As you might have heard last week, the Obama campaign is making a very flashy effort to increase its war chest by entering donors to win a dinner date with George Clooney and the president.
The campaign hopes to encourage more supporters to give small amounts of cash to Mr. Obama's reelection effort, and it's not surprising considering the fact that the president's major donors aren't turning out for him like they did in 2008.
When I wrote about the Clooney connection last week, though, the response from CafeMom members was overwhelmingly negative. Even George Clooney's fans felt that using the prospect of getting close to the Hollywood star in order to get donations for a presidential election was inappropriate.
That makes this a good topic of debate for our political bloggers. This week, we're putting the question to them:
Should presidential candidates be using "star power" to woo the American public? Why or why not?
Tell me what you think in the comments.
We'll probably see many more creative fundraising efforts by the Obama campaign as we get closer to the election -- the worry over the Obama war chest stems from the Supreme Court ruling in 2010 that allows Super PACs to accept unlimited funding from corporations, unions, and individuals. That money can be used to support or oppose presidential candidates.
While Mr. Obama is well ahead of Mitt Romney in terms of money raised, Democrats are very worried about the hundreds of millions of dollars in Super PAC money that will be used to help Mitt Romney in the general election.
Add to that the fact that the president is running behind on donations from where he was at this point four years ago and you can understand why his campaign is dangling George Clooney before potential donors. This from The New York Times:
... Mr. Obama faces a major challenge in the months ahead. To raise as much money for his campaign as he did four years ago, the president would have to raise about $70 million a month through the end of the election cycle, more than triple the rate he has been bringing in cash so far.
Since 58 percent of Mr. Obama's donations are from individuals who gave $200 or less, expect to see his campaign pull out all the stops when it comes to convincing people like you to write a check.
Here's what our political bloggers have to say:
George Clooney Can Ask for Your Money But He Can't Buy Your Vote
George Clooney Is a Cheap Date That Most of the Country Can't Afford
Dinner With George Clooney Is the Perfect Way to Woo Voters
Image via csztova/Flickr
Ashley Is a Widow Who Stays Strong...
This Hot Dad Wants to Vacuum Your Rug
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
KStew Refuses to Shower
Comments 18
I think using a celebrity to encourage donations can too easily backfire, as evidenced by the comments on this site. Obama will get raked over the coals by the conservative bloggers and called all sorts of names like elitest, snob, etc. even though conservative candidates have used plenty of celebrities to push their own cause (Charleton Heston, Toby Keith, and Ted Nugent come to mind), but they will still happily skewer Obama and insinuate all sorts of socialist, Hollywood agendas. This was not a great decision by the Obama campaign.
Of course, the Repubicans will trot out their own crew of celebrities but that will just be free citizens expressing their opinons, not a celebrity being used for his or her star power, right?
Boo-hoo. Like tinypossum said, the Red Team won't trot out their Hollywood crew too? OK to dream...
Anyway, it's an election year, all's fair in love and politics. My only real issue is that election campaigns are allowed to run for years, unlike other countries where they can be just as effective in 4 months. We have enough technology now that should replace extensive travel for barnstorming and fundraisers and other live events. It is a "tradition" that has to end... it's 2012 not 1812 for gods sake.
The whole charade has turned into a popularity contest. You win because of your "likeability" and your capabilities regarding public speeches. It's really sad.
I guess if you're that desperate. But who really cares about George Clooney? Are we that dumb that we'd vote for someone for a chance at dinner?? I think not.
President Obama is not the first president or candidate to use "star power" to solicit donations or support and he surely won't be the last. I find it amazing that everything this man has done is a huge problem but if anyone else does it then it's the status quo. GTFOH with that please!!!
Honestly, when most of Hollywood starts backing a politician, red flags start shooting up all over the place. Lets face it, these people do not live in the same reality that the majorty of this country does.
I wouldn't want to have dinner with ANYONE. I either like and will vote for someone or I won't. Bribing someone with a chance at dinner in an "unreal" setting is pathetic.
I agree with KWnavywife. Hollywood celebrities aren't "us" nor do they live in the real world. Their lives are NOTHING like ours.
Hollywood celebrities aren't "us" nor do they live in the real world. Their lives are NOTHING like ours.
Mitt and Ann Romney though, are totally like you. Because you have a car elevator in one of your six houses, because you have Swiss bank accounts, because you breed thoroughbred horses, because you've bankrupted at least nine companies, because you're a housewife who couldn't even tell us what a gallon of milk costs these days, because THEY'RE JUST LIKE YOU!