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Barack Obama’s new VP choice Joe Biden has never received much financial support from Hollywood, unlike so many Democratic senators. According to the Center For Responsive Politics, which follows political money, Biden throughout his U.S. Senate career has raised only $390,298 from the TV/Movies/Music sector, including a mere $187,600 from entertainment industry donors in 2008 while he was running for President. 
I took a look at some of Biden’s biggest Hollywood donors in 2008 — big being a relative term here since individual contributions to the candidates are capped at $2,300 a person — and they included: 2-time MGM/UA owner Kirk Kerkorian, Fox Filmed Entertainment Group chairman Tom Rothman, Westwood One Broadcasting owner Norm Pattiz, Carsey-Werner TV mogul Tom Werner, singer Barry Manilow, Endeavor agency partner Tom Strickler, Warner Bros Pictures Distribution SVP Howard Welinsky, Warner Music chairman/CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr, IAC chairman/CEO Barry Diller, indie filmmaker Sidney Kimmel, and Santa Monica movie producer Bill Benensen and his wife Laurie. For the 2008 Iowa caucus, Biden enlisted The West Wing‘s Richard Schiff (aka Toby Ziegler) to spend the weekend barnstorming across the state with Biden. News reports said Schiff championed the 6-term Delaware senator as an experienced pol who wouldn’t “have to spend two or three years learning how to be president.” Biden dropped out shortly afterward, complaining he couldn’t garner media attention what with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton receiving all the fanfare because, “This is about celebrity.”
But it’s surprising that Biden was never able to raise more money in Hollywood given that his senior position on the Senate Judiciary Committee put him in the middle of infotainment controversies over intellectual property, privacy and antitrust law. On telecom issues, Biden supported net neutrality as a recent presidential candidate, but he’s not seen as necessarily a string supporter of pro net-neutrality legislation. And, on the intellectual property front, “Biden doesn’t seem to have strayed from the rest of the judiciary committee democrats’ stance of being more of a friend to Hollywood than to Silicon Valley,” according to Wired.com. Also, his focus has been on piracy, and he co-chairs the congressional international anti-piracy caucus. ”Our ideas, our music, our books, our movies, our innovations are just as precious as any tangible property,” Biden has said.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Biden — the perfect foil for Palin!
Now this is interesting.
Especially from the donors. Does Senator Biden have a personality that lacks chrisma? Mind you I admire the fact he has forign policy experince. Bet Senator Obama’s selection raddle the hollywood base early this morning like a San Andreas fault. But it’s like a slap in the face to Speaker Pelosi who was doing her own power plays suggesting name her Texan.
The thing about Biden that Hollywood never got was his straight up honesty–he tells it like it is and doesn’t blow smoke up your ass. He will NOT play the game and the power brokers in town here don’t get it. I can say enough about how pleased I am for Biden (in summer we used to eat ice cream together at the same Wilmington ice cream parlor, so I’m a little biased). Joe’s a good guy, who deserves the position of VP and he’ll do the office proud (unlike some who held the office recently).
Joe Biden? What’s the matter, wasn’t Neil Kinnock available?
Hey Hmmmmmmmmm I agree. Joe’s is a great guy and I’m not from his state! He DOES indeed tell it like it is and is a straight up honest guy. I know Barrack personally and he is too. What a great ticket, if anyone will change things it’s these two!!! Obama – Biden in 08 – for a change and we need it!!!!
Saying that Hollywood hasn’t contributed much to his candidacy over the 30 plus years he’s been in the Senate seems to ignore the obvious. Don’t liberal activists (which for the purposes of this post I’m defining as anyone who contributes money to a campaign) generally try and support those whose seat is in jeopardy, or whose candidacy needs all the help it can get? I think it’s safe to say that since he was elected in 1972, Biden hasn’t needed that much help getting re-elected. Especially buying advertising in a market as small and relativly inexpensive as Delaware’s. I mean, I may be wrong on this, but it would probably be educational to see how much Hollywood has contributed to someone such as Ted Kennedy (in a similarly safe Senate seat).
Now, to point to his two presidential campaigns…well, that’s a slightly different story. Though I’d imagine any lack of Hollywood involvement can be chalked up to Biden never being viable enough to support in the first place. I mean…how much money did Gephardt ever raise from the 310/323/818 during his assorted Presidential candidacies?
Still though, I understand your point – which is, for a guy with this much power and influence, he’s conspicuously absent from Katzenberg dinner parties.
The selection of Biden was, IMO, a very strategic choice. Early on I had been impressed by his plan for Iraq – in a large field of candidates – his plan made a lot of sense given the history of decisions regarding how countries were formed after WWII have come back to bite later generations in the ass.
I’m impressed by his experience in foreign policy. If ever this country needed someone with experience in this area, it is now after the last 8 years of ill- conceived and mis-managed diplomacy. Oh, wait, we didn’t use diplomacy did we…
I also like a person who isn’t afraid to speak his mind. I’d rather we have someone who will be honest with us than someone who will manipulate information to his further his own agenda. Yes, I speak of Mr. Bush. But I do give Bush high marks for completing the task that had been assigned him – no, not the one he was elected to do – the one his father’s oil cronies expected of him – a barrel of oil has reached prices that I have never seen in my lifetime.
But back to Biden…
He and Obama could be an excellent team, each bringing a set of talents, that hopefully, will be used to give this country something it desperately needs – renewed credibility and effectiveness throughout the world and a strong economic boost.
Best of all, he isn’t just a Senator. He’s also a client of Hair Club for Men.
Joe Biden is an excellent choice…for McCain supporters.
Mr. Hmmmmm I agree, Biden is forthright, tough, and will bust McCain’s balls in a good ole’ east coast fashion, which is necessary if we are to get the most evil aspect of the establishment out of power for a little while.
The only question I would have for any of these politicians would be when they plan to indite the current administration for war crimes amongst many other charges. (Manipulation of the Judicial, the New Orleans debacle, the illegal war contracts etc.)
Watch ya money, they’re trying to get it !
Agreeing with Hmmmmmm, I think it’s a great choice. He fills in some holes and even though he doesn’t stand for change, change is too frightening and brave a concept for most voters, so he should be perfect. Finally a straight shooter, something we’ve lacked for such a long time This should be interesting. I hope the ‘industry’ doesn’t overdo it at the convention because that will certainly be held against the candidates in the short run…..and because their exhibitionism and self-congradulatory behavior is pretty nausiating most of the time. Just a great choice.
Does Toby know he didn’t really work at the White House?
Of all the senators that could have been a better selection, he choose this guy!! Is he being political correct??
Look, Nikki, I’m just a little person in the world. This doesn’t do me any harm or any good. In fact, I would venture to say to neither McCain or Obama will make a dent in how Hollywood operates, or in my daily struggle to survive financially. The only people it affects are the fatcats who run things. But me, I get whatever crumbs fall off the table.
I’m haunted by his hair plugs
Election is rigged, of course…
Biden should also do well with certain Hollywood figures considering his background in plagiarizing (Neil Kinnock speeches, his college papers, etc.)!
Biden is perfect for Hollywood! He sees a great idea and takes it as his own…And then claims his idea was better.
Washington insider, no executive experience, no real-world experience, guilty of plagiarism. but . . . Biden’s resume demolishes Obama’s. But then, so does everybody else’s.
Hollywood passed on Biden because his campaign for President, both times, was DOA. As a Senator, he talks too long, says too much and offends too many.
The choice is a yawner.
helen, i hear ya, i hear ya. if you buy the doubleshot at starbucks it’s only $2.80 and it’s still a flavored coffee drink. just a little something i figured out, you know, ways to beat the system!
i was a Hillary supporter who swore i’d put my vote in mccain but now with biden i’m thinking Obama-rama all the way. the Dems are more of a friend to us little guys. and im my neighborhood if you don’t drive a Benz you’re a little guy.
eb, commenting earlier, is the reason that you should pass a test to earn the right to vote. While “eb” tries to sound thoughtful, the points aren’t based in anything factual. As much as we’d love to believe that Bush controls oil prices (and the world), it’s JUST NOT TRUE. Sure, let’s throw out the futures market. Let’s forget speculation. Screw OPEC, and ignore Iran’s glee in holding back supplies to keep prices high. Blind yourself to OPEC quotes stating that they’re happy with higher oil prices and they may cut supply to keep oil from falling again. Look the other way when you see every country in the world paying higher gas prices. Want to tie the problems to a falling dollar? Sure, go ahead, but don’t count the fact that despite the dollar’s loss against the euro, European countries are also suffering from higher gas prices. China and India ARE NOT growing at RECORD rates and demand is NOT increasing exponentially–make yourself believe that, and you’ll vote for Obama.
I’ve been a life-long Democrat but I can’t do it anymore. I believe money is well spent taking care of people who can’t take care of themselves in this country, but it’s now to a point where everyone wants a handout and no one can learn about the issues. The DNC churns out talking points that every liberal recites without having a clue why.
Biden is arrogant, just like Obama, he’s made racial comments toward Obama, he’s went on about Obama’s lack of experience, his segregation idea for Iraq was lunacy, he wanted to pay off Iran to make us look like good guys, and no one remembers his lies and plagiarism when he ran for POTUS. Obama would have won with Hillary, but his ego has gotten the best of him again.
McCain will win, and maybe this country will stop whining–or maybe they’ll pick up a book and learn something. The only things that are causing stress to this economy (which is still by far the best in the world) are gas prices and the housing crash. No President can control those issues, just as Clinton couldn’t control the stock market speculation that his rich buddies profited from but my mom lost half her retirement while it burst. Gas prices, however, could get a quick relief until we get weened off of oil is another arrogant Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, would stop playing Goddess and let the American people speak for drilling.
So yes, eb, voters like you are destroying America for spewing ignorance publicly. You join BobABooey with his mention of Katrina–obviously he doesn’t read. As quoted in Bloomberg, “Governor Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat, isn’t seeking re- election after facing criticism for how she dealt with the storms.” Katrina was mismanaged by the Democrats in power so badly they the governor chose not to run for re-election. Bobby Jindal, the new governor, won’t have that same problem.
“the Dems are more of a friend to us little guys. and im my neighborhood if you don’t drive a Benz you’re a little guy”
Wow, the Dems are more of a friend to the little guys even though Obama is promising to “tax the heck out of everyone and redistribute it all at the end”? And Obama is planning to bring back the inheritance tax too?? Hmm…doesn’t sound like a friend to the “little guys” to me. Sounds like he would like to take away your Benz, sell it, and then give to whoever he would deem “worthy.”
I don’t get the multiple testimonials to Joe ‘Hairplugs’ Biden’s honesty. He had to drop out of the 1988 race partly because of plagiarism charges – that’s the DIShonest attempt to pass over other people’s work as his own.
This may be referencing a time that was before many of your readers were born, but I recall him in another mess in the 1988 campaign. CSPAN cameras were following him around and he has a verbal duel with some poor slob. Not liking being challenged, Biden comes across as a first class jerk by telling the guy that he knows he is smarter than he is. That’s a dubious way to argue – one may be much more intelligent than another and still be wrong. His style was amateur hour and embarrassing.
But best of all, in listing his self serving accomplishments to the poor slob, in his effort to demonstrate how much smarter he was, he was revealed in the NY Times a short while later to be lying about much of his resume. The facts didn’t match much of his bluster at all.
That may pass for honesty in LA-LA Land, but not anywhere else. He was an adult when he behaved this way, already in his mid-40s, so any defense of his dishonesty based on youth & inexperience don’t hold much water.
Meaningful change is unlikely to ever come from the two major parties, or the candidates the put forth. Why? It doesn’t have to. Both parties know they can get away with doing whatever they want, and the most that will happen is that you (the voting public) will retaliate by voting the other side in for awhile. That doesn’t accomplish much. It’s like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Ever heard of the principles of “divide and conquer”? Most people have been tricked into adopting a dualistic political tribalism (Left vs. Right / Democrat vs. Republican) that is mostly fiction, and oversimplifies the complex ideological landscape. It’s perpetuated by a combination of team/tribal pride, personal/family tradition, suppression of the available alternatives, and the way the framers’ winner-take-all election system interacts with the organized political parties that sprang up after this system was adopted. Wisely, George Washington had the foresight to warn America of “the mischiefs of the spirit of party” during his farewell address.
The only dualistic struggle that exists is the same one that conceived this nation in the first place:
Tyranny vs. Freedom / Government vs. The Governed / Respecting Leaders vs. Respecting Laws
Don’t trust Democrats. Why? The left is hypercritcal. Further in my opioin the left has hurt the the Democrat party as a whole. Look at MoveOn.org and thier dirty tactics. I read in Rolling Stone that they’ve been drafting musicians. Question how many musicians who come out supporting Democratic canidates end up losing thier fans? Left wingers,in their socialist agenda,thier hate blogs,have in the end done more damage to the party than good. MoveOn supports Obama and everyone knows it. Senator Obama hasn’t been honest with the public either over his trip to Pakistan in the 80s and now information is coming out about his Annenberg Project and his wife’s social Activism. The American voter is more informed than the idealogueist think. By the way Speaker Pelosi got called a traitor at a Jewish Women’s Symposium.
Obama doesn’t honestly come across as a change agent either. He talks the talk but he isn’t a change agent. I’ve seen more change agents in the private sector than in the public sector.
If I were Joe Biden (who has always been my first choice for president) I would be very proud not to have raised a pot of money from the “Hollywood Enclave”. This man certainly has nothing to prove to a vacuous, pointless collection of neurotic weirdos that collectively and mistakenly we call Hollywood!
With respect to Mr. Obama, I do wish the ticket was reversed, though. But believe you me, Joe Biden will make a positive mark on history and on the vice-presidency that will make the “Hollywood” rats scuttle back into their $50 million dollar caves.
Jerry,
Thank you for the interpretation of my comments.
I guess I’m like every other schmuck in this country who doesn’t read as much as you or who doesn’t have the facts straight.
Let’s just look at this from what the unintellectuals out here like me feel – just my gut feeeling ‘kay? — since I’m not ever going to be as “smart” or as smug as you…
When Bush came to office gas was 99 cents a gallon. It has reached over $4.60 a gallon in the last year.
To say that he doesn’t control gas prices is ignorant. Government policies and activities, i.e. war in the Middle East have an impact. Speculators wouldn’t be speculating if we were in a stable time in our history.
Bush had an agenda and it had nothing to do with “fighting terror” it had to do with getting Sadaam out of power and it was just a incidental “bonus” that his friends will make a ton of money from it.
As to my politics, I was a life-long REPUBLICAN until Bush’s second term. So much for your assumptions.
I am now an Independent so I look at what BOTH the Democratic and Republican candidates will be saying.
I stand by my comments, Biden has his issues, but he has, IMO, the best plan for getting us out of the mess in Iraq. And BUSH was the one who got us into that.