Democratic donors spreading the cash around.Richard Gephardt has been in politics long enough to know that when campaigning in Hollywood, it pays to put on a show. A May 28 fundraiser at the home of movie producer Lawrence Bender ("Pulp Fiction," "Good Will Hunting") included not only the usual stump speeches and finger food, but a performance by longtime Democratic supporter Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett (born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on August 3 1926) is an American singer of popular music, standards and jazz who is widely considered to be one of . And for $2,000 -- the maximum individual contribution allowed -- invitees got included in a VIP reception prior to the show featuring the Gephardts and the legendary crooner. The guest list would have been entertaining even without the concert: Oil mogul Marvin Davis Marvin H. Davis (August 31, 1925 in Newark, New Jersey – September 25, 2004 in Beverly Hills, California) was American industrialist and philanthropist. He made his fortunes as the chairman of Davis Petroleum and at one time owned 20th Century Fox, Pebble Beach, the Beverly , actors Michael Douglas and Forest Whitaker, and power attorneys Bill Wardlaw and Ken Ziffren, to name a few. It's checkbook time in Tinseltown as a half dozen major contenders for the Democratic nomination seek the backing of L.A.'s well-heeled party faithful. At this stage, the objective is not just only the $2,000 contribution per individual, but the chance to generate a critical mass of impassioned celebrities and other local power brokers who could spread the word and perhaps later become actively involved as surrogate campaigners. There's another factor at play: the formidable reelection re·e·lect also re-e·lect tr.v. re·e·lect·ed, re·e·lect·ing, re·e·lects To elect again. re machinery of President Bush, which is in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of major fundraising efforts that could put the campaign on course to double the $100 million collected during 2000. Some of this is likely to be generated in L.A. among the likes of GOP stalwarts like Arnold Scharzenegger (himself considering a run for governor) and Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is an American actor and singer. He came to fame in the late 1980s and has since retained a career as both a Hollywood leading man and a supporting actor, in particular for his role as John McClane in the Die Hard series. . Lining up endorsements New campaign finance laws that limit softmoney contributions have forced candidates to rely more on individual donors. "That makes getting Hollywood endorsements all the more vital, since these folks in Hollywood have a great ability to network and get even more contributions for their candidates," said Steven Weiss, spokesman for the Center for Responsive Politics "The Center for Responsive Politics is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and the effect of money on elections and public policy. . Ever carefully, allegiances are starting to form. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) is an American politician and physician from the U.S. state of Vermont, and currently the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the central organ of the Democratic Party at the national level. scored the early endorsement of Rob Reiner Robert "Rob" Reiner (born March 6, 1945) is an American actor, director, producer, writer, children's advocate and political activist. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence as Archie Bunker's and Edith Baines-Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, on , which led to a fundraiser at the director's home last month. "I'm on the phone with people all the time," Reiner told the Washington Post. "People ask me, could he win? Well, he can't win if you don't support him." Dean spokeswoman Courtney O'Donnell acknowledged, "there is most certainly a boost that public figures give to a campaign." This is especially true for the primary contests that are front-loaded next February and March. "Once you come out of New Hampshire New Hampshire, one of the New England states of the NE United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts (S), Vermont, with the Connecticut R. forming the boundary (W), the Canadian province of Quebec (NW), and Maine and a short strip of the Atlantic Ocean (E). ," she explained, "you in effect have to conduct an intense national campaign for a month. Candidates will be having three or four events on the same evening in different states. That's when high-profile people will become really important. They can draw the big crowds." Already, several of the major candidates can claim their share of celebrity endorsers. Besides Gephardt and Dean, Sen. John Kerry  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. has
received support from Paramount Pictures' Sherry Lansing Sherry Lansing (born July 31, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois as Sherry Lee Heimann) is the former CEO of Paramount Pictures and the first woman to head a major studio. In 2001 she was named one of the 30 most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. , along
with music producer Quincy Jones and actor Dennis Hopper. Rep. Dennis
Kucinich  This article or section contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election.Content may change as the election approaches. has actors Elliott Gould, Peter Coyote and Ed Asner in his camp. But with no clear frontrunner emerging among the Democratic presidential candidates for 2004, prominent L.A. contributors generally are hedging their bets, with many giving time GIVING TIME, contracts. Any agreement by which a creditor gives his debtor a delay or time in paying his debt, beyond that contained in the original agreement. When other persons are responsible to him, either as drawer, endorser, or surety, if such time be given without the consent of and money to multiple candidates. Entertainment industry executives like Haim Saban Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. , Alan Horn and
talent agent Ariel Emanuel have each given thousands of dollars to at
least three candidates, according to according toprep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. campaign documents filed with the Federal Election Commission and analyzed for the Business Journal by the Center for Responsive Politics, a watchdog group. Other Democrats, Bender and cable industry executive Marc Nathanson, have co-chaired fundraisers for more than one candidate. Bender, for example, is also hosting a fundraiser at his Holmby Hills home at the end of this month for Sen. John Kerry. "It's a big event for young Hollywood, which consists of the up-and-coming movers and shakers in Hollywood," said Chris Hill, an aide to Bender. At this stage, it's not an unusual scenario, said Joe Cerrell, a long-time local Democratic political consultant "They are all good Democrats, so they can help more than one candidate and still maintain the trust of the party," he said. Nevertheless, such spreading of the wealth hasn't been seen since 1991, when many prominent Democrat candidates, including Gephardt and New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Gov. Mario Cuomo Mario Matthew Cuomo (born June 15, 1932) served as the Governor of New York from 1983 to 1995. Cuomo became nationally known for his rousing keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention and the subsequent speculation over the next two decades that he might run for the , passed on the opportunity to run, figuring that President George H.W. Bush Noun 1. George H.W. Bush - vice president under Reagan and 41st President of the United States (born in 1924) George Herbert Walker Bush, President Bush, George Bush, Bush was unbeatable. After a stormy early primary, the door - and wallets - opened for Bill Clinton. (In the last two Democratic presidential primary campaigns, there was one frontrunner - Clinton in 1996 and Al Gore Noun 1. Al Gore - Vice President of the United States under Bill Clinton (born in 1948) Albert Gore Jr., Gore in 2000.) "None of them want to make the same mistake that the presumed frontrunners made in 1991, of passing up their chance at the presidency," Cerrell said. The crowded field may be keeping some local Democratic supporters on the sidelines On the sidelines An investor who decides not to invest due to market uncertainty. on the sidelines Of or relating to investors who, having assessed the market, have decided to avoid committing their funds. as they wait for the field to sort itself out. That, combined with the slow economy, is putting a crimp crimp a regular wave formation of small dimensions, e.g. the crimp of wool fibers epitomized in the Merino breed and its derivatives. crimp marks marks made by wrinkling the x-ray film while holding it between the fingers. in contributions. "It's definitely harder to get money now," said screenwriter and liberal Democratic activist Lila Garrett, who co-chairs Kucinich's Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, campaign. While the Ohio congressman has made several campaign swings to the area, he has not netted as much as several of his rivals. But he still ranks ahead of Sen. Carol Mosley-Braun of Illinois and the Rev. Al Sharpton Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American Baptist minister and political, civil rights, and social justice activist.[1][2] In 2004, Sharpton was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U. S. presidential election. , who have raised very little money in L.A., according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Kucinich is also ahead of Sen. Bob Graham
For other persons named Daniel Graham, see Daniel Graham (disambiguation). of Florida only started his campaign in earnest in April, so his second quarter fundraising totals won't be available until next month. Tug of war tug of war n. pl. tugs of war 1. Games A contest of strength in which two teams tug on opposite ends of a rope, each trying to pull the other across a dividing line. 2. The L.A. barnstorming
Barnstorming is not just concentrated on celebrities. Sen. John Edwards This article or section contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election.Content may change as the election approaches. , who is a trial lawyer, has taken in tens of thousands of dollars from area law firms This list of the world's largest law firms by revenue is taken from The Lawyer and The American Lawyer and is ordered by 2006 revenue:[1]
Edwards, Graham, Kerry and Sen. Joseph Lieberman are considered in the centrist or conservative wing of the party, represented by the same moderate Democratic Leadership Council that generated Clinton's candidacy. Three others - Dean, Mosley-Braun and Kucinich - are firmly in the liberal wing of the party, while Gephardt is somewhere in between the two wings. There is a tug of war among the various sides. The liberal wing, personified by Dean and Kucinich, vehemently opposed the war in Iraq and has been harshly critical of Bush. The centrist and conservative candidates tended to support the war and have only recently begun to broaden their attack on Bush. But, Cerrell cautions, it's still too early to make much of these divisions. "Some of these candidates will find in coming months that they will not get the level of support they need and will drop out," he said. "That will narrow the field considerably."
Business Side
Individual contributions to Democratic candidates, by employer.
Total
Company Contributions
Girardi & Keese $67,975
AOL Time Warner 25,500
Greene Broillet, et al 22,000
News Corp 19,500
Vivendi Universal 18,850
O'Donnell & Shaeffer 18,000
Westfield Corp. 16,500
Ziffren Brittenham, et al 14,000
Arden Realty 12,000
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher 12,000
Viacom Inc. 12,000
Candidate recipient and
Company contribution amount
Girardi & Keese John Edwards ($54,975);
Richard Gephanrdt ($13,000)
AOL Time Warner Howard Dean (9,500); Richard
Gephardt (8,500);
John Edwards (4,500); Richard
Gephardt (3,500)
Greene Broillet, et al John Edwards (18,500); Richard
Gephardt (3,500)
News Corp John Kerry (15,000); Richard
Gephardt (4,000);
Howard Dean (500)
Vivendi Universal John Edwards (9,000); John Kerry
(6,000);
Howard Dean (2,850); Richard
Gephardt (1,000)
O'Donnell & Shaeffer John Edwards (18,000)
Westfield Corp. Richard Gephardt (8,500); John
Kerry (8,000)
Ziffren Brittenham, et al Richard Gephardt (12,000); Howard
Dean (2,000)
Arden Realty John Kerry (10,000); Howard Dean
(2,000);
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Joe Lieberman (8,000); Howard Dean
(2,000);
John Kerry (2,000)
Viacom Inc. John Kerry (2,750); Richard
Gephardt (3,000);
Joe Lieberman (3,000); Howard Dean
(1,250)
Source: Center for Responsive Politics, from Federal Election Commission
records for the first quarter of 2003.
Spreading the Wealth
Donors who have given to multiple candiates
Total
Donor (with spouse) Organization Given
Haim & Cheryl Saban Saban Capital Group $7,000
Marc & Jane Nathanson Mapleton Investments 8,000
Alan and Cindy Horn Warner Bros. 8,000
David Bohhetf Baroda Ventures 6,000
Ariel Emanuel Endeavor Agency 6,000
Ronald Olson Munger, Tolles & Olson 5,000
Cynthia Sikes Producer/actress 5,000
Candidates Receiving
Donor (with spouse) Contributions
Haim & Cheryl Saban Howard Dean, John Edwards,
Richard Gephardt, John Kerry
Marc & Jane Nathanson Howard Dean, Richard Gephardt,
John Kerry
Alan and Cindy Horn Howard Dean, John Edwards,
Richard Gephardt
David Bohhetf John Edwards, Richard Gephardt,
John Kerry
Ariel Emanuel John Edwards, Richard Gephardt,
John Kerry
Ronald Olson Howard Dean, John Edwards,
Richard Gephardt
Cynthia Sikes Howard Dean, Richard Gephardt,
John Kerry
Source: Center for Responsive Politics, Washington D.C. from Federal
Election Commission filings.
RELATED ARTICLE: Playing the Field Selected L.A. area supporters of Democratic presidential candidates Rep. Richard Gephardt (Missouri) Lawrence Bender (producer), Michael Douglas, Aaron Douglas, Aaron (born May 26, 1899, Topeka, Kan., U.S.—died Feb. 2, 1979, Nashville, Tenn.) U.S. painter and graphic artist. In 1925 he moved to New York City, where he joined the burgeoning arts scene in Harlem that later became known as the Harlem Renaissance. Sorkin, Natalie Cole, Marvin Davis, Russell Goldsmith, Richard Gordon, Judith Light Judith Light (born Judith Ellen Licht on February 9, 1949) is an Emmy Award-winning American actress. She is best known for her role as Angela Bower on the ABC sitcom Who's the Boss?. She can now be seen playing Claire Meade on ABC's Ugly Betty. , Peter Lowy, George Mihlsten, Marc Nathanson, Forest Whitaker, Tom Unterman, Bill Wardlaw, Ken Ziffren Former Gov. Howard Dean (Vermont) Martin Sheen, Lara Bergthold, David Bohnett David C. Bohnett (born April 2, 1956 in Chicago Illinois) is a philanthropist and technology entrepreneur. Biography David C. Bohnett is the Chairman of the David Bohnett Foundation,[1] , Michael Flemming, State Sen. Sheila Keuhl, Will Mesdag (Senior Advisor In some countries, a Senior Advisor is an appointed position by the Head of State to advise on the highest levels of national and government policy. Sometimes a junior position to this is called a National Policy Advisor. , Davis Co.), Rick Jacobs (Financial Advisor), Ron and Jane Olson, Will Mesdag, Rick Jacobs, LA. City Councilman Eric Garcetti, Rob and Michelle Reiner Sen. John Kerry (Massachusetts) Sherry Lansing and John Dolgen (Paramount Pictures), Peter Morton, Richard Ziman, Am Tellem, Dennis Hopper (and spouse Victoria), Lawrence Bender (producer), Ouincy Jones, Clarence Avant (music producer), Tom Soto Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) Ed Asner, Aris Anagnos (businessman, peace activist), David Clennon, James Cromwell, Peter Coyote, Hector Elizondo, Elliott Gould, Mimi Kennedy, Eric Roberts (actors), Paul Schrade (former union leader), Haskell Wexler (cinematographer) Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Connecticut) Mel Levine (former Congressman), Brett Messing, Joel Mandel, Jonathan Axelrod, Joe Kornwasser, Steve Fogel, Jason Moskowitz, Bruce Wessel, Patty Glasser, Larry Bond Sources: Candidates' respective campaigns. Democrats make health care plans. ANDREW FERGUSON Dennis Kucinich, the tousle-haired Democratic candidate for president, says it is "past time that we took the word 'profit' out of health care." He urges fellow Democratic candidates to join him in reforming the system by placing it in the hands of the thoroughly profit-averse federal government His colleagues haven't taken the bait - not completely and not yet, anyway - perhaps because they know that if you took "profit" out of American health care, you might remove other words, too, like "quality," "variety" and "innovation." Still, several candidates have followed Kucinich in placing health care reform at the center of their campaign platforms. The Democratic fascination with health care is easy to understand. The issue is dear to the party's most important constituencies, labor unions chief among them, and it is one of the areas where Democrats hold a clear lead over Republicans in public confidence. If the issue arises next year, Democrats want to be well positioned with a ready program for extending health care coverage. The grandest scheme is Kucinich's - an unabashedly un·a·bashed adj. 1. Not disconcerted or embarrassed; poised. 2. Not concealed or disguised; obvious: unabashed disgust. socialist takeover of every private mechanism for delivering health care services in the U.S. The annual cost, according to the candidate, would be $2.2 trillion, to be financed by a 2 percent income tax surcharge and a new payroll tax Payroll Tax Tax an employer withholds and/or pays on behalf of their employees based on the wage or salary of the employee. In most countries, including the U.S., both state and federal authorities collect some form of payroll tax. of 7 percent. No one thinks such a program could be enacted, but for Kucinich's Democratic rivals it serves a useful purpose: its radical character allows them to paint their own reforms as sensibly moderate by contrast. Rep. Richard Gephardt's proposal, for example, maintains the present system of employer-based coverage and extends it to employers who don't now insure their employees, by providing a 60 percent refundable tax credit on the cost of premiums. Medicare and other enlarged federal programs would pick up anyone still left uninsured. Annual cost: $214 billion, paid for by rescinding this year's tax cuts. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's proposal puts the federal government in charge of the state-run Family and Children's Health Children's Health Definition Children's health encompasses the physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of children from infancy through adolescence. Insurance Program and extends to the self-employed the same medical benefits available to federal workers. On paper his program is more complicated than Gephardt's but, at $88 billion a year, miraculously less expensive. The method of financing is the same: rescind the Bush tax cuts. The debate over the various plans is essential for understanding the terrain on which Democrats have chosen to fight the next presidential election. Consider: President Bush has now signed two of the three largest tax cuts in history and - not coincidentally - presides over a growing federal budget deficit With his "faithbased" initiatives moribund, his education reforms ineffectual or forgotten, and his welfare proposals stalled on Capitol Hill, tax cuts constitute the sum of Bush's domestic agenda and achievement. And how are his Democratic challengers responding? Like Bill Clinton, the only successful Democratic presidential candidate in the last 28 years, they could vow to restore budgetary discipline. Or they could decide to join Bush in his fiscal extravagance. Gephardt, Dean, Kerry and the other candidates have evidently chosen extravagance over discipline. Andrew Ferguson is a columnist for Bloomberg News. |
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