George Clooney Interview on 'Meet the Press'

George will appear on 'Meet the Press' on Sunday', according to Variety:

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[size=47]George Clooney on Fundraisers: ‘Ridiculous’ to Have ‘Obscene Amount of Money’ in Politics[/size]

George Clooney will be a guest on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, the day after he and wife Amal host a fundraiser at their Los Angeles home for Hillary Clinton.
In an excerpt from the interview released in advance, Clooney tells host Chuck Todd that the Sanders campaign is justified in its criticism of political fundraisers, which cost “an obscene amount of money.”
“I think it’s an obscene amount of money,” he said. “I think that, you know, we had some protesters last night when we pulled up in San Francisco and they’re right to protest. They’re absolutely right. It is an obscene amount of money. The Sanders campaign when they talk about it is absolutely right. It’s ridiculous that we should have this kind of money in politics. I agree completely.”
The guest list for the Clooneys’ event on Saturday evening includes Melanie Griffith, Jane Fonda and Ellen DeGeneres, according to a source familiar with the plans. Co-hosts to the event, with tickets priced at $33,400 per person, include Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg, and Haim and Cheryl Saban.
On Friday, the Clooneys also co-hosted an event in San Francisco at the Nob Hill home of venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar. According to CNN, about 100 supporters of Bernie Sanders, Clinton’s rival for the Democratic nomination, protested down the street from Pishevar’s home, chanting “Release the transcripts” — a reference to calls for Clinton to release transcripts of her paid speeches to Wall Street firms.
According to a Clinton campaign aide, about 70 people attended the San Francisco event, with tickets priced at $33,400 per person. Co-chairs contributed $100,000 per couple, and chairs raised and/or contributed $353,400 per couple. The contributions for both events go to the Hillary Victory Fund, which is raising money for the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state party committees.
Meanwhile, a group of Sanders supporters are planning a counter event at a nearby home. They are holding a $27-per-person fundraiser at the home of Howard Gold, from the family of the founder of the 99 Cents store chain. Co-hosts include Matthew Cooke, Andrew Keegan, Cary Harrison and Chris Kantrowitz.

Mmm.........this should be interesting....

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I think we all knew George isn't an idiot of course he knew it was obscene , but he didn't set the price or the rules. Let's see if anyone actually tries to change these rules , some how I doubt it will happen.

.........well, by doing this in such a timely way it seems to me that he's hoping to start the conversation...or help to start it. 

A tricky path to tread and political career rumours will start again too, but timely too given the Money Monster narrative and the fact that he's the producer.

I wondered when he'd choose to talk about it all.........

George isn't "Meet The Press"'s usual type of guest, so I'm guessing they invited him specifically because of the dinners. Maybe Hillary was too busy and asked him to fill in for her. Or maybe they felt if they had Hilllary on they'd have to give Bernie equal time.

Either way, the way the question was asked George didn't really have much wiggle room. Really, what else could he have said? He's not starting the conversation. He's just adding his voice to a discussion that's been on-going for years. As long as our representatives are more concerned with getting elected than running the country nothing will change.

Well, we know what he said about campaign finance. I wonder what else they asked him. I'll have to make sure to watch.

Yes obseen to who set price. If no George then think Hilary?

Alisonfan - I think the price was set by the DNC (Democratic National Committee) and Hillary's people. They probably consulted with local politicians about who might be likely to contribute and how much they might be willing to give. They might even have consulted with the hosts about who to invite. In the end, though, I think the DNC and the people running Hillary's campaign made the decisions.

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Second post down looks interesting too.........even tho I don't a lot about US political campaigns.......

Gosh is this a part of a longer interview?....

He is looking tired, jaded....Looking straight to camera and looking for absolution....

Yep, more to come.

Tread carefully George......this is a bit of a hot potato.........

PAN -  I saw that second post and thought "O.K., Here we go!!!" The gloves are coming off. Bernie better watch out if he doesn't want to shoot himself in the foot. If you want the party's support, you have to support the party.

The presidential candidate raises money for their own campaign and for their party's war chest. This war chest is money used to promote the party's candidates at all levels - local, statewide, Congressional and of course presidential. In this case Hillary gives money to the DNC and they decide how to use it to promote their down-ticket candidates.

Because there are legal limits set on how much an individual or corporation can give to a candidate, donations are made directly to the candidate's campaign and/or to the candidate's party's fundraising arm. People can also donate to PACs (political action committees) which then donate to candidates of their choice or directly to a particular party. This all allows them to donate more than the law would allow them as an individual.

It really is a mess and it is much too easy to get around the law. By promising to fund a campaign - or by threatening not to - wealthy donors, corporations, super PACs etc. can exercise a lot of influence on candidates and legislators so we try to limit contributions. We haven't been very successful. I saw a senator interviewed last week who said that they each spend two hours a day on the phone soliciting campaign contributions! This is after they're elected! It's built into their daily schedule. 

I don't know what the answer is, but there has to be a better way to do things. Somehow we have to take the money out of the election process.

PAN - Absolutely! That's why I was surprised to see that he was doing this. Maybe the backlash - and there will be one - will convince him even more to stay out of politics.

In Italia we can't see the videos from NBC
Charging no end

I don't think he needs to be convinced to stay out of politics, he knows how bad and ugly it can be. I don't see him stopping helping a candidate he believes in though no matter what.

The money argument comes up every election it's not new news. Frankly , I don't believe if it had been trump there would be such screaming, it is Hillary so yes  people are screaming.  I also don't think a lot of those people understand the money is not just going to Hillary but to help the party. 

 This will blow over until the next election and if nothing changes we will see more of the same.

The problem he's got is money - obviously. 

Maybe a tad unfortunate that the press is full of stuff about Cabo......maybe we'll get the Kentucky background again but that won't necessarily play well.

I reckon it'll be a plea for reform of the system - Citizens United etc. I'm betting that's why all the Hollywood producers had a private meeting with Clinton yesterday.

Money Monster timing......gosh!

I found a news report that says George talks about how the money is needed to get Democrats elected. So a bit of everything apparently.

Here's the MTP twitter page:

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and scroll down


Impressive stuff, George!

They need to take away the loop holes and have someone watch what is going on. If you have a budget then that is what
you have to spend no more no less. Also if you are rich you have to follow the rules as well if you want to fund your campaign the amount you can use does not change.

Politician's want their cake and want to eat it too.

That would take all the fun out of buying elections!!!

Here's the full interview:


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Thank you Frenchiesfans..........

Really good interview with George.  He was honest and frank.  Don't think he will ever back off from issues he believes in.  He understands how Congress works, how money plays a part,  how laws get passed.  If people want to get big money out of politics then you got to change the make-up of the Congress.  That's almost as important as who we elect for President.

Public financing only of campaigns with a limit on what an individual can donate. No corporate contributions allowed. That's the way I see it. God only knows we could at least get rid of a bunch of the awful tv ads that run ad nauseam during election seasons.

Also wanted to say it was so like George to go up to the protesters to try and talk with them. Loved the comments from one guy he talked to who called him a corporate shill (?) and said he sucked as Batman. Has me wondering how "informed" and serious these protesters were.

I don't think they are informed some people just jump on the bandwagon and don't care about the whole picture.  I think some feel it makes them look good to be out there protesting.

As somebody who lives across the pond with no clue about how US politics and the long process of an election work, George's explanation was brilliant - and he managed to do it in a calm, and completely non-aggressive way. 

No wonder he's respected in those circles.......

if he thinks it's so obscene- why the f#^&* did he have the party in the first place????


 
Yeh- I am major pissed.  
You're either part of the problem or part of the solution.   George- you can't be both--even if you are Hollywood royalty, the power couple.

In my part of the forest, it's called talking out of both sides of your mouth.

party animal - not! wrote:The problem he's got is money - obviously. 

Maybe a tad unfortunate that the press is full of stuff about Cabo......maybe we'll get the Kentucky background again but that won't necessarily play well.

I reckon it'll be a plea for reform of the system - Citizens United etc. I'm betting that's why all the Hollywood producers had a private meeting with Clinton yesterday.

Money Monster timing......gosh!

Money Monster timing......gosh!


Must be a coincidence 

PP - I'm surprised at you! Didn't you see the interview? He explained himself pretty well, I thought. You raise as much money as you can to fill the party's war chest and make it possible for them to get as many party members elected as possible. Until the law changes it's the only way to go if you want to get your people into office.

He did explain everything clearly, we need as many democrats as possible to win.

PP, this is one time I think it really is coincidence - at least on George's part. The Clinton dinners had to fit into her schedule more than his and I don't know how much influence he had on the opening dates for Money Monster. If it opened any time before November it would be in the midst of the election cycle.

No pictures or mention of Amal at all. Was she even there? You'd think she'd at least be seen going in or out. Seems she's avoiding the press lately - or are they avoiding her?

Re: Bernie's supporters protesting at the dinner. I think a lot of them are quite young and idealistic. They're voting with their hearts not their heads. We've all been there, I think, but then we grow up and live in the real world where wishing doesn't make it so. If only it was that easy!

Here is everyone's timetable for the day, and it looks as if the Clooneys were at the afternoon session too.

Being Variety, it lists quite a lot of the folk who were at both


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I think the lack of pix and the fact there are none of Amal or the two of them together are possibly (A) deliberately low key event because of the timing and different from Obama event and (B) it's not where Amal would vote.

I agree pan I think this event was hosted by George and amal but the big draw was George  so it has been about him at these events.

Merged threads

Nicky!!!

How are you!?

If by some monumental turn of events Sanders becomes President, he'll be thanking George and Hillary and every other 1%er for the Democrats elected to Congress... whom he hasn't helped one bit with his historic fundraising success.

He's been around too long to be that effing naive. His rhetoric on this is just disingenuous, and it's wearing thin with me.

Hey, Nicky! How are you? Where've you been? You've been missed.

Bernie's really starting to get on my nerves. He knows damn well that until the laws change it has to be business as usual - unless he wants to hand the whole thing over to Trump and the Republicans. And if he should by some weird twist of fate get elected, does he really expect support from all the people he's not supporting now? The last thing we need is a lame-duck president who won't even have the support of much of his own party, let alone the opposition.

So far Bernie has chosen three congressional candidates to receive funds from his campaign. He's going to need to do better than that to flip the Senate.

George is a realist and pragmatic. That's why he is supporting Clinton. Bernie says what people want to hear (and I do believe he's genuine in his stands on issues) but completely unrealistic. As is Trump.
And both of them have no real plans.

Yea Bernie's rhetoric is wearing thin at this point. What else have you got Bernie???

People need to wise up

You can simultaneously believe that the current system is broken and corrupt, and understand that to effect change you must work within it.  If Bernie thinks he's going to get free college tuition, universal health care, and all the other unicorns he's promising without supporting down-ticket candidates and flipping the Senate, he hasn't been paying attention the last eight years.  And while his $27 fundraiser is cute idea, Hillary and George and Katzenberg are trying to prevent a racist, misogynist carnival barker from taking the White House, and that takes $$$$.  The next president will be naming up to four Supreme Court justices; it isn't the year for moral victories.

Right on Missa!

Amen, Missa! Although I think keeping Trump out of the White House would be a moral victory.

Definitely Lizzy.

Many comments say George to know what obseen amount of money is very well. As Amal spend daily on clothes pants bags.He go along with that to. No problem.

Missa wrote:You can simultaneously believe that the current system is broken and corrupt, and understand that to effect change you must work within it.  If Bernie thinks he's going to get free college tuition, universal health care, and all the other unicorns he's promising without supporting down-ticket candidates and flipping the Senate, he hasn't been paying attention the last eight years.  And while his $27 fundraiser is cute idea, Hillary and George and Katzenberg are trying to prevent a racist, misogynist carnival barker from taking the White House, and that takes $$$$.  The next president will be naming up to four Supreme Court justices; it isn't the year for moral victories.

Could Amal be justice

What amal spends is her business it's her money just as those who are complaining can spend theirs on anything they like.

Absolutely annemarie.

No, Alisonfan. Amal could not be a justice. She's British

Yes some say pants bag money obseen. Like HC George don't mind. Obseen it wrong but do say nothing.like interview yes it wrong but I can't do anything it her money she obseen to some people my wife work for that money in helping people who need help.