When choosing who to support in politics, different people have various standards. Some are single issue voters and won’t cast a ballot for a candidate who disagrees with them on a specific issue, such as eliminating secret ballot elections. Others choose a candidate based on specific areas of concern, like national security or fiscal responsibility. And still others may seek out candidates they believe most closely shares their values.
This weekend, liberal Hollywood Democrats are choosing to support the candidates they believe most closely represent their values. This Saturday, the Hollywood crowd is hosting a fundraiser for like-minded Senate candidates who include Tom Allen of Maine, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Mark Udall of Colorado, Tom Udall of New Mexico, Al Franken of Minnesota, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Mark Begich of Alaska. The group has pledged a minimum of $100,000 for each candidate. Not a cheap investment, even for such an affluent group of Hollywood fat-cats.
But just as everyday citizens choose the politician they support, politicians choose the donors they associate themselves with. Therefore, it is curious these candidates would choose to associate with a group whose genesis can be traced to nefarious characters like Hanoi Jane Fonda and her now-disbanded 1980’s Hollywood Women’s Political Committee. More disconcerting, however, is these candidates’ willingness to associate themselves with the guest list for Saturday’s soirée.
According to Politico, the group sponsoring the event includes individuals like Marg Helgenberger, Steven Spielberg, wife Kate Capshaw and Elisabeth Shue, wife of Davis Guggenheim who directed An Inconvenient Truth. Shue recently commended fellow actor Matt Damon after his vicious attack on Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. In which he said,
“It's like a really bad Disney movie, ‘The Hockey Mom.' Oh, I'm just a hockey mom from Alaska, and she's president," said Damon. ‘She's facing down Vladimir Putin and using the folksy stuff she learned at the hockey rink. It's absurd.”
After such statements, one is left wondering why Alaskan Mark Begich will gladly accept money from an individual who openly agrees with celebrities who impugn his home state.
Most upsetting of the event attendees is Jodie Evans. Is she a movie star? No. A Hollywood power-player? No. Evans is a hero to the liberals of Hollywood because she is a representative of the dominant wing of the Democrat party – she is the co-founder of Code Pink.
If Reps. Allen, Udall and Udall along with Kay Hagan, Jeff Merkley, Al Franken, Jeanne Shaheen and Mark Begich don’t agree with these views, why would they take such generous donations? Not surprisingly, Jeanne Shaheen, who has welcomed the support of other entertainment industry liberals including Carol King, Bonnie Rait and Michael J. Fox, is excited for these tainted funds she told an organizer, “…the $100,000 she'll receive is the largest donation made to her campaign.” After such a declaration voters are left to wonder who Shaheen will be beholden to if she is elected – Hollywood or Granite Staters.
But for some of these candidates support from extremist groups comes as no surprise. For instance, Boulder Liberal Mark Udall has voted repeatedly against funding our troops and opposed legislation to expedite the delivery of their armor. Not surprisingly, the Boulder Liberal’s cousin Tom Udall has voted similarly. If given the chance, will Kay Hagan join them in siding with extremist groups that actively oppose our troops?
This November, when you vote, you will make a choice about which candidate shares your ideals and values. You will choose who will govern you and make decisions on the direction of this country. But you should not vote for someone financially beholden to ultra-liberal Hollywood actors who demean women opposed their views. Nor should you vote for a candidate indebted to extremist groups which advocate for the murder of American citizens and soldiers.
We all make choices in life, including choices about the people we associate ourselves with. Tom Allen, Kay Hagan, Jeff Merkley, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Al Franken, Jeanne Shaheen and Mark Begich have clearly stated who they choose to associate with and whose values they share. That is why when you are in the voting booth this fall, the choice is clear, the choice is Republican.