ATLANTA —No presidential candidates worth their chauffeured SUVs have reached their personal zenith without this: celebrities to vouch for them. They are the glam and glitter of political campaigns, sure to turn even jaded political operatives into fawning celeb watchers.
Nobody commands the nexus of stardom and politics more than President Barack Obama. Mocked by opponents during his 2008 campaign for being a celebrity himself, he draws from a broad assortment of personalities — Hollywood liberals, NBA stars and more.
Friday offered a case in point. Obama was on his way to Atlanta to raise money with film producer Tyler Perry at a gala event featuring a performance by pop star Cee Lo Green. His just-released campaign biopic is narrated by actor Tom Hanks.
On Thursday, a White House visit by Obama backer and Oscar-winner George Clooney to meet with the president over conditions in Sudan drew a gaggle of press coverage.
Obama, though, has no monopoly on big names.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has campaigned with Jeff Foxworthy, the genial comedian with a repertoire of redneck jokes, persuaded rocker-rapper Kid Rock to perform at a campaign rally and won supportive words from KISS lead singer Gene Simmons.
Newt Gingrich has action- film star Chuck Norris in his corner. Rick Santorum has been endorsed by Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine, and Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, stars of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” have made campaign appearances with him. Ron Paul has an eclectic list of shoutouts from the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dogg, Oliver Stone, Juliette Lewis, Vince Vaughn, Joe Rogan and Jesse Ventura.
Such proximity to stardom can reap big benefits for a politician. Chris Lehane, a Democratic consultant who has had his brush with the stars working for Al Gore and Bill Clinton, said personalities help alter the typical, antiseptic look of a political event.
“These celebrities, one of the reasons they are celebrities, is they have a unique ability to connect with people,” he said. “You’re using them as a bridge to connect with their fans and their audiences.”
But stars can be loose cannons, Lehane said. They don’t always subscribe or adhere to the campaign talking points. Lehane recalled Cher attracting a group of reporters at a campaign event for Al Gore in the fall of 2000 where she was advocating views about the Middle East that were at odds with the Gore campaign ticket.
