In celebirty race, star governor has edge

By Michael R. Blood
The Associated Press

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s calendar: Monday, sign bill with George Clooney. Tuesday, hang out with Dalai Lama. Wednesday, sign more legislation with British Prime Minister Tony Blair looped in on video.

Campaigns have their own measures _ fundraising, polls, TV ads. And then there’s the celebrity index. You could say California’s actor-governor has an edge.

Schwarzenegger’s operation has made lavish use of his star wattage as he pursues a second term, routinely rolling out entertainment, political and business luminaries to attract publicity and remind voters that he’s nothing like that other guy on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Red carpet supporters of the Republican include Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg. His old pal Danny DeVito pops up. He gave a speech last week at a women’s conference organized by his celebrity wife, Maria Shriver, where the guest list ranged from Martha Stewart to the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists.

The Democrat in the race, Phil Angelides, has had company from prominent Democratic politicians, including former President Bill Clinton. And he was joined at recent events by actors Ed Begley Jr. and Daniel Stern.

Hollywood and politics have long entwined, particularly in California, where two governors, Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan, were movie stars. But the fact that A-list celebrities aren’t flocking to Angelides reinforces what polls are showing _ that he has yet to stir widespread excitement among Democrats. Finding Oscar winner Clooney, a self-proclaimed liberal, on the governor’s stage is another reminder of Schwarzenegger’s ability to align himself with issues that appeal across party lines.

“I think Angelides has a better chance of trying to arm-wrestle Arnold than he does trying to match him for celebrity attention,” said Jonathan Wilcox, who teaches a class on celebrity and society at the University of Southern California.

Celebrity cameos, Wilcox said, “are less to get votes than they are to add attention, star quality and to demoralize his opponent.”

Andy Spahn, a spokesman for Spielberg and Katzenberg, said both men have years-old relationships with Schwarzenegger. And the governor sought their endorsements, although they did not support him in the 2003 recall election.

There is a “comfort level with the less partisan approach he’s taking to the office,” Spahn said, citing issues including the environment and education.

As an incumbent governor in the nation’s largest state, Schwarzenegger already has a platform to attract big names. His action-film and champion muscleman credentials mean his profile towers over other politicians. His handlers have been careful to enlist celebrities for consequential events, such as signing legislation to withdraw state investments from war-torn Sudan, which Clooney attended.

His wife, a member of the Kennedy clan, has been active lining up Democratic support, too. She called Spielberg and introduced the governor to the Dalai Lama.

“She has made phone calls particularly for the reason of bringing other Democrats in. She’s called a lot of Republicans, too. It’s a low-profile role but an active one,” said her chief of staff, Daniel Zingale.

But too much star power can have a downside. Some voters view Hollywood as a mere confection, and too many celebrities could create an air of frivolity.

“I think he needs to go back to Hollywood and become the Terminator,” scoffed Bryant Canonge, 56, a woodworker who attended an Angelides rally in Los Angeles last month.

Angelides, though he has his own celebrity supporters, has tried to play the everyman. The Democrat jokes about his rangy, “God given” body, an obvious dig at the governor’s acknowledged steroid use during his bodybuilding days. One Democratic ad calls him “a leader, not an actor.”

Along with Clinton, who headlined a fundraiser, Angelides has appeared with a string of potential

2008 presidential candidates, including the 2004 Democratic nominee, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

The deep pockets in the entertainment industry are a rich source of political dollars for both parties, and the governor’s race is no exception.

The governor’s benefactors include “The Terminator” director James Cameron, Interscope Records chief Jimmy Iovine and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Angelides’ supporters include Barbra Streisand, basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, actor Warren Beatty and TV producer Norman Lear.

Overall, Schwarzenegger raised at least $9.2 million since June 30, more than double the amount Angelides banked.

“Phil Angelides has considerable support in Hollywood and the entertainment community. ...

Hollywood support continues to grow,” said spokeswoman Amanda Crumley.

Political scientist Raphael Sonenshein said the governor’s edge in the race — he led by double-digit margins in two independent polls this week — lets him reinforce his celebrity status. Such a strategy would have been a disaster last year when he was losing battles against nurses, firefighters, teachers and other middle-class workers.

“The danger for a guy like him is to slip back to where he was last year, picking losing battles with popular constituencies,” said Sonenshein, who teaches at California State University, Fullerton. “Does all this hobnobbing make him start to think he’s immune from the ordinary rules of politics?”

Comment on this story in the Features forum >>