Celebs open their wallets in White House race, mostly for Obama
(CNN) - Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman made headlines recently for his sizable $1 million contribution to a pro-Obama super PAC, but he's hardly the only celebrity who cut a check in support of a presidential hopeful.
Members of the entertainment industry have a long history of sending money to their preferred presidential candidates, usually but not exclusively to Democrats. Below is a non-comprehensive list of some of the celebrities past and present who made a donation in May or June to the major political committees involved in the 2012 race for the White House.
OBAMA CAMPAIGN:
Actors & Actresses
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights): $3250 in June, $5000 to date
Sam Waterston (Law and Order): $2250 in June, $5000to date
Ian Somerhalder (Lost, Vampire Diaries) : $2500
Olivia Wilde (House MD, Cowboys & Aliens) : $2500
Johnny Galecki (Roseanne, Big Bang Theory): $2500
Maria Bello (Prime Suspect): $2500
Ronald Guttman (Mad Men): $2075 in June, $4825 to date
Tyne Daly (Cagney & Lacey): $2000
Susan Saint James (Kate & Allie, McMillan & Wife): $2000
Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men): $1000 in June, $2000 to date
Taraji P. Henson (Benjamin Button): $1850
Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation): $1000
Aisha Tyler (The Talk co-host): $1000
Directors
Rob Minkoff (The Lion King): $2500
Musicians
Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz: $2500
Peter Frampton: $2500 to Obama campaign
Toni Tennille of The Captain and Tennille: $1000 in June, $2000 to date
Yvonne Staples of The Staples Singers: $1000 in June, $2000 to date
OBAMA VICTORY FUND:
Bette Midler: $50,000 in June, $60,000 to date
Martin Von Haselberg (actor, Midler's husband): $50,000
Billy Crystal: $40,000
Kirk Douglas: $40,000
Robert Downey, Jr.: $40,000
Eddie Murphy: $40,000
Tom Hanks: $35,800 (in May)
Rita Wilson: $35,800 (in May)
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights): $27,500
Anne Hathaway (Dark Knight Rises): $25,000
Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween, Trading Places): $2000 in June, $14,000 to date
Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland): $2500
Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl): $1500 in June, $2500 to date
Bridget Fonda (Jackie Brown): $600 in June, $2000 to date
Tate Donovan (Damages, The O.C.): $125 in June, $1622 to date
Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live): $500
Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked, GCB): $500
Topher Grace (That 70s Show): $500
Bernadette Peters (The Jerk): $250
PRIORITIES USA (pro-Obama super PAC):
Morgan Freeman (Dark Knight Rises, Million Dollar Baby): $1 million
ROMNEY CAMPAIGN:
John Rich (Country singer, Celebrity Apprentice winner): $2500
ROMNEY VICTORY FUND:
Film producer Jerry Bruckheimer and wife: $25,000
Scott Baio (Arrested Development, Happy Days) and wife: $12,500
Vince McMahon (Pro. wresting exec.) & Linda McMahon (CT Senate hopeful): $9910
RESTORE OUR FUTURE (pro-Romney super PAC):
Vince McMahon (Pro. wresting exec.) & Linda McMahon (CT Senate hopeful): $150,000K
- Follow Robert Yoon on Twitter: @robyoon
Who cares all of tinsel town bows at Obama's feet everyone knows that. Where is Sarah Jessica Parker she has a fundraiser for him but doesn't donate herself thats strange.
Judging on Obama's first four years in office and seeing this list, it's no surprise who he REALLY cares about and it sure isn't middle America. All those lavish, multi-million dollar parties at the WH; the heavy-petting fests at "awards" shows and the like – meanwhile the middle class is hurting. Meanwhile, more African Americans are unemployed than almost any other time in our nation's history. Meanwhile, the poverty rate in this country has skyrocketed. But Barry and Michelle get to play dressup with their movie buddies and the "cool kid" rappers... and we should be excited about it!
"if you gave satan money you know what happens"
Lemme guess: Jersey Shore?
Romney Is Not My Hero observed:
... They are just listing the Celebs and not the lying, racist, opportunistic, control freaks who really support Mr. Plastic. You know, the 1% of the 1%.
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Don't you mean the "99% of the 1%"?
Willard where's your tax returns and the names of your foreign donors or have they violated TREATIES by contributing to your campaign. International TREATIES require that names be given to Americans.
BB
Morgan is a 1% and oviously an idiot to give this jerk money. what is wrong with you people the anti-crist is among us he is now living in the white house if you gave satan money you know what happens
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The Christian faith also warns of false prophets misleading the people, drawing them away from the redemption.
BB – Get back on your meds. You have really stepped in it this time.
How about all the free support Obama is getting from MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN. If Obama had to pay for all these stations to promote him how much would he be realistically paying? Romney does not get all these TV free promoting, so in reality Romney is outnumbered by TV powerhouses.
@BB. So now President Obama is the anti-christ??? Really? Do you think holy water will help??? These are the very people the GOP/baggers pander to. People with very limited intelligence. If anyone is anti-christ, my money is on the mormon cult leader.
OBAMA 2012!
You gotta love the GOP. They get all bent out of shape when hollywood celebs contribute a million here or there to President Obama but have no problem at all when people like Sheldon Adelson is willing to contribute more than a hundred million to Romney. Hey, less than 200 people will contribute over 80% of all contributions to the GOP this year it has been reported. Hypocrites all on the right.
Good for Hollywood!!! Looks like I'll be saving some money not supporting these bozos!
Did Robert Downy Jr really give to Obama? I thought that he was a conservative.
I hope Romney soon falls off the face of this earth. He is the biggest liar in the world and a basic crook who claims to be a christian. He tells a different story about everything he believes in since he has been running for an office clear back to year God one. I'll take Obama over any president we have ever had, all the way back to FDR. All you poor and middle class people VOTE FOR HIM, there are more of us than there are of them. Plus we are the "YOU PEOPLE", that Romney he has no intention of showing his tax records too. Go Obama and cut Bush's tax credit welfare for the 1%.
Thank you Mr. Freeman, Mr. Frampton, et al. Congrats – your support for our President is very muchl appreciated.
Obama/Biden 2012
I'm sure there are far more Romney contributors but they can't be very public about it or else they risk retaliation by those very diverse and tolerant people on the left.
Myviewis
How about all the free support Obama is getting from MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN. If Obama had to pay for all these stations to promote him how much would he be realistically paying? Romney does not get all these TV free promoting, so in reality Romney is outnumbered by TV powerhouses.
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Fox News Channel. It is a 24/7 source of conservative dogma and anti-Obama messaging. All of those stations that you cited do not combine to even half of the negative campaigning that Fox puts out.
You seem to share the collective dislike for "main stream media." I take it you prefer "fair and balanced" Fox News, which is not a part of the "main stream media." So if Fox is not part of the "main stream", doesn't make them part of the "extreme"?
@jmaz. Sorry, actually I'm working as are everyone in my family and all of my friends. Many of us lost our jobs in early 2008, before President Obama was even the nominee. But thanks to him, we are all gainfully employed once again.
OBAMA 2012!
I love the contrast. Obama has the likes of Morgan Freedman, Tom Hanks, and even though he's not an actor – Bruce Springsteen contributing to his campaign. Romney has the Hollywood nutcases like the McMahan's contributing to him. I noticed, where's The Donald and Chuck Norris? I bet crazy man Nuggett didn't contribute.
S.B. Stein E.B. NJ asked:
Did Robert Downy Jr really give to Obama? I thought that he was a conservative.
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I think that was when he was doing drugs. He's given them up. Listening to the doom and gloom of conservative talking points is enough to drive anyone to seek escape from reality.
Yes "TREE" if jobs, growth and prosperity sounds like a Fool...than I'll be a working one and going for prosperity.....
That's why I never buy or rent a video or attend a movie, I'm not sending my hard earned money to the liberal in Hollywood.
"If Obama had to pay for all these stations to promote him how much would he be realistically paying?"
Please explain to the class how those networks are "promoting" Obama by pretending Mittens' blatantly out-of-context criticism of the "you didn't build that" statement is somehow legitimate and neesd to be discussed, rather than calling it for it is: a cynical lie and misrepresentation.
No big suprise; most people know the overwhelming majority of entertainers support Barack Obama and any other Democrats on the ballot. So Romney should hide the fact that he receives donations and support from the likes of Ted Nugent and Donald Trump, but there's nothing wrong with a Barack Obama Super PAC receiving $1 million from Bill Maher, a chauvenist bigot who called Sarah Palin the C-Word and much more?
Mark from Louisiana
That's why I never buy or rent a video or attend a movie, I'm not sending my hard earned money to the liberal in Hollywood.
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then I guess you'll never see Bruce Willis, Arnold S, Kelsey Grammar, James Woods, Jon Voight, Chuck Norris, Kurt Russell, Paul Sorvino, Mel Gibson, Vary Sinese, Fred Thompson, Dennis Hopper, Vince Vaughn, Tom Berenger, Andy Garcia, etc since they are all conservatives. Cheapskates that let the multimillionaire/billionaires do their bidding
Thanks Hollywood for supporting our President !