Political debate of 2004 — Hollywood style

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger notwithstanding, Hollywood has always been an indispensable source of cash for left-leaning politicians, anteing up $7 to Democrats for every three that go to the GOP. And during this election year, a seemingly unprecedented number of actors, singers and comedians are voicing their opinions on issues like the Iraq War, and the race between John Kerry and George W. Bush. Even young starlets, the kind who should be busy switching boyfriends and packing for rehab, are spouting anti-Bush rhetoric and (gasp) threatening to actually vote.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. We call upon celebrities to help us with issues such as Miller versus Bud or T-Mobile versus Sprint, so why not do the same with Kerry and Bush? Okay, dumb question — and come to think of it, what the hell does Catherine Zeta-Jones know about cell phones, anyway? With regard to politics, it’s a moot point, because the Hollywood elite — Lincoln’s “better angels of our nature” for the 21^st Century, if you will — is offering its advice whether we want it or not. Even some of music’s biggest stars, including Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam, are raising their voices on the subject as they prepare to launch the “Vote for Change” tour in October.

And, should you be foolish enough to base your vote in this year’s presidential election on the guidance of the industry that brought you both “Gigli” and “Catwoman,” you’ll be overjoyed by the following rundown of who’s saying what about whom. Just print it out and bring it along to a local polling place on November 2.

VOTE-ROCKERS
Andre (Dre 3000) Benjamin
Claim to fame: Nattily-dressed half of Outkast
On why he didn’t vote in 2000: “I was out of town, I couldn’t see how my vote would matter... I’m really excited about voting for the first time... I’ve just realized how important it is.” — Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 4

Matt Damon
Claim to fame: Putting the Will in “Good Will Hunting”, playing super spy Jason Bourne
On not voting: “My reasoning has always been that because I’m from Massachusetts, everyone I would have voted for didn’t need my vote... That’s changing now because of where we’re going in this country.” — Playboy, August issue

Kirsten Dunst

John D Mchugh  /  AP file

Kirsten Dunst

Claim to fame: Peter Parker’s romantic foil in the Spider-Man series
Why she didn’t vote in 2000: “I think it was just laziness. I wasn’t raised in a family that was real political and I’m just now becoming aware of these issues. I just want to be more informed... this is so important and if we can get anyone to be more political, then that’s a good thing.” — CNSNews.com

BUSH-BASHERS
Robert Altman
Claim to fame: Director of “M*A*S*H”, “Nashville”, “Gosford Park”
Bush bash: Called the President an “embarrassment” in 2002, and labeled the U.S. government “disgusting,” adding “when you see an American flag flying, it’s a joke.” — Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jan. 18

Alec Baldwin

Michael Springer  /  Getty Images file

Alec Baldwin

Claim to fame: Played the original Jack Ryan in “Hunt for Red October”, “Ghosts of Mississippi”, “Glengarry Glen Ross”
Bush bash: “Everything that Bush touches turns to manure in public policy.” — The Scotsman, June 16

George Clooney
Claim to fame: TV's “ER”, titular role in “Ocean’s Eleven”
Bush bash: “The problem is we elected a manager, and we need a leader. Let’s face it: Bush is just dim.” — GQ, January 2003

John Cusack
Claim to fame: “Say Anything”, “Grosse Pointe Blank”, “High Fidelity”
Bush bash: “I don’t remember a time when I thought I’d be coming to a political rally and be saying, you know Richard Nixon was a moderate.” — Associated Press, July 26

Alan Cumming
Claim to fame: Writer, director of “The Anniversary Party”, playing Nightcrawler in “X2: X-Men United”
Bush bash: “I’m going to wait and see who wins. If Bush gets back in, I’m totally getting out of this country. I’m not going to want to be a citizen of this place.” — New York Daily News, July 28

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Larry David
Claim to fame: Co-creator of “Seinfeld,” creator and star of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Bush bash: Writing in the August Vanity Fair, David joked that Kerry should consider him as a vice presidential candidate because he considers himself  “a nincompoop, a chicken and a liar” who could offset President George W. Bush and balance a ticket.

Johnny Depp

Carlo Allegri  /  Getty Images file

Johnny Depp

Claim to fame: Offbeat roles in “Edward Scissorhands”, “Ed Wood” and as Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl”
Bush bash: Likened Bush’s America to a “dumb puppy that has big teeth.” — Associated Press, Nov. 20, 2003

John Leguizamo
Claim to fame: “Summer of Sam”, “Empire”, one-man Broadway shows
Bush bash: Compared GOP-supporting Latinos to “roaches for Raid.”

Bill Maher
Claim to fame: “Politically Incorrect” (cancelled by ABC after Maher’s politically-incorrect post-9/11 comments), hosts “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO
Bush bash: “Certainly having George Bush in office has woke a lot of people up. He came in and said to Democrats, ‘I’m gonna show you what a real Republican is. You think this is going to be like my wussy dad? Oh no. This is some real [expletive] now.’” — Bergen (N.J.) Record, March 17

Natalie Maines
Claim to fame: Lead singer of the Dixie Chicks
Bush bash: Told an audience in London, “Just so you know, we’re ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.”

John Mellencamp
Claim to fame: Rock hits “Jack and Diane”, “Little Pink Houses” and “Authority Song.”
Bush bash: New song “Texas Bandito” calls Bush “another cheap thug that sacrifices our young,” adding: “You’re going to get us killed with your little white lies.”

Gwyneth Paltrow

Evan Agostini  /  Getty Images file

Gwyneth Paltrow

Claim to fame: Won an Oscar for “Shakespeare in Love”, playing Sylvia Plath, naming her daughter Apple
Bush bash: “I think George Bush is such an embarrassment to America in the way that he doesn’t take the rest of the world into consideration.” — The Scotsman, June 16

Tim Robbins
Claim to fame: Starred in “Bull Durham”, “The Shawshank Redemption”, directed “Dead Man Walking”, won an Oscar for “Mystic River”
Bush bash: Told a National Press Club audience in 2003, “a chill wind is blowing this nation.  A message is being sent through the White House and its allies in talk radio and Clear Channel and Cooperstown: If you oppose this administration, there can and will be ramifications.” —Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, April 1

Susan Sarandon
Claim to fame: Playing sultry in “Bull Durham”, saucy in “Thelma and Louise” and pious in “Dead Man Walking”, for which she won an Academy Award
Bush bash: Appeared in 30-second cable TV spots, saying “Before our kids start coming home from Iraq in body bags and women and children start dying in Iraq, I need to know what Iraq did to us.”

Eddie Vedder
Claim to fame: Lead singer of Pearl Jam, which will be part of the “Vote for Change” tour
Bush bash: Impaled a Bush mask on a microphone stand during a performance of the song “Bushleager”, which declares “He’s not a leader, he’s a Texas leaguer”.

BUSH BACKERS
Not only does the GOP have fewer showbiz connections, but well-known Republicans, such as Bruce Willis, Tom Selleck and Bo Derek, have been mostly silent on this year’s election, likely because there was no Republican primary race. Here are a few quotes from the few who have spoken up, both to back Bush and to slam Kerry.

Robert Duvall
Claim to fame: “Godfather” and “Godfather II”, “Apocalypse Now”, “Tender Mercies”
On Michael Moore and other politically-active, Bush-bashing celebs: “They should keep their mouths shut.” — CNSNews.com, April 28, 2003

Dennis Miller

Vince Bucci  /  Getty Images file

Dennis Miller

Claim to fame: Weekend Update host on SNL, HBO comedy specials, CNBC show
Kerry bash: “Those two (Kerry and VP candidate John Edwards) cannot keep their hands off each other, can they?… I think I have a new idea for a new campaign slogan. Use the bumper sticker ‘Hey, Get a Room.’” — Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 27

Vincent Gallo
Claim to fame: Guess model, writer, director of “Buffalo 66”, “Brown Bunny”
On Hollywood's liberals: “I went to the Oscars this year and there were groups of actors showing up in these hybrid vehicles… I’m not going to name names. But not one of these clowns has been on a private plane less than 25 times. It’s one of those great radical clichés of good will that they have in Hollywood. It’s a pathology. They want to feel good about something.” — Washington Times, March 8

Kelsey Grammer
Claim to fame: Playing Frasier on “Cheers” and “Frasier”
On why he didn’t watch last year’s Oscars: “I wasn’t interested. I knew that kind of crap was going to be there and I thought, I am not interested.” — CNSNews.com, April 28, 2003