir apparent and because Obama's glitter has kind of worn off.
Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of Dreamworks Animation, has switched his loyalty to the former Secretary of State. (He was a huge supporter of Obama in 2008 — he, David Geffen, and Steven Spielberg hosted the first big Hollywood fundraiser for Obama in February 2007, which some saw as a snub to Hillary). Katzenberg told The New York Times on Friday:
"If Secretary Clinton makes the decision to run, I expect she’ll have near-unanimous support here. Hillary represents our best chance to win in 2016, build upon the successes of the Obama administration, and keep the country moving in the right direction."
Katzenberg reportedly called Hillary several months ago to confirm his support for a 2016 run. And according to some, Katzenberg is the man to have on your side. One Democratic strategist told The Hollywood Reporter, "The center of power in the Democratic Party in terms of money really has moved to Katzenberg. The most important person you should get is Jeffrey. He should be [Hillary's] No. 1 priority." So, check for Hillary.
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Even Hollywood mogul Geffen, who once called Hillary "incredibly polarizing" (which Maureen Dowd immortalized in a 2007 column) now says he'll support her if she runs. At the time, Geffen criticized Hillary for her original position on Iraq: "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," he told Dowd. Now he tells the Times, "I think Hillary is an extraordinary, smart, accomplished woman."
Jay Sures, the managing director of United Talent Agency, thinks all of Hollywood will eventually go for Hillary. "Hollywood in general likes to place their money on the winner, and when there is a clear-cut leader, people will think twice about making donations to candidates they don’t think have a shot," Sures told THR. Sures added that Hollywood's Democratic fundraisers aren't taking meetings with any candidate until Hillary decides whether or not she'll run.
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And actor/director Rob Reiner, who was a Hillary supporter in 2008, is happy to help her out again. "Last time, the community was really split down the middle between Obama and Hillary. This year I think everybody is going to be rallying around Hillary."
Reiner also points out: "There is nobody else."
This article was originally published at http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/11/hollywood-warming-hillary/71403/
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