Before the main event, Ms. Hasselbeck contrasted Mrs. McCain with another wife of a political candidate who “shall remain nameless,” noting, “She didn’t come with a list of topics that we weren’t allowed to touch.” (Oh, snap, Michelle Obama.)

"Oh, snap," indeed, NYT. What an unfair demand for Michelle Obama to make, especially after the hard-hitting Hasselbeck used Cindy McCain's View stint to grill her on the Keating Five scandal, Cindy's history of drug addiction, and the illegally written prescriptions she used to procure those drugs. Oh, wait, our bad: Hasselbeck never asked about any of those things, and we're sure that Cindy never expected her to! Hooray for partisan double standards!

[Photo Credit: AP]

• Cindy McCain Honored at Lunch [New York Times]

A source close to the Beverly Hills baby store Petit Tresor tells CelebTV.com exclusively that a gift from Plain Mary was sent to Bristol Palin on behalf of Jamie Lynn Spears.

An insider says it was actually Lynne Spears, Jamie Lynn’s mom, who called about the gift, and requested the gift come from her daughter.

“It was ordered by phone, and they asked what could be done for under $100. They spent $60 on pink burpcloths,” said the source.

Clever move, Lynn — especially since the LAT recently tagged Sarah Palin "the Lynne Spears of politics." Does this mean that the Palins may tote their very own Britney Spears into the White House... and if so, will she have to switch parties?

[Photo Credit: AP]

• Exclusive: Jamie Lynn Spears Sends Gift to Bristol Palin [CelebTV]

I've been watching the news all morning, like everyone else - and i keep hearing about the issues related to 'teen pregnancy'- It's all related to Sarah Palin and her 17 year old unmarried pregnant daughter. Well, I think the real problem comes from the fact that we are taking the focus off of getting to know Sarah Palin and her political views, and what she can do to make our country a less destructive place. Its distracting from the real issues, the real everyday problems that this country experiences.

I am concerned with the fact that Sarah Palin brought the attention to her daughter's pregnancy, rather than all world issues and what she believes she could possibly do to change them-if elected. I get Sarah Palin's views against abortion, but i would much prefer to hear more about what she can do for our country rather than how her daughter is going to have a child no matter what.

Maybe focus on delivering some words and policy with stronger impact like Joe Biden.

...On another note-the last note- i heard a woman say on TODAY on NBC that teens are feeling as if they have to grow up faster. Really? Because, i think that girls that are CHOOSING to be sexually active and are making a conscious decision to grow up faster..... I think that parents need to recognize how important it is to talk to their children about the things that can result from being sexually active if they aren't protecting themselves (birth control, condoms, etc.)

In the wake of her well-written rebuttal to her father, has Linday Lohan finally found a steady calling as a blogger? Her intermittent acting gigs may pay the bills, but we think that it's as an internet diarist (albeit one measured by the short stick of Myspace celebrity blogs) that Lohan reveals herself to be more than adequite.

[Photo Credit: AP]

• Political Blog [Myspace]

Spielberg plans to attend the convention tonight, although he is not expected Thursday night when Barack Obama accepts the nomination at Invesco Field, according to a spokesman for the director. ...

Spielberg endorsed Clinton in the primaries, but he and his partners in DreamWorks, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, are expected to host a fund-raiser for Obama, perhaps in September, if the candidate's schedule can be so arranged.

And so begins the delicate process of fence-mending for the World's Most Powerful Filmmaker and the World's Most Powerful Junior Senator From Illinois, the latter of whose chief of staff reportedly deadpanned to Spielberg's secretary in a scheduling call this morning: "Yeah, whatever works. You've got that Indian buyout thing going all month, right? You need Biden's help? We could probably close that shit tomorrow. Anyway, let us know. We're pretty wide open through November. Take your time."

• Spielberg DNC film honors veterans [Variety]

But now, with most of her diaries, nude photos and other personal effects safely in federal custody, what matters most is who's minding the store in Washington. Which means exactly the mile-high rebound it sounds like — coming around on Obama and signing on for the long election slog ahead. And feeling good doing it, if her new, unapologetic take on celebrity politics is any indication:

[Hathaway] said she isn't against the idea of celebrities being politically active.

She said there is a perception that "we're all out of touch. How could we possibly have an awareness of what real Americans feel and think and need because we just ride around in limos and - I don't know - buy diamonds all day long?

"But I don't know anyone like that," Hathaway went on. "I'm certainly not like that. I'm a passionate American, and that's what I am first and foremost."

We think Anne might actually know someone like that, but whatever — he's Italian. We all know how that goes.

• Anne Hathaway: "I Was Afraid of Obama the First Time I Saw Him" [US Weekly]

· Hollywood East is open for business, reports Variety, with everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Kanye West to Cyndi Lauper enlisted to share in the platform platitudes. The bad news: Bono is skipping Denver, leaving a sanctimony vacuum from which organizers are attempting to shield guest speaker Fran Drescher — especially at this altitude.

· Gamble for Democracy! In the best DNC synergy to date, Poker Players Alliance and the Paralyzed Veterans of America are co-hosting a charity tournament Tuesday at Coors Field. Ben Affleck will among the players; the winner gets a seat at the 2009 World Series of Poker.

· "According to the Center For Responsive Politics, which follows political money, [Joe] 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." More from Nikki Finke.

· Access Hollywood kicked a note over the transom reporting that Jennifer Hudson will sing the national anthem before Obama's speech Thursday night.

· Sheryl Crow performed at Red Rocks on Sunday, later telling Extra that while Barack Obama inspires her, "Celebrity has sort of become a derogatory term." Not on our watch, Sheryl! Anyway, tune in tonight, etc. etc.

· Speaking of Extra, this just in about the show's Denver correspondent: "Carlos Diaz is reporting all week from Denver’s Democratic National Convention and is available for live shots." But enough about target practice! Zing! Ugh. Politics is hard!

· Paul Colichman, the mogul (and Hillary Clinton supporter) behind Out, The Advocate, the Here network and other gay media monoliths, is outraged by Obama's professed aversion to gay marriage. "If we write checks to candidates who don't stand up for us, aren't we being self-destructive?" We don't know, Paul — Hillary didn't support gay marriage either, and you seem to have survived. Off you go! [Via Queerty]

I don't want a political label, but Obama bears traits that resemble the anti- Christ and I'm scared to death that un- educated [sic] people will ignorantly vote him into office. My mom likes him because his children are well dressed!

You see, what bothers me most, besides that he is a Communist, and a whitey- hater, (although he is half white), is that he is a LIAR. He pretends to be a Christian and he incriminates himself everytime [sic] he speaks about Christianity. To lie about being a believer in Christ is very dangerous. Lightning could strike him at any minute! But seriously, he doesn't have a clue what the Bible says and yet he pretends to be a church- going Christian to win votes. That is sooooo evil.

I know my stance might keep me from LA jobs, since (almost) the whole town is liberal but, some time in a man's life, or a bleach blonde 49 year old woman's life, one must stand for what they believe in, and put truth before popularity.

We don't want a political label, either, so for now we'll abstain from judging whether Jackson achieved either objective here. Still, equal time requires our deference to Roseanne Barr, Jackson's bloggy counterpart on the Left who should be tightening her love-letter reply as we speak — we'll even gladly host a debate if 100 people confirm below that they'd attend. Think it over, America. And not so fast with that blacklist, Jeff Wells.

• Let's Vote! [VictoriaJackson.com]

Scarlett Johansson has reportedly postponed her wedding - because it clashes with the U.S presidential elections.

The actress - who has publicly backed Barack Obama - is due to marry Ryan Reynolds this year (08).

But Johansson has put the nuptials on hold - because her twin brother, Hunter, is busy working on Obama's campaign.

A source tells British newspaper the Daily Express, "He is working all the time so Scarlett wants to hold off until the election is over."

Breathing a desperate sigh of relief, Johansson admirer Jay Leno went back to concocting an elaborate plan to entice the auto-loving actress into one of his many, many cars. Now given a November deadline, the talk show host has little over two months to make his auto-erotic fantasy come true — though, failing that, there's always the clone.

• Scarlett Johansson Delays Wedding? [Showbiz Spy]

• WATCH VIDEO

But for all the artists who have been jumping on the Obama bandwagon of late, there's one artist who has been dedicating his time to making art about the politician long before it was trendy. Ray Noland, aka Cro (Creative Rescue Organization), presented a blink-and-you'll-miss-it show at the HVW8 Gallery last weekend. Tag along as I take you on a quick-run through the inspiring exhibition.

The Chicago-based artist began his Obama pieces in 2006 when he was bed-bound after a severe biking accident. Moved after reading Obama's first book, Dreams of My Father, Noland set about making the works that comprise his Go Tell Mama! project. Since then, he's traveled around the country hitting up primary campaign spots with his multimedia/multiplatform installations. Obama himself even came down to his Raleigh exhibition. Says Noland: "He came to the Raleigh show with David Axelrod and Michelle Obama," he said. "They stayed for a while. They seemed overwhelmed. There were 20 cameras and paparazzi and they were looking at a show of Barack Obama-inspired work. They mentioned stuff they got a kick out of—like, the Michelle Obama piece. They really loved it."

Here's the artist himself, Ray Noland (middle).

It is not a proper art opening without a DJ and a bucket of free beer.

The show offered just a taste of his work. The most memorable of the portraits features Obama looking straight ahead, as if he's looking right into your eyes. It's bright and colorful, and incorporates the campaign's own official insignia in the letter O.

The graphics are clear and eye-catching, and some of the language on the pieces read like slogans—so it's not surprising to learn that Noland spent some time working in the advertising world, as well as cutting his teeth designing rave and hip-hop flyers in the 90s.

Now that Obama has moved into the general election, Noland is calling his roving art project the "Got Next!" campaign. It's filled with basketball metaphors and imagery (a tip to Obama's love of the sport). The show at the HVW8 Gallery on Spaulding spanned several formats, including animated video (a collaboration with Rebecca Berdel), his own photography, and dramatic, black stencil art burned into the walls.



It should be mentioned that 10 percent of the proceeds are donated to the campaign; the rest of the funds keep Noland's traveling show going. Sadly, this was just a two-day affair that's already left town as you are reading this. However, if you are headed to the DNC in Denver this month, you can see him at a giant collective Obama art show, Manifest Hope.

Bonus: Here's an interview with the artist as a young man.

"They'll probably be a women's T-shirt and one for men," a source tells me. "They're hurrying to get them out as soon as possible."

"If Paris wears one, they'll sell huge," my source predicts.

Though we'd hoped the socialite's makeover was Change We Could Believe In, it now seems it was nothing more than another broken promise from a politician. Is there truly no candidate we can trust, no advocate untainted by the foul stench of money? What next, Paris: a reversal on FISA?

• Paris Hopes Presidency Fits Her (and You) to a Tee [E!]

"I kept thinking to myself, 'God, if this was just, like, Kal Penn or George Clooney, or any of the other [Obama] surrogates or supporters ... there wouldn't be [any] question about it," the actress, 23, tells the Associated Press. "Nobody would even talk about it."

..."I was merely trying to express my delight at Obama's commitment in his campaign in every aspect, and his interest and his support [in] his surrogates, and his staff and his fellows, and how wonderful and refreshing that is," she says. "And it was manipulated into such an unfortunate media frenzy of kind of a non-story."

Au contraire, Scar-Jo! We here at Defamer can promise you that if Kal Penn or George Clooney would simply follow your lead and pose provocatively in an open cardigan (see above), we'd mock up a Photoshop before you could even say, "si se puede." Or was that your clone?

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]

• Scarlett Johansson Blames "Extreme Sexism" for Hoopla Over Obama E-Mails [Us Magazine]

Watch the video, after the jump:

• Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Ad [Funny or Die]

After crushing poor Scarlett Johansson's double-D sized heart after publicly imploding their burgeoning email relationship, Barack Obama has been battling charges of elitism from the right-wing media and fending off attacks from John McCain that he's just another Valtrex popping celebutard. While recruiting Gwyneth Paltrow to appear in a special "Vote Abroad" campaign might help with the latter attack, it certainly doesn't help him with the former.

And as for Gwyneth? We're not sure what it is about you that we're supposed to identify with as being All-American these days. You live abroad (meaning, you're not just there temporarily for a job). You're married to a mopey musician (who was born, raised and currently abides in England). You're raising your kids to be British. You won an Oscar ... for playing a Brit. Forgive us if we're finding it difficult to find the ties between you and baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet. Except, of course, for the fact that you named your kid Apple.

• 'Iron Man' star Gwyneth Paltrow backs Barack Obama in PSA

Voguing like a supermodel, Tyra pays homage to Michelle Obama and Jackie Kennedy with pearls, slinky black shift and curly flip, draped against a Barack Obama lookalike and smiling at a tyke playing hide-and-seek à la JFK Jr.

Banks confessed that if she were first lady, her Secret Service code name would be "KMFA: Kiss My Fat Ass."

We can see it now: Nigel Barker as VP, Miss Jay as Secretary of the Interior, and Mr. Jay as Tyra's own personal Karl Rove. Sadly for erstwhile Top Model castoff Janice Dickinson, she would be immediately placed on a "do not fly" list, shipped to Gitmo for a special new facial rejuvenation procedure known as "waterboarding."

• TIPPECANOE AND TYRA, TOO [New York Post]

A representative from the 42West public relations firm declined to make a substantive comment to the Huffington Post, saying only, "why would we want to get Britney Spears involved in presidential politics?"

Why, indeed? Meanwhile, Hilton's parents can't be much happier with the ad attacking their daughter — after all, they donated the maximum $4600 to McCain's campaign. Unavailable for a comment, TMZ instead turned to the next best thing:

Former Paris Hilton impersonator Natalie Reid is weighing in on the new McCain commercial scandal. She tells TMZ, "McCain is obviously jealous cuz Obama's hot."

Meanwhile, a spurned Scarlett Johansson types furiously into her MacBook Air, sending the McCain camp an email ("John, I'm available!") that they, unfortunately, will never read.

• Britney Camp Bristles at McCain Ad [HuffPo]
• Fake Paris Gets Real Serious About McCain [TMZ]

Consider the evidence: Dude was pretty charming in Threesome, and Bio-Dome isn't that bad either. Sure he's a born-again Christian and kind of a douche-y blowhard, but he's so amusing, that it more than makes up for it. Remember how freakin' awesome he was on Celebrity Apprentice? Every time he said, "Mr. Trump" and pretended he was smart, it sent shivers up my spine.

So really, it's up to you America. Do you want a president who might get us out of Iraq, fix heathcare, and inspire hope and change all over the world? Or, do you want to keep Stephen Baldwin in the USA where he belongs? I, for one, am voting McCain.

• One More Reason For Hollywood To Support Obama

Alas, as the Senator revealed this week, he can't — and he doesn't:

[S]peaking to reporters aboard his campaign plane, Obama said the actress doesn't have his personal e-mail address. "She sent one e-mail to Reggie, who forwarded it to me," Obama said, referring to his 26-year-old personal assistant, Reggie Love. "I write saying, 'Thank you Scarlett for doing what you do,' and suddenly we have this e-mail relationship."

Finally! The Rev. Jeremiah Wright's support group for exiled Obama confidants has the mascot it so desperately needs. Meanwhile, we hear a devastated Johansson is on damage control this morning, deleting "obamaforprez08@aol.com" from her address book and quietly racing to retrieve the racy photos of her phone-campaigning at home wearing nothing but an Obama T-shirt and a smile before her skeevy imposter penpal disseminates them online. Please ping us if you happen upon them.

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]

• Obama's E-Mails with Scarlett Johansson [The Trail]

In 2001, 24 debuted. Its premiere episode was nearly pulled because it featured a plane getting shot out of the sky in a scenario eerily similar to the events of September 11th. But viewers who found the terrorists-are-out-to-get-us premise all too believable could relax because Jack Bauer was assigned to protect an African-American presidential candidate. There was no way that was realistic; there weren't even any Black senators. But a funny thing happened. Palmer won the election. We've spent the past six years watching an African-American president. We've seen him handle one ridiculous crisis after another — and he seemed to be doing a better job than the president we actually had. Palmer even had some of Obama's annoying qualities. He always wanted to take the high road, even when the situation merited a Jack Bauer style ass-kicking. He was too trusting of his unscrupulous associates.

The Obama/Palmer connection has been observed throughout the blogosphere and by the actor who played Palmer himself, Dennis Haysbert. Who knows. Maybe Hilary's real problem was that TV's female president is relegated to basic cable on Battlestar Galactica.

The gay marriage-television link is equally strong. While gay weddings were occasional plot points dating back to the Seinfeld episode where Elaine attends a gay wedding, this past season they were parts of the season finales of two of ABC's hits. Moreover, they were presented as ordinary events, no different than heterosexual marriage ceremonies. Brothers and Sisters ended with Kevin and Scotty's wedding, which was attended by a Republican senator.

On Desperate Housewives, conservative, gun toting Republican Bree, who once abandoned her gay son, catered the wedding of Wisteria Lane gays, Bob and Lee. None of the heterosexuals on the block raised an eye brow.

Mere weeks later, the California Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. Coincidence? Probably. But the muted opposition outside of Kern County could be because people are already used to seeing gay weddings on TV.

"It wasn't like [Dad 1] and I had so much in common that we could have this great personal relationship. We were at totally different stages in our lives, and I don't think he was necessarily so fascinated by what I was going through. But we were fortunate that we had a lot of chemistry between us. ... At that time, my mom was still coming with me to work. She legally had to be there—thank God she was there!"

"I've been fortunate enough to never be the biggest media sensation. ... If you have somebody waiting outside your house for 32 hours, it doesn't matter how many days you've clocked in on the movie-star meter. You're still a person living your life. I can understand how that must have been for [Dad 2], who's such an icon. I've been fortunate enough to mostly come out unscathed."

"It's been so exciting to get out there and talk to kids—and I say 'kids' meaning my peers—about why I appreciate [Dad 3]. He's confronting health-care issues that affect young people. You know, most of my friends don't have insurance. They're working as photo assistants and stuff like that. These kids on the campaign trail asking questions, they are so well-informed."

"At first it was like, 'What this weird music that your dad listens to?' ... [Dad 4's] songs are very cinematic. I think as a kid I was attracted to that in the same way I loved 'Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!'—one of my favorite Beatles songs. It really lets a kid's imagination take flight. ... I was this little blonde girl with a baritone singing voice, which at nine was freakish, I'm sure."

"I don't know why relationships between men and women are always pigeon-holed into being some kind of push-and-pull for sexual power. I'm always kind of weirded out when I'm interviewed by people who say, 'Gosh! [Dad 5] must be in love with you.' It's like, 'fucking expand your mind.' We have a great friendship between us and I have such a fondness for him as a person. I can appreciate his quirks."

Seriously! Expand your fucking minds! It's not like anyone here has fetishized or even married women younger than Scarlett. Oh, wait. And come to think of it, she doesn't look anything like Obama. Anyway, happy guessing.

• My Five Dads [Paste]

Adding to the potential domestic disputes this news might cause at Casa Pitt/Jolie, the NY Daily News reported back in October that Brad had attempted to endorse Obama's campaign by announcing his support and donating money, but was flat out rejected. As the News said at the time, "Obama's advisers felt Pitt was 'a great guy,' but they didn't want their candidate - who already has the endorsements of Pitt pals George Clooney and Matt Damon - to appear to be 'too Hollywood.'" Whether or not the familial relations change Brad and Angie's political choices, we found the Society's discovery regarding other star members of the Clinton brood even more intriguing: Madonna, Alanis Morrissette and Celine Dion. Perhaps Hill should officially change her campaign theme song to "My Heart Will Go On"? Considering that it won an Oscar, it certainly couldn't hurt!

• BRAD PITT RELATED TO BARACK OBAMA, ANGELINA JOLIE TO HILLARY CLINTON [Us]
• BARACK OBAMA CAMP ELECTS NOT TO USE BRAD PITT [NYDN]

23-year-old Scarlett Johansson was by Obama's side in the home stretch, speaking to a small group of high school and college-aged "Barack Stars" at a rally in Coralville, Iowa, on Tuesday.

"She actually seemed a little shy when she first started speaking," audience member Jason Millsap told PEOPLE. "But [she] warmed up to the crowd, who were eager to ask questions. . . . It was pretty exciting and inspiration to see someone as big as her come and talk to her peers."

"She was asked a question as to why she chose to support Obama and answered it very well in my opinion," added high schooler Peter Caroll, another caucus-goer. "She [explained] how she did research him and found Obama to be [passionate about] most of the issues she deemed important."

We're thrilled to hear that informed-voter Johansson managed to find her political sea-legs after a slightly tentative start, as the star of The Nanny Diaries has made no secret of being entirely energized by this "exciting time for youth culture." In light of her candidate's thrilling victory, and the great strides being made to mobilize young voters through her grassroots, cleavage-based initiative, Scarlett Johansson's Bazooms for Change, the United States might very well have its first African American President in 2008.

• Scarlett Johansson and Chuck Norris: Political Power Players? [People]

· Scary Movie visionaries Keenan Ivory, Shawn and Marlon Wayans are bringing their light, satirical touch to a send-up of cop movies, in which no more than three unlucky officers will be stabbed to death with engorged penises. [Variety]
· Dax Shepard signs with CAA, who've promised the actor that they'd make sure he's no longer only getting the scripts Ashton Kutcher has passed on. [THR]
· Roger King, the executive who first delivered Oprah Winfrey to a national television audience, has died of a stroke at 63. [THR]

When the socially conscious star offered to help the Democratic contender's presidential campaign, he was turned down, our sources report.

Obama's advisers felt Pitt was "a great guy," said a knowledgeable source, but they didn't want their candidate - who already has the endorsements of Pitt pals George Clooney and Matt Damon - to appear to be "too Hollywood."

What's more, as politically correct as Pitt's partner, Angelina Jolie, is now, the source ruminated that it might be hard for some Americans to forget that she used to wear a vial of blood around her neck.

Sadly, without Pitt on board, Clooney's inspired idea for an Oceans-themed TV campaign—in which the three actors pause from a high-stakes heist of the fictional Bush's Palace casino to ask, "Well, America—are you in or are you out?," at which point getaway driver Don Cheadle screeches up in a bulletproof Humvee to soberly announce, "This message approved by Obama '08,"—will never see the light of day.

• Barack Obama camp elects not to use Brad Pitt [nydailynews.com]

Credit whatever soul-consignment agreement the savvy Clinton signed during her secretive visit to CAA's political-strategy dungeon back in February (Bryan Lourd has had the piece of baby-skin parchment containing Hillary's bloody signature framed for display above his desk) for the timely delivery of client Spielberg's vote of confidence; in addition to the evil agenting monolith's endorsement-packaging services, as a new member of the Creative Artists family, Clinton will also enjoy their vaunted protection benefits, which will ensure that she makes it at least as far as the primary without being snuffed out by nemesis David Geffen.

• Steven Spielberg Endorses Hillary [HillaryHub.com via Wiretap]
• Previously: Brett Ratner Donates Unparalleled Party-Throwing Skills To Clinton Campaign [Defamer]
• Mrs. Clinton Goes To The Death Star [Defamer]
• Obamamania: David Geffen Declares War On Hillary [Defamer]

They waited patiently behind the red velvet rope. Inside they sipped on any of three brands of vodka, lounging comfortably to a loud beat. And when Barack Obama arrived at this fund-raiser at Hollywood nightclub Boulevard3, they swarmed him like the paparazzi would pursue a tabloid darling.

It was not the Paris Hilton crowd, but this was a decidedly younger, looser group of entertainment industry professionals — actors, producers and managers in their late 20s and 30s — who came to hear Obama's inspirational message. [...]

But the key to Obama's Boulevard3 event was its $500-per-person cost — a bargain when it comes to entertainment political fund-raisers. Although such politically active figures as Lawrence Bender, Oliver Stone, Nicole Avant and Jane Fonda were in the mix, many in the crowd were political neophytes, drawn to Obama's call for a new kind of politics. [...]

The event, which raised more than $300,000, was organized by O08 the Movement, a group of industry professionals seeking to reach a younger pool of donors and activists. Among its members is actor Hill Harper, one of Obama's law-school classmates. (He admitted that some of the fellow actors to whom he spoke had to be informed that there would be no red carpet). The group helped draw such celebrity names as Jessica Biel, Gabrielle Union, Taye Diggs, Anthony LaPaglia, Dave Annable, Kate Walsh, Nia Vardalos, Joy Bryant, Henry Simmons, Amy Smart and Regina King. Cedric the Entertainer introduced Obama on a makeshift stage.

Realizing that even the relatively modest $500-per-head of this event would still price out many thousands of low-level industry donors, the savvy Clinton campaign—never willing to concede their show business turf to the senator from Illinois—already has a plan to counter Obama's Young Hollywood strategy: they'll soon announce a $25 buy-in Assistant Beer Pong Tournament, in which Hillary herself will field a team, explaining her stances on national security, Iraq, and health care to her politically curious Beirut opponents in between chugs from red Solo cups full of cheap beer.

[Photo: Getty Images composite]

• New methods for campaign dollars [Variety]
• Obamamania [Defamer]

So when Obama, an Illinois Democrat, told Clooney last year that he was thinking about running for president, the actor was excited but cautious. "I told him I would do anything for him, including staying completely away from him," said Clooney, speaking recently on his cellphone from the South Carolina set of his latest movie, "Leatherheads."

Obama, however, welcomed Clooney's involvement and support. They got to know each other a year ago while attending a rally to raise awareness about the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan and have stayed in touch. When asked about Clooney at a recent event, Obama broke into a smile, gestured expressively and said simply: "He's a good friend."[...]

"We were at a rally on Darfur," Clooney said. "People were standing around backstage. All of a sudden, Obama walks out and steps onto the stage. Everyone stopped to hear what he had to say.... I've never been around anyone who can literally take someone's breath away."

Although the actor may not be campaigning publicly for Obama at the moment, he is certainly working for him behind the scenes.

"I spend a lot of time talking with other people, and I tell them, 'You really have to educate yourself on Obama because the guy is real,' " he said. "He fascinates me. People say, 'Oh, he's too young,' you know. But you cannot learn or teach leadership. You either have it or you don't."

The savvy Obama seems to have chosen the perfect Hollywood publicity partner to mesmerize (he's dialed back the charm ever so slightly since his bewitching of David Geffen drove the billionaire completely insane); he's obviously learned a crucial lesson from John Kerry's ill-fated choice to woo lesser Oscar-winner Ben Affleck, whose rampage across America on the doomed candidate's behalf resulted in an ugly chain of post-election recriminations that could have forever devalued the entertainment industry's important contributions to political discourse.

• Clooney steps cautiously into Obama's camp [LAT]

• Clinton doubles Obama sum in Hollywood fund-raiser [Reuters]
• Previously: Mrs. Clinton Goes To The Death Star [Defamer]
• Obamamania: David Geffen Declares War On Hillary [Defamer]

It's doubtful that the entire affair will last much beyond a day —- or that it will play much of a factor in either side raising money in Hollywood. Clinton is scheduled to visit Los Angeles today for a series of receptions with high-dollar donors including events hosted by Haim Saban, Sim Farar, Ron Burkle and John Emerson and another gathering at CAA.

That Clinton would seek the help of the evil agenting monolith in securing Hollywood's souls should indicate how desperate the candidate is not to lose the industry to Obamamania; she's obviously willing to look the other way as the agency's political consultants greedily gnaw on plump infant legs while spitballing ideas about how to change the current course of the campaign, deciding whether it's a better strategy to have the troublemaking Geffen's limousine blown up on the way to the Oscars or just turn their roof-mounted cannon towards Malibu and incinerate his entire compound as he sleeps.

• Geffen ignites Clinton-Obama feud [Variety]
• Previously: Obamamania: David Geffen Declares War On Hillary [Defamer]

Not content to demonstrate his Democratic kingmaking power by throwing a beachside cocktail party/Hillary Clinton effigy burning for Hollywood Chosen One Barack Obama on the pristine sand behind his Malibu compound last night, DreamWorks activist David Geffen granted the NY Times's Maureen Dowd an exclusive fireside chat, during which the power-mad billionaire stroked an overfluffed white cat while cackling his way through his plans to destroy his presidential-hopeful nemesis. The column is behind a subscriber wall, but here are some of the thoughts Geffen shared with Dowd about Hillary, Bill, the political hot water in which Steven Spielberg finds himself submerged for going along with the Obama fund-raiser, and his luxurious sleeping quarters:

"Not since the Vietnam War has there been this level of disappointment in the behavior of America throughout the world, and I don't think that another incredibly polarizing figure, no matter how smart she is and no matter how ambitious she is — and God knows, is there anybody more ambitious than Hillary Clinton? — can bring the country together.

"Obama is inspirational, and he's not from the Bush royal family or the Clinton royal family. Americans are dying every day in Iraq. And I'm tired of hearing James Carville on television." [...]

"I don't think anybody believes that in the last six years, all of a sudden Bill Clinton has become a different person," Mr. Geffen says, adding that if Republicans are digging up dirt, they'll wait until Hillary's the nominee to use it. "I think they believe she's the easiest to defeat."

She is overproduced and overscripted. "It's not a very big thing to say, 'I made a mistake' on the war, and typical of Hillary Clinton that she can't," Mr. Geffen says. "She's so advised by so many smart advisers who are covering every base. I think that America was better served when the candidates were chosen in smoke-filled rooms." [...]

Did Mr. Spielberg get in trouble with the Clintons for helping Senator Obama? "Yes," Mr. Geffen replies, slyly. Can Obambi stand up to Clinton Inc.? "I hope so," he says, "because that machine is going to be very unpleasant and unattractive and effective."

Once, David Geffen and Bill Clinton were tight as ticks. Mr. Geffen helped raise some $18 million for Bill and slept in the Lincoln Bedroom twice. Bill chilled at Chateau Geffen. Now, the Dreamworks co-chairman calls the former president "a reckless guy" who "gave his enemies a lot of ammunition to hurt him and to distract the country." [...]

I ask what he will say if he ever runs into Bill Clinton again. " 'Hi,' " he replies. And will he be upset if Hillary wins and he never gets to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom again?

"No," he says with a puckish smile. "It's not as nice as my bedroom."

Clinton's camp has already responded in outrage, hilariously demanding that Obama return Geffen's dirty money, but the war for Hollywood's political-starfucking soul is officially on. We fear that the acrimony will continue until some sort of Solomonic compromise is reached on the Spielberg Question, perhaps with the influential director offering to tie himself to the backs of their OBAMA '08 and HILLARY 4 PREZ campaign buses and then having them driven in opposite directions, with each candidate allowed to keep whatever grisly part of his torn-asunder body is still lashed to their vehicle.

• Obama's Big Screen Test [NY Times, sub. req'd.]
• Clinton, Obama Trade Barbs Over Donor [AP]