Obama Asking Hollywood for Help in Health Care Push

Meredith Jessup | October 07, 2009 3:45 PM

If he can't get his health care measure pushed through on its own merits, President Obama plans to capitalize on America's fascination with celebrity culture.

According to CNN

, the president has called on some of his Hollywood friends to help him urging public support for his health care plan--a plan I'd bet not one person in the commercial will ever be affected by. And who better to orchestrate this absurd idea than Barack's own Organizing for America?

President Obama is turning to a handful of Hollywood stars to judge a contest that asks grassroots supporters to create a television commercial promoting health care reform.
Musician Will.I.Am, actor John Cho, actress Rosario Dawson, actor Dul? Hill, "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane, actor Brandon Routh, actress Kate Walsh and actress Olivia Wilde will join Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, DNC Executive Director Jen O'Malley Dillon, Rep. Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe and volunteers in helping to pick the 30-second commercial that will air nationally, a DNC official tells CNN.
The contest is being run by Obama's political arm – Organizing for America – which is housed at DNC headquarters in Washington, DC. It is the latest effort by the president's political team to try and enlist the grassroots to help pressure Congress to pass health care reform this year.
"We know that compelling videos can touch people in a way that words alone simply cannot," Natalie Foster, OFA's new media director, said in an e-mail announcing the contest last week. "The messages that regular people put together will make a bigger difference than any false smears or slick ads the other side can dream up. And who knows — your creative, powerful, or touching video could help tip the balance in favor of health reform."
OFA will officially announce the names of the judges late Wednesday morning. The contest ends October 18.