Opinion — Hanging Out With The Swells And The Silly Season

The description for this blog warns of the likelihood of an occasional rant.  Even though this really doesn’t qualify as anything so passionate, I must admit that it has nothing to do with crime fiction, crime film or San Francisco.  But while others were passionately following the Olympics, I’ve been following the political contests.  I’m proud the U.S. did so well in London and I am in awe of the skills many of these athletes have developed, but my life is not likely to change no matter how many medals Michael Phelps wins. My life might change if the make up of Congress or the person in the Oval Office changes.  Yet no one tunes in here to find out for whom to vote.

So I pondered how could I present the choice for president, for example, in a way that just stated the facts? How about guilt by association I thought? Maybe we could look at those people we all know — celebrities — and find out who they support.  That may not be right, but it certainly is interesting.  Based on our own choice for president, who agrees with us?

Donald Trump Endorsed Mitt Romney

This list is not a complete list.  I have no idea what’s in the mind of celebrities who haven’t made public their support.  However, these are the celebrities who have. I’ve gathered their names from various web sources, supported by other sources, often including the candidates’ and the supporters’ own statements.

Mitt Romney got a boost from the recent endorsement by Hollywood legend and millionaire Clint Eastwood.  Only moments before, it seems, Romney was endorsed by porn legend and millionaire Jenna Jameson.  “When you’re rich, you want a Republican in office,” she was widely reported to have said. From a universally honored, legendary actor, writer and director to queen of the triple X-rated, what do the celebrity endorsement lists look like so far?  I searched. Who else, among those folks we all know, wants Romney to lead the country and who would rather have President Obama continue? 

Support for former Governor Mitt Romney include, in addition to Eastwood, Chuck Norris, Jon Voight and Jenna Jameson and comedian Jeff Foxworthy. Romney fans also include musicians Ted Nugent, Kid Rock, Gene Simmons and Pat Boone as well as Donnie and Marie Osmond. Wrestling mogul Vince McMahon and the mogul’s mogul and sometimes millionaire Donald Trump also stand behind Romney.

Bill Gates Endorsed Barack Obama

For President Barack Obama there are swoonful actors George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio as well as rising star Elizabeth Banks.  Respected director Steven Spielberg, as well as comedians Neil Patrick Harris and Ellen DeGeneres support the current leader. Writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are) is in the Obama camp. Singer, songwriter and actor John Legend; money guru Suze Orman; clothing designer Michael Kors and former CEO and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates also back the current White House resident.

Two final statements.  First, there are rumors of many others who have implied their support for one or the other.  I only used celebrities who have “officially” endorsed theirs.  Second, I’m not a party-goer and, of course, I wouldn’t be invited to either party’s party even if I was, but if the impossible actually happened, which group would I most like to hang with? My choice here was as easy as the choice I made before I knew which celebrities liked which candidates.  You?