Clooney denies e-mail relationship with Obama
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/13/art.clooney.gi.jpg caption="Clooney denies giving Obama policy advice."]
(CNN)—George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson have more in common than their A-list star status: both have had to shoot down reports they’re close e-mail buddies of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.
Clooney is flatly denying a report in the Los Angeles Times that he “frequently text messages the Illinois senator with whom he's been friends for many years.”
"I have never texted or e-mailed Senator Obama. And I'll offer a million dollars to anyone who could prove otherwise,” Clooney said in a statement. “I've spent more time with Senator McCain (he did my TV show) then I have with Senator Obama. I would hope that my friend John McCain would join me in condemning this kind of politics.”
Clooney told CNN in February he had no plans to hit the campaign trail for the presumptive Democratic nominee despite his endorsement because of the adverse affects celebrity endorsements can have on a candidate.
“I feel that at times you can harm the person that you are trying to help,” Clooney told said in February.
Watch: Clooney won't hit the trail for Obama
As for offering policy advice? Clooney said both candidates are doing well without his input.
“Although I support Senator Obama I would never be dumb enough to offer policy advice to either candidate.”
In June, Scarlett Johansson, an ardent Obama supporter, told a Politico reporter that she had e-mailed the Illinois senator. Amid the media frenzy that followed, Johansson downplayed the extent of the communication.
"It seemed to me to be like a product of extreme sexism, and I kept thinking to myself, 'God, if this was just, like, Kal Penn or George Clooney or any of the other (Obama) surrogates or supporters ... there wouldn't be (any) question about it. Nobody would even talk about it," she said.
They may not be blackberry buddies, but Clooney is set to host a fundraiser for Obama in September in Geneva, Switzerland.
(Updated Wednesday night to clarify that Johansson did not deny e-mailing Obama, though she did minimize the significance and frequency.)
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the REPUBLICANS ARE JUST TRYING TO DISTRACT THEIR BIGOTS FROM THE REAL ISSUES...THEY WILL THROW EVERYTHING AT OBAMA JUST LIKE HILLARY'S KITCHEN SINK JUST TO SMEAR HIS NAME AND YOU SOME FOOLS SCARD OF HIM.
THEY ARE SOME HILLYBILLYS OUT THERE WHO BELIEVE IN THESE STUFF...TO THE REPUBLICAN BIGOTS AND JOHN McSAME, IGNORANCE IS BLISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK THIS TIME – AMERICANS ARE SMARTER THAN THE REPUBLICANS WILL WANT US TO BELIEVE!
CHANGE IS COMING – YES, CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN, NOT FEAR & SMEAR!!!!!!
VOTE OBAMA '08'12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Thats what happens when you have no foreign expierence.....At least Clooney attend the Cannes film festival in Europe that there is more expierence then Obama
Looks like a bunch of Republican operatives/trolls were waiting to post on this article. Were they given advanced knowledge?
Their content linking Clooney to Obama is interesting since Clooney disavows the LA Times article. It looks so pre-rehearsed.
One troll even managed to inject a Lieberman lie into this. You guys must get frequent talking point bulletins from Republican Central.
wgaff?we want issues,repubs!this garbage is boring.
Even if Clooney had e-mailed Obama, So. Obama can't know anyone now. D-mn, give the man a break. Tell me of anyone of importance that wouldn't want Obama's personal e-mail address? I gets a head ache everytime I comme to CNN blog's BS. I now blog on AOL. No moderation, what you write is what get posted immeditely. None of this BS, after you've writen a blog, then gets a This Post is Closed, when its only been open 1 hour. Then it shows that no one left a comment. CNN s-cks GO TO AOL.
Why the heck should McCain have to condem this? His party didn't put it out.
So should barack have to condemn every moronic post on these blogs calling mccain 'old and senile' ?
Apologizing for other people is just plain stupid.
Regardless, the rumor is stupid. We all know Barack takes his marching orders from the other big O. Oprah.
What is with that picture? The two men are obviously p-shopped in, but then the ceiling makes it look like a real pic. It looks like they just got caught kissing or something.
Wow.. This article is about nothing that matters and the liberals still manage to not talk about it's actual contents and instead somehow tie this to republicans and McCain. Grow up guys.
The only time McCain was mentioned in this article was when Clooney said, he's spent more time with McCain because they did a tv show together. There is a time and place to bash candidates and this isn't either.
And CNN.. Why must you keep deleting my comments? Am I not liberal enough?
non black nonwhite – August 13th, 2008 11:04 am ET
the media doesn't like obama and his supporters that is why he gets the most negative coverage
What the heck are you smoking? The media is 90% liberal bud. The only medium that conservatives have a hold on is radio...which is why pelosi is trying to shut it down.
wow, this is the dumbest article ever, but if it's true, someone from that phone company could be making a million dollars.
Right sure! Just like Scarlett Johansson. Movie (Rock) Stars are flock together.
"Steve – Wyoming: How come Hillary's name wasn't in this article? She's in everything else regardless of relevance!"
--------
Good point. They should stop the childish reporting about Obama and focus more on her.
I thought there was more to George Clooney and I am having 2nd thoughts now. His choice of Las Vegas strippers for a girlfriend and now trying to give advice to OBAMA. MAn oh man. Sure hope Obama
can see the light or maybe he is giving him advise about a getaway weekend in SIN CITY. WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STAYS THERE. WELL THAT IS BULL. THE WHOLE US KNOWS ALL ABOUT VEGAS AND ITS SINS. THINK WE WOMEN ARE STUPID.
It's truly a shame that this actor is more mature and responsible than the media or the politicians.
Alice Brinkley... Please do your research .... Please... Whats that old saying " its better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." I dedicate that quote to John Mccain supporters.
Well If you think Clooney emailed Obama then you shold go get that million dollars he's offering to anyone who can prove otherwise. Knock yourself out.
Whats going on here is simple and rather basic strategy on the part of republicans to further saturate the minds of innocent, misinformed voters with the image of Obama as being a celeb or like a celeb. Not working. Obama 08!
I have no idea how long it will take or if it will ever happene for many of you. Until you get past the fact Obama is a black man and come to terms with it, you will never learn to appreciate the fact that he's so much more intelligent than his counterpart. Meaning you will never learn anything constructive about your next president.
And for once, can ONE Mccain supporter PLEASE explain to myself and the rest of the Obama supporters: Tell us ONE policy that Mccain has introduced thus far that differs from any policy the Bush admin has in place already? Once youve climbed that mountain: Tell us how he plans to do it? i.e. strategy, cost etc, and for extra credit, explain how he plans to finance his lofty goals for this country? Then you can humor us by explaining how he's gonna do this WITHOUT raising ANYONES taxes? As he claims so firmly... The clock is ticking...
This is pure nonsense, lets get to the gritty stuff, Economy, gas price, home foreclosures, war in irak, afghanistan, Iran and now Georgia.
Four more years of hell? I can't agree with that at all, my life has been great since Wild Bill left office. Could it be that the lazy, underachieving hippies just want a little income redistribution? They want something for nothing, like you are entitled to it? Oh, and for the record, I have served FOUR tours in Iraq, TWO in Kuwait, TWO in Saudi Arabia, and ONE in Afghanistan. I VOLUNTEERED to go to all of them. Obama will NOT magically make everything better, as evidenced by Skeletor (Pelosi) and her minions in Congress. Trust me, it won't be pretty if he's elected, he'll just make you feel good while he taxes us to death (well, those of us that are employed anyway). Peace out! BJack
Alice Brinkley said:
"Sen Lieberman as well as Sen McCain have proven their statesmanship by their acts over many years, while Obama can't show one darn thing that he has done for the good of the country"
I can easily say McCain and Lieberman have caused the current financial crisis in this country and Obama has a plan to get us out.
OR
Santa Claus likes milkshakes and feeds his reindeer chocolate.
Both statements are completely objective with no facts to support them. That is not what intellectual conversation is based on. I wish Americans would start discussing the issues based on facts and not broad unsupported statements designed to ridicule the opponent.
omg, you people are all nuts, it was a simple statement to clear up a rumour. Everyone needs to stand back from politics for a bit and take a deep breath.
It wouldn't surprise me that Obama has a convoy of Hollywood people who advise him. He sounds just as clueless as they are when he speaks.
BORRRIIIINNNNNGGGG.
Thank you George for NOT texting or hitting the campain trail. We love YOU just the way you are. It would be awful if we had to change how we feel about you because you politically choose against US. Therefore, we will continue to watch and buy your movies as long as you stay out of the political fray.
You have it all, looks, chramisa and being IRISH with an ITALIAN Villa on Lago di Como helps a LOT too.
WAY TO GO GEORGE !
Hmmm...interesting that we hear about George Clooney's e-mail habits but not the influence of a certain lobbyist for the Republic of Georgia and Georgian interests on McCain's exploitation of death and destruction for partisan political gain. You know, the man running for President who supposedly speaks for all Americans and jet-skiied on the Black Sea 2 years ago on the taxpayers' dime, and now has a Georgian lobbyist as his top foreign policy advisor? Ring a bell?
Alice Brinkley, you should check your facts. If you like McCain, vote for him. Obama has done a lot of good for those who wishes to see it.
If you are satisfied with the Bush administration, vote for the man who stood with him at least 95% of the time, John McCain. However, if you are tired of the same, Vote Sen. Obama.
RUDYNYC,
The problem with Obama taking advice from Clooney is that HE IS AN ACTOR not A POLITICIAN/LAWYER/LAWMAKER. Get it? Actors should stick to acting, politicians to politics.
I am sick and tired of actors who think they're views are more important than mine!!! Get off your smug soap boxes and realize that just because we liked a movie that you had a role in doesn't mean we need, want or CARE about your political beliefs!!!