Democrats, not Oscar, stir the party talk

NY Daily News: Dems, not Oscar, stir the party talk



HOLLYWOOD - As the clock ticks down to showtime tonight, it seems like all anybody here can talk about is the Big Race. No, not the race for the Oscars - the one for the White House. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have upstaged Penelope Cruz, Will Smith and the rest of the nominees when it comes to generating cocktail-party chatter. Many who met Obama at Wednesday's fund-raiser thrown by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen still seem woozy from the candidate's charm.

Best Supporting Actor nominee Eddie Murphy said he went to the political benefit at the behest of his girlfriend, Tracey Edmonds. But he liked what he heard. "Barack is terribly charismatic and decent," Murphy told us at Black Enterprise Magazine's pre-Oscar bash. (Where Eddie and Tracey crossed paths not only with Eddie's estranged wife, Nicole, but with Tracey's ex, Babyface, and his current squeeze, Nikki Pantenburg.) Murphy is still making up his mind about which candidate to get behind. "With Barack and with Hillary, I'm curious to see how progressive America is."

Director John Singleton was impressed with the way Obama "spoke as a human being, not as a politician. We need someone different, and I believe he's the person." Singleton allowed that "I also like Hillary a lot. I think she would do a magnificent job as well."

Others may be ready to stray from the Clinton fold.

Ben Affleck was shocked by Geffen's now-infamous interview with New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd - in which the former Clinton backer impugned Bill's marital fidelity and Hillary's honesty.

"You rarely hear talk that blunt on the record," Affleck told us. But he admitted that he's bothered by Hillary's past position on the war. "It's a really big issue for me. Barack has been the one consistent person on that issue."...

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/500630p-422147c.html

was plain STUPID to take on Obama here in LA during Oscar Week. It is the Gossipy talk of the town and Hillary got an earful on Thursday. Team Hillary lost this one badly and the national press isn't getting it. Ellen DeGeneres may bring it up tonight as well. This was a Hillary debacle and Obama came out smelling like a rose because his surrogates were on the ground talking about it at every single party they attended this week. The Grammy's were here two weeks ago and the Obama buzz was HUGE. Tuesday night Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks gave Obama money! Note to the idiots on Team Hillary: Do not take on one of the biggest Hollywood producers during their biggest WEEK when your surrogates can't fight back long term. The gossip is gonna be good tomorrow! :P