Obama Hollywood Fundraisers: President's Support Slipping

Feeling the heat from a disenchanted Hollywood, President Obama is sending in his personal troops to rally Tinseltown support.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, former Bahamas Ambassador Nicole Avant is being sent to LA to help set up a number of fundraisers and meet and greet opportunities for the President, First Lady and other members of the administration. Avant, daughter of music executive and prominent Democrat Clarence Avant, will try to mend fences between Hollywood and the President.

In screenwriting parlance, this would the Long Road Back; Obama was once the toast of the entertainment industry, a hero behind whom actors, directors, producers and writers rallied. He raised scores of cash from industry bigwigs, and benefitted from campaign appearances and videos made by stars such as Matt Damon, Will.i.am and Scarlett Johansson.

Obama's vocal supporters have splintered between those now angry with his policies and those happy with his time in office. Matt Damon, one of his earliest celebrity backers, has been particularly loud with his disapproval, speaking out a number of times against his economic and educational policies. In the most recent issue of Elle, he said, "I've talked to a lot of people who worked for Obama at the grassroots level. One of them said to me, 'Never again. I will never be fooled again by a politician.' You know, a one-term president with some balls who actually got stuff done would have been, in the long run of the country, much better."

On the other hand, Damon's friend George Clooney has professed continued support for the President.

"I'm disillusioned by the people who are disillusioned by Obama, quite honestly, I am," the "Ides of March" director told Peter Travers in October. "Democrats eat their own. Democrats find singular issues and go, 'Well, I didn't get everything I wanted.' I'm a firm believer in sticking by and sticking up for the people whom you've elected. If he was a Republican running, because Republicans are better at this. They'd be selling him as the guy who stopped 400,000 jobs a month from leaving the country. They'd be selling him as the guy who saved the auto-industry. If they had the beliefs, they'd be selling him as the guy who got rid of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' who got Osama bin Laden. You could be selling this as a very successful three years."

Fiscally, things aren't looking as good for Obama this election cycle as they did last time; Hollywood has donated $9,249,303 this year compared with $11,966,077 four years ago, the Center for Responsive Politics reported recently.

Obama attended a number of Hollywood fundraisers in the fall of 2011, including one hosted by Antonio Banderas.

For more, click over to The Hollywood Reporter.

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Comments

[sudzbuddy6]

02:49 PM on 01/19/2012

More and more people are pulling the curtain back to see what they actually voted for and are expressing deep buyers remorse. Obama and his croonies are in full blown scramble mode. O puts out an ad today trying to bolster his base. At this point in his term, he should be concentrating on the Independents. Not a good sign for the boy kings administration.

Come on Nov!!!

[catt11man]

11:06 PM on 01/08/2012

People are aware that Obama is destroying America from within, and I hope 2012 is the year he is voted out of office.

[Frod43]

11:10 AM on 01/06/2012

hollywood is so different this time....fool me once..etc, etc,,,

[BobbyEast]

11:58 PM on 01/05/2012

I agree with George Clooney

[polkarde]

08:48 PM on 01/05/2012

I have only one thing to say to Matt Damon and his doubting cohorts....Oh ye of little faith!

[StillRelevantBoomer]

07:43 PM on 01/05/2012

I agree with George. We would be shooting ourselves in both feet by not supporting President Obama.

[cincinnati]

02:33 AM on 01/06/2012

as a former strong supporter I still hope he will suddenly decide not to run...
he's very wounded and it will be a divided country even if he does win...
30-40% of the US, hard core right wing, used to be disgusted by
him, now they hate him and will give much more money
this time.....it's mostly unfair but the nasty Fox
channel has stired this up, 24/7..[ and they
also pushed for Santorum hard over the last
10 days....hince his 'surprise' showing....
Fox is evil and can not be underestimated ]

I now see Hillary would have won bigger and still
could this year. The GOP would have lost their
punching bag and would easily lose. I'm just
trying to be realistic.

I think it would be better for his family too. He can
always run again for Pres or Senator later.

[pllc]

04:04 PM on 01/05/2012

I always wondered how mamy of these celebs who are donating funds to Obama's PAC actually are voting for the Republican when the curtains close behind them. Except for a very few, I believe quite a few do. to keep their jobs in Hollywood. I know I would to survive in that industry.

[O Really]

01:35 AM on 01/06/2012

How would anyone know who you voted for behind the curtains closed as you say..?
There are quite a few Republican Actors and Actresses in Hollywood
as it should be as talent knows no political stripe...

[loggerboots]

02:48 PM on 01/05/2012

So, he is 2 mill down from 4 yrs ago,from celebrities,big deal. He raised 150 mill in the last 3 month's of 11,add that to to the 1 bill that is tucked away, the Pres is not hurting for money.

[GBulldog]

02:26 PM on 01/05/2012

CHANGE IS A COMIN"....NO MORE OBAMA

[314QT]

03:58 PM on 01/05/2012

I think you meant to say "Change is a comin' because of Obama." Well, at least I think that sounds better.

[GBulldog]

04:26 PM on 01/05/2012

But I think that after 3 years, it should have happened by now. Oh wait, it did ! Highest national debt, highest unemployment, housing crash, families living in shelters. IT DID COME !

[msperry1123]

01:53 PM on 01/05/2012

Hey, how does President Santorum sound to you, Matt Damon??? Get a grip. The recession hit my family very hard, we have struggled, lost our home and are working harder and longer for less pay. But I will be volunteering for the President's re-election campaign, I will send whatever I can afford.

[Ellyllon]

01:01 PM on 01/05/2012

Sticking by 'their President' is just what I didn't like about Bush supporters. If I voted on one issue, and trusted my candidate to do what he promised, I'd be disappointed. I *didn't* vote on one issue, but Obama has veered pretty far from what I heard him say in the campaign. He's far more hawkish than I dared fear, his stand on detention stunned me, & his actions regarding the environment have been depressing. Since the Republican choices seem set to do everything x10, I'd still vote for him, but I'm not cheering, & I'm not sending him money this time.

[O Really]

01:43 AM on 01/06/2012

From the Miami Herald regarding detention as this is generally misconstrued :

"The administration also pushed Congress to change a provision that would have denied U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism the right to trial and could have subjected them to indefinite detention. Lawmakers eventually dropped the military custody requirement for U.S. citizens or lawful U.S. residents."

“My administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens,” Obama said in the signing statement. “Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a nation.”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/31/2568459/obama-signs-defense-bill-despite.html#storylink=cpy

[speeddeeps]

12:44 PM on 01/05/2012

We Democrats never seem to be happy, GW Bush didnt overturn Roe v Wade nor did he introduce Marriage Protection Amendment , and they still backed him for a second term in 2004 enthusiastically, I am with George Clooney on this one.

[henery]

11:37 AM on 01/05/2012

They give Michelle on of those Hollywood wigs to wear I see.

[Cakey4814]

01:37 PM on 01/05/2012

Can't write; can't spell and obviously can't see...

[smp276dp]

11:02 AM on 01/05/2012

This is the part if politics we as voters need to change and fast. Get all this money out of the political system. They are going to spend in the billions of dollars. For a job that pays 400k a year. That is a damn shame. You realize how many hungry people that could feed. Voters need to do something about this and now.

[rosey7]

10:40 AM on 01/05/2012

Oh, please, getting money from celebrities is a whole lot better than getting money from secret pacs or big business with all the strings attached to that croneyism. Maybe, Damon should have finished Harvard. Politics changed with Citizens United, even McCain rails against that decision. And it was our apathy in an off year election, which almost always happens, that put tea partiers in charge who have thwarted everything Obama has tried to do. His first two years in office, more legislation was passed than any since FDR's. Get back our congress, hold the senate and watch what Obama will have the votes to accomplish. And anyway, Damon, who are you going to vote for, Romney, maybe Santorum?