Wilshire & Washington

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John McCain tries to make inroads in Hollywood.

The column appears in the print edition of Variety on Sunday, but it is posted here.

Media and Gay Marriage

That, and other news, in today's Political Panorama.

With New York set to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages, California poised to start them next month and polls shifting in favor of gay marriage, has momentum shifted? Even Bill O'Reilly is taking down gay marriage opponents, challenging a rep from the Family Law Assn. to come up with a reason why gay marriage is bad for California. He couldn't come up with one. Andrew Sullivan writes on his blog, "Is it me or does it feel as if we have reached a tipping point on this issue?"

It could all just be a lull in the furor, as opponents mount resources and create new strategies for an expected California ballot initiative in November to ban same-sex marriage. David Paul Kuhn writes in The Politico that the "muted political reaction to the recent California Supreme Court decision overturning the state’s ban on gay marriage might seem to suggest that same-sex marriage has run its course as a political wedge issue. But pollsters caution that it may yet return to center stage in the presidential election this fall."

Barack Obama and John McCain are both opposed to gay marriage, while Obama is opposed to the proposed California ballot initiative to ban it. McCain has criticized the California Supreme Court ruling, but he has not publicly stated where he stands on the initiative, other than to say that it should be left to the people to decide.

Mayor Machinations: The Los Angeles Times' Tina Daunt has details of Hollywood's efforts to boost the re-election fortunes of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,  with Rob Reiner hosting a strategy session at his home amid rumblings that developer Rick Caruso is eyeing the race. Among the fund-raisers so far: an event at the home of Haim Saban, co-hosted by Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jim Wiatt and Peter Chernin. She writes, "By the end of June, more than a dozen campaign events -- with almost every studio head in town signed up to attend -- will have been held."

"What Antonio wants to do is get out in front and show his strength to other candidates," Reiner tells Daunt. "I don't think he'll have any problem."

Kiss Meets Condi: Who knew? Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is "thrilled" to meet KISS.

McCain's Movie Night

Updated

John McCain raised money at the home of Elliott Broidy and his wife, Robin, on Wednesday night, but before that he taped an interview for an upcoming DVD release of "The Hanoi Hilton."

The 1987 pic, written and directed by Lionel Chetwynd, is a fictitious account of American POWs who were held in Hanoi's Hoa Lo prison, where McCain spent some of his five and a half years in captivity there.

Chetwynd says that during the interview, McCain talked about how his experience helped shape "his view of the world."

The movie could undoubtedly help McCain's campaign remind voters of his Vietnam experience, but it is still uncertain whether it will be released before the election.

Chetwynd, meanwhile, is bullish about McCain's prospects for garnering Hollywood support --- at least more so than by GOP standard bearers in recent cycles. Many of those in the industry who backed Giuliani have come over to the McCain camp, and Democrats will be "much more surprised" at the level of backing McCain garners in the entertainment community, he says.

The fund-raiser, expected to have raised $5 million for the McCain campaign and the Republican party, drew Chetwynd, Lindsey Graham, Tom Selleck, Patricia Heaton, Angie Harmon, Jason Sehorn, Jon Voight, Gary Sinese, Kelsey Grammer, Powers Boothe, Frank Luntz and John Ondrasik. Clint Eastwood couldn't make it, but sent a check to McCain earlier this year and attended a fund-raiser for the presumptive Republican nominee in March at the home of Jerry Perenchio.

Broidy's wife, Robin, is a former Fox executive, while Broidy, chairman of a private equity firm, was a stalwart supporter of President Bush.

Are "They" Against Clinton? Study Says Not So

In recent weeks the Clinton campaign has directed its fire at the media --- but a new study challenges whether the Fourth Estate has been unfair.

Variety's William Triplett reports that the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism found that Barack Obama "has not enjoyed a better ride in the press" during the primary battles.

"The dominant personal narratives in the media about Obama and Clinton were almost identical in tone."

There were a few words of caution --- neither Obama or John McCain have been able to really "control the message."

"Analysis suggests that both Obama and McCain are heading into the general election battle with less control over their personal messages than they might like. In many ways, the coverage of the campaign has been dominated by a series of small storylines or boomlets of coverage that so far have raised unresolved questions but not yet framed an overall storyline -- Obama's friendships and core ideology, the meaning of his promise of change; McCain's core ideology, his relationship with lobbyists and a looming battle, largely quiet during the primaries, over the direction of the conduct of the war in Iraq."

Franken's Playboy Problem

Some Minnesota politicos are worried that Al Franken's Senate race will hurt their chances at re-election.

The target of their concerns: "Porn-o-rama," a satirical piece that Franken wrote for Playboy in 2000, when he was still a comic and apparently before any political ambitions would have tempered his output.

The Politico quotes a Democratic source as saying "all five Democrats in the Minnesota Congressional delegation recently met and expressed serious concerns about Franken’s impact down-ballot on their Congressional campaigns."

And Rep. Betty McCollum went public with her concerns: "I’m a woman, I'm a mother, I'm a former teacher, and an elected official. This material makes me question the judgment of someone who would write this. And this person is now a candidate representing Minnesota."

According to ABC, in "Porn-o-rama," Franken wrote about visiting a made-up sex institute where he takes part in sexual acts with humans and machines. (I'd attempt to link to it here, but we're pretty sure we can't get behind our office's security wall).

Minnesota Republicans are making much of this, and last week asked for an apology from Franken.

What is a bit puzzling --- to use the buzzword of the last few days --- is that it took this much time to make it into the campaign, given that Franken has been running for more than a year. But it is entirely in keeping with many predictions, that Franken's humor would be used against him.

Straight Talk Express in Beverly Hills

Michael Jones filed this report from John McCain's press availability Wednesday evening in Beverly Hills:

As the White House continued their puzzlement over former press secretary Scott McClellan's new tell-all book -- "This is not the Scott we knew" -- John McCain struggled to keep an LA press conference on his topic: Obama.

Organizers perhaps hadn't anticipated the interest Hollywood had in McCain this trip.  Though he claimed "I can compete in California.  We can win in California," there are serious doubts that he will carry the state. 

But the McClellan story had been snowballing all morning that by the afternoon, the soapbox-sized meeting room at the Beverly Hilton was overflowing.

In an opening statement, McCain began with a shot at Obama, whom he congratulated for finally considering a trip to Iraq after 871 days - "I'm confident that when he goes he will then change his position because he will see the success that has been achieved on the ground."

But the press had other topics in mind.

When questioned on McCellan's assertion that the Bush White House used propoganda and deception to move the American people to war - McCain brushed it off and tried to steer it to Obama: "I have no information about that... But it's also very clear that I strongly opposed the failed strategy in Iraq after visiting Iraq on several occasions.  I haven't seen the book and can't make additional comments."

When questioned about why, despite his spirit of openness, that he keeps his fund raisers closed to the press, McCain again brought it around to Obama, saying that in fund raisers he doesn't bring up comments about embittered voters turning away from religion or the constitution because of their economic condition. 

Later, a journalist took him to task about that, asking since McCain keeps his fundraisers off limits, how are they supposed to verify that he isn't saying the same things that Obama did -- "Are we just supposed to take your word for it?"

McCain's answer was simple: "If you want to. You don't have to."

On gay marriage, McCain said "My position has always been maintaining the unique status of marriage between a man and a woman.  And I believe the people should decide that rather than the courts." 

On the heels of a California Field Poll that shows the tide has swung in favor of gay marriage, one journalist noted that he may get his wish.

If Senator Obama were to go to Iraq and return remaining committed to withdrawing US troops, would McCain have more respect for Obama's views or "would he continue to ridicule his view as you do on a daily basis?" 

"I'm not sure I understand the question, but the facts on the ground there are clear."

As a followup: "So anybody that sees it differently, and that would include a majority of Americans, are all wrong?"

McCain replied, "I think most Americans believe that if we can come home with honor and not have to go back and make further sacrifice of blood and treasure that over time they will support it."

McClellan on "Today"

That, and other news, in today's Political Panorama.

Scott McClellan told Meredith Viera on "Today" Thursday that there is a "larger purpose' to his new book --- ending the partisan warfare in Washington, even though he understands that the initial reaction is so focused on his seeming about-face on the Bush adminstration. "I had this great hope that we were going to come to Washington and change it," he says. "...Then we got to Washington, and I think we got caught up in playing the Washington game the way it is played today."

Murdoch for Obama?: Rupert Murdoch recently contributed to John McCain's presidential campaign, but that doesn't mean that he's endorsing him. In fact, he says that he has yet to endorse anyone in the race, and still wants to meet Barack Obama, whom he calls a "phenomenon." He predicts a big Democratic victory this year, and that Obama can overcome issues of race. "I want to be convinced that Obama is the real thing, that can really carry through. I'm open to that."

As for McCain, he "has been in Congress a long time, and you have to make a lot of compromises. So what's he really stand for?... I think he has a lot of problems." Video via Daily Dish.

Martin for Hillary: In the "where were you before?" department: Ricky Martin endorses Hillary Clinton. But it does come before Puerto Rico.

"Recount" Cited: Ambassador Terry Scumaker, a longtime supporter of Hillary Clinton, cites the movie "Recount" in a letter to the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee.

DreamWorks' Project: DreamWorks Animation held its official launch of the DreamWorks Animation Academy at Inner-City Arts in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday. The company provided a $500,000 grant to expand the org's art education program, which supports at risk youth. DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg was joined by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at the ceremony, along with a group of students from El Sereno Elementary School. A short animated film that they created while in a 14-week class provided by Inner-City Arts was premiered. ---Kurtis Lee

Brokaw Defends Media in Run Up to War

Tom Brokaw defended the press corps in the run up to the war in Iraq, saying, "This president was determined to go to war, and it was more theology than anything else, and that is pretty hard to deal with."

Brokaw appeared on "NBC Nightly News" to talk with Brian Williams about Scott McClellan's characterization of the media as "complicit enablers" for not taking a more hardened look at the Bush administration's rationale for going to war.

"It needs to be viewed in the context of that time," Brokaw said.

He said that "a lot of what was going on then was unknowable." "The CIA insisted he has weapons of mass destruction."

"The White House has an unbelievable ability to control the flow of information at any time, but especially during the time they are preparing to go to war," Brokaw said.

"There is the fog of war, Brian, and there's also the fog of covering war."

Katie Couric, however, had a slightly different take. Appearing on "Today" to announce a joint, three-network effort to support cancer research, she said, "There was such a significant march to war and people who questioned it very early on, and really as the war progressed, were considered unpatriotic. And I think it did affect the way, the level of aggressiveness that was exercised by the media. I really do."

Meanwhile, David Gregory defended the White House press corps in an appearance on "Hardball."

The McClellan Tour

Variety's William Triplett reports from Washington on the details of Scott McClellan's book tour schedule on Thursday, including an appearance on "Today" and "Countdown with Keith Olbermann."

It's got to add extra sting that McClellan has chosen a network news division that the White House detests --- at least according to a memo it sent to NBC last week, complaining of the way an interview with George W. Bush was edited.

As for the White House press corps and the rest of the media, which McClellan called a "culture of enablers" in not challenging the case for war, Triplett gets this response from ABC's Martha Raddatz:

"The media don't always do everything right, but I do know that certainly some members of the press did challenge the administration. I think we did as much as we could have, given that we did not have access to the intelligence," she said.

More than one option

• (Co) Daily Variety
  Filmography, Year, Role
• (Co) Daily Variety

Candidates Issue Joint Statement on Darfur

As the situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate, the three presidential candidates issued a race joint statement calling on Sudan to end the genocide in the region.

“As we campaign for President of the United States over the next several months, we expect there to be significant focus on the many differences between us,” reads the statement, which is also featured today in a New York Times advertisement. “It is with this awareness that we are taking the uncommon step of issuing a joint statement about an issue. After more than five years of genocide, the Sudanese government and its proxies continue to commit atrocities against civilians in Darfur. This is unacceptable to the American people and to the world community.”

The full statement (below) ran in the New York Times today and was organized by the Save Darfur Coalition.

H'w'd Asks: Which Way China?

J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath host Thursday's Foreign Policy Roundtable at their home with the featured speaker Victor Yuan, who as head of Horizon Research is considered the Gallup pollster of China.

The invitation-only roundtable draws a mix of directors, studio execs and producers and has previously hosted Queen Rania of Jordan at CAA and Jeffrey Sachs at the home of Peter Chernin.

DNC: "Sold Out"

Mike Jones, editor of our sister blog The Circuit, is up with a new post on the Democratic National Convention's efforts to draw on film talent into the big event, fast becoming the political version of the Sundance Film Festival.

The convention host committee and the Denver Film Society launched Cinemocracy.org --- which collects five-minute films themed around democracy, with the top 25 to be shown during the convention. But the one film that is emerging as the most popular is Nick Newell's "Sold Out," about his "frustrating quest to get a convention ticket," Jones reports.

Newell inquired and got this response, "Tickets to the convention are not available to the general public."

As Jones writes, "It's probably not what the Host Committe had in mind."

The complete film is here.

McClellan's Bombshell of a Book

Updated

That, and other news, in today's Political Panorama.

Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan's new memoir is an indictment not just of the Bush adminstration's prelude to war, but of the news media's failure to cast a more skeptical eye on its rationale. That's according to excerpts obtained by The Politico and the New York Times.

McClellan writes, "“If anything, the national press corps was probably too deferential to the White House and to the administration in regard to the most important decision facing the nation during my years in Washington, the choice over whether to go to war in Iraq.

“The collapse of the administration’s rationales for war, which became apparent months after our invasion, should never have come as such a surprise. … In this case, the ‘liberal media’ didn’t live up to its reputation. If it had, the country would have been better served.”

It's bound to create a new round of consternation on the media's coverage of the Bush presidency, particularly the White House press corps. Times James Poniewozik headlines an entry in his blog, "You Know You're a Wussy Press Corps When...the former White House Press Secretary says you were too easy on him."

Karl Rove already has weighed in, saying that McClellan sounds like a "left wing blogger." McClellan is booked on "Today" on Thursday as well as a fave of the left blogosphere, "Countdown with Keith Olbermann."

Reid in Town: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appears at UCLA tonight to chat with Rob Reiner about his book, "The Good Fight: Hard Lessons From Searchlight to Washington." Thevent is sponsored by Writers Bloc and Town Hall Los Angeles.

Raining on McCain's Parade?: Jeffrey Ressner writes in The Politico that John McCain may not make many inroads in Hollywood, despite his long ties to the business. “I’ve given him the maximum I’m allowed in this cycle, and when he gets the nomination, I’ll give him the maximum again,” said Ben Stein, the character actor and pundit. But even Stein admitted, “Hollywood is not Republican country. There are some of us here, but not enough to make a difference. I don’t think Hollywood will be counted on to make a great deal of support for Senator McCain.” Still, he adds, the area has a lot of wealthy people from other industries besides the film business. “Los Angeles and Southern California will definitely be a great source of money for him, no doubt about that.”

Not to be outdone, Wonkette writes up Ressner's story --- with a bevy of comments to boot.

Gay Marriages to Start: California counties can issue marriage licenses starting on June 17. Meanwhile, a Field Poll shows that 51% of residents support same-sex marriage,. with 42% opposed, the first time that gay marriage has received majority support. It's a good sign for those working to defeat a proposed ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage.

Obama Opens Up Big Lead in H'w'd Fund-raising

Barack Obama has pulled way ahead of Hillary Clinton in money raised from the entertainment business -- and could very well finish the nomination battle as the victor when it comes to Hollywood dollars.

The latest figures from the Center for Responsive Politics show that Obama collected $4,022,006 from movie, TV and music sources through the end of April, compared with $3,413,024 for Clinton.

That may not seem like such a surprise given that many consider Obama the likely nominee.

But Obama and Clinton have been battling for entertainment industry donors throughout the campaign cycle, raising almost equal amounts. At the end of February, for instance, less than $300 separated the candidates in show business fund-raising.

CRP spokesman Massie Ritsch wrote on the org’s website that Obama has become the “industry’s clear favorite.”

Many thought that Clinton would naturally take that role given her -- and her husband’s -- longtime ties to the entertainment business. Obama was the first out of the gate in February 2007 in a fund-raiser at the Beverly Hilton that was co-hosted by David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg.

Clinton’s numbers could increase a bit this month: She held a fund-raiser at the Century Plaza Hotel on May 15, with tickets starting at $150 per person. Michelle Obama, meanwhile, is scheduled to attend a fund-raiser  tonight at the home of Dawn Ostroff.

But much of the industry is tapped out, meaning they cannot give more to a candidate because they have already reached federal contribution limits.

Overall, the entertainment industry has contributed $9.5 million to presidential candidates this cycle, with about 83% of it going to Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

John McCain has raised far less from Hollywood -- $636,046. But he will undoubtedly add to that total  today when he attends a fund-raiser at the Los Angeles home of Elliott Broidy, chairman of the Markston Capital private equity firm, whose wife, Robin, is a former executive at Fox. The event will raise money for his campaign and the Republican party. Among the recent contributions McCain's campaign has reported is a $2,300 check from Clint Eastwood.

The CRP’s figures could change a little bit as additional contributions are counted, and the org’s numbers don’t always include spouses or industry-related professionals such as attorneys. But short of a scientific poll, it is the only measurement of a candidate’s industry strength.

Oprah's Ratings Drop

That, and other news, in today's Political Panorama.

Welcome back after a brief break for the Memorial Day weekend...

Here's some catch up items...

Oprah Winfrey's ratings have dropped 7 percent this year --- but it's uncertain whether her endorsement of Barack Obama has anything to do with it, reports the New York Times.  Winfrey herself has admitted that she has endured charges of disloyalty for not backing Hillary Clinton, and the talk show host's Website has been chalk full of vitriolic comments. But daytime ratings are down overall, and her staffers point this out when explaining the ratings erosion.

Remark & Retract: Fox News analyst Liz Trotta is the latest to apologize for bringing up assassinations, this time in an attempt at humor.

Mountains and Mole Hills: In a story that the Clinton campaign distributed to its media list, John Harris of the Politico dissects the media's reaction --- or over reaction --- to Hillary Clinton's RFK comments. Meanwhile, James Poniewozik finds Keith Olbermann's reaction to Clinton over the top --- to say the least.

Bloggers and Franken: Minnesota's politics are amplified more than ever this year by bloggers, one of whom broke a story about Al Franken's finances. Franken got good news in a Rassmussen poll, that shows his campaign in a dead heat with incumbent Norm Coleman.

Still for Hagee: John McCain disavowed televangelist John Hagee last week, but Joe Lieberman is still scheduled to appear at the controversial preacher's Washington-Israel Summit.

And More Ellen: Ellen DeGeneres asks Jenna Bush whether she can have her wedding at the Crawford ranch. (via Daily Dish).

The Latest Column

Ellen DeGeneres is bound to be one of the most effective voices in swaying opinion as same-sex marriage proponents work to defeat a proposed California ballot measure.

My latest column for Variety weekly here.

The RFK Comparison

Hillary Clinton's reference to Robert Kennedy's assassination appears to be an ill chosen choice of words, made to point out other nomination contests that have gone into June. Even then, the comparison is unfortunate, as 1968's convention is obviously not one that Democrats would choose to repeat.

To put it another way, is Hillary's status in the race similar to Kennedy's?

If she takes her fight for the nomination to the convention, there is a good chance that she will have to convince at least some Obama superdelegates to switch their support to her. Had Kennedy lived, he very may have had to find a way to wrest away delegates from Hubert Humphrey.

But it's dicey to compare the nomination battle that year to this one --- because the rules are so entirely different. And while the tragedy of Kennedy's death still inspires wonders of "what if?," almost 40 years later, it's easy to forget the history.

RFK was by no means guaranteed the nomination after his California victory. He would have gone on to Chicago and faced an uphill battle of overtaking Humphrey in the race for the nomination.

After the California primary, Kennedy had 393 delegates to Eugene McCarthy's 258 --- but Humphrey had 561. Under a different and much less democratic set of party rules, Humphrey did not enter any primaries that year and instead concentrated on winning delegates in non-primary states. There was much speculation in the press that Kennedy would have to wrest delegates away from Humphrey if he was to have a chance of securing the nomination.

According to journalist Jules Witcover, on the night of his California victory, CBS News' Roger Mudd even asked him whether the delegates committed or leaning to Humphrey were "squeezable." "Roger. Your language. I don't like either of those expressions!" Kennedy replied in mock offense.

So the chance was still there for Kennedy to win. But he would have had to use his California victory to shift the opinions of party leaders and officials, and in the same interview with Mudd, he pointed to his popular vote total in making just such a case. "I think the Democratic Party would be making a very bad mistake to ignore the wishes of the people and ignore these primaries," he said.  (McCarthy had garnered 39% of the primary votes to Kennedy's 31%, so he had the same argument, too.)

Nevertheless, pundits back then (below) were of the mind that Humphrey had the nomination sewn up. More than half were still uncommitted, but candidates were all working on getting them lined up, working party bosses and others. On primary night, CBS News even did its own calculation and predicted that Humphrey would go to Chicago with 1067 1/2 delegates to Kennedy's 622 1/2, with 1,312 needed to nominate.

As one pundit said that year, "After all, it's delegates, not people, who decide nominees." Sound familiar?

Pastor Patrol

That, and other news, in today's Political Panorama.

It took a while, but John McCain has rejected and denounced two high-profile televangelists: John Hagee and Rod Parsley. The final straw for the former was the revelation of a comment Hagee made in which he said that Adolf Hitler was fulfilling God's will by forcing Jews back to Palestine. The latter described Islam as an "anti-Christ" religion.

McCain, who has had a tenuous relationship with the religious right, courted their support this cycle, to the point where he declined to drop Hagee even well after it was known that the Texas pastor had a propensity for wacky pronouncements. (Catholics="the great whore"). Many bloggers and some mainstream journalists pressed the double standard of it all, with Barack Obama's campaign nearly derailed over Rev. Jeremiah Wright while Hagee and Parsley went largely unnoticed. But that was destined to change as time went on and progressive media outlets continued to produce pieces like this one, from Robert Greenwald's Brave News Films.

The irony is that, given that the pastors are televangelists, their body of work is presumably much more accessible, available and familiar --- and perhaps that is one reason why they didn't have as great an impact in the way that Wright did. From the PTL scandals of the 1980s to Pat Robertson's post-9/11 rants, it's kind of what we've come to expect from the televangelists. Just turn on the TV any day to see Trinity Broadcasting (where Hagee has a time slot), and it is a bizarre stew of religious zealotry and Rococco stagecraft. It was McCain who called leaders on the religious right "agents of intolerance" in 2000 --- so he knew what kind of territory he was venturing into as he courted their support this election cycle. That's why it's all the more intriguing that it has backfired.

Republicans in Hollywood: As I mentioned earlier this week, Republicans in Hollywood are organizing a big push for McCain, and today the Washington Times runs a list of McCain supporting celebrities. Among them: Wilford Brimley, Dick Van Patten and Rip Torn, all of whom have contributed. Suffice it to say, it does run longer, but what to watch for is if the Republican nominee gets any Clinton backers should she fail in her quest for the Democratic nod.

Spielberg Meets with Sarkozy

I've been on assignment for much of the day, so I apologize for the lack of postings today...

Steven Spielberg met privately with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday to discuss the crisis in Darfur.

Sarkozy also named the director an officer of the French Legion of Honor for his work in documenting the Holocaust and for his work in Darfur.

In February, Spielberg backed out of his role as artistic adviser to the Beijing Olympics, citing the lack of progress by China in influencing Sudan to alleviate the suffering in the region.

The visit to Paris followed Spielberg's appearance at the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

Ellen to John McCain: "So You Will Walk Me Down the Aisle?"

Ellen DeGeneres challenged Republican nominee John McCain on the issue of gay marriage when he taped an appearance on her show on Wednesday.

In a clip posted by the Website TMZ, McCain tells DeGeneres that they have a "respectful disagreement on that issue."

But DeGeneres said that "it just feels that there is this old way of thinking" to deny marriage to same-sex couples even as other rights are extended to them.

"It just sounds like you are saying, 'You can sit there, you cannot sit there,'" DeGeneres said.

"Well, we just have a disagreement, and I, along with many others, wish you a lot of happiness," McCain responded.

DeGeneres responded, "So you will walk me down the aisle?"

The audience laughed. "Touche," McCain said.

After the California Supreme Court overturned a law banning same sex unions last week, DeGeneres announced her plans to marry Portia de Rossi. McCain, however, was critical of what he saw as judges taking an activist role in the process.

His appearance will air on Thursday.

Hillary's "Recount"

In an interview with an Ohio radio station today, Hillary Clinton cites the HBO movie "Recount" ---- about the 2000 disputed Florida vote --- as making a "very strong case" for seating the state's delegates at the Democratic National Convention this summer.

"The lesson is if you can discern the clear intent of the voter, why would you punish the voter?" she said, per "The Hotline." "We are turning this into a major battle that I think is really ill serving the party."

"We've got to change the way we nominate presidents for a lot of reasons," she said. "I personally believe these caucuses are terribly unrepresentative. ... [And] I think that what's happened with Florida and Michigan raises serious questions about the principles of our party."

She also said that she has a lead in the popular vote, although that measurement comes with an asterisk. Florida and Michigan votes have to be counted, and Barack Obama cannot be awarded any votes in Michigan where his name was not on the ballot.

Obama, or the Rock Stars?

How did Barack Obama draw 75,000 to a rally in Portland on Sunday?

One of the stranger theories comes from right wing blog Newsbusters, where Robert Knight suggests that the media is ignoring a real draw: The Decemberists, a rock band that performed before Obama got on stage.

Never heard of the Decemberists? Well, be sure to look at the comments section of the post.

McCain's Visit

Updated

That, and other news, in today's Political Panorama.

John McCain is in Southern California today for an Irvine fund-raiser and an appearance on "Ellen," but he will be back again next week. On May 28 he scheduled to attend a fund-raiser at the home of Elliott Broidy, chairman of the Markston Capital private equity firm and an avid backer of President Bush. The Jewish Journal noted in 2006 that he was dubbed "the mystery man of the Israeli economy" by that country's media --- although he did give and interview to the Journal.

Meanwhile, the word is that the McCain campaign is assembling an arts and entertainment coalition, with an aim for creating a presence in the industry that hasn't been seen for quite some time by a Republican candidate. Far more than George W. Bush did in 2000, McCain has longtime ties to the business, as a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and for his willingness to embrace pop culture. (Think "Wedding Crashers.")

Michelle Obama Visit: Michelle Obama, meanwhile, also will be in L.A. on May 28, including an early evening fund-raiser at the home of Dawn Ostroff.

Whoopi's Words: From ABC News: "Ted Kennedy, joined by his wife and kids, tried to smile and joke through the pain. The Senator let out a laugh after reading a card from Whoopi Goldberg that said, 'Get out of there now.'"

HBO's Hire: New York Times columnist Frank Rich will serve as a creative consultant for HBO.

Obama Hire: National Journal's Linda Douglass, a former correspondent for CBS News and ABC News, is joining Barack Obama's campaign as senior strategist and a senior campaign spokesperson.

Clinton's Complaint: Yeas & Nays gets an advance copy of People's interview with Bill Clinton --- and he is none too happy with the state of things. He tells the mag: "I think most of the press people are in Obama's demographic. ... There have been times when I thought I was literally lost in a fun house."

There's also this, on accusations that he and Hillary have played the race card: "This was cold-blooded, calculated, manipulated and a revolting strategy."

Arianna Party: This evening, Lynda and Stewart resnick host a book party for Arianna Huffington and her tome "Right is Wrong."

Obama's Speech

His remarks delivered in Des Moines, Iowa here...

Obama Wins Oregon

Networks project he will win immediately after polls close at 8 p.m. PDT.

NBC News projects a significant victory and that he could end the night less than 70 delegates away from securing the nomination.

Exit polls showed that he split the working class vote with Clinton, and also split the vote of white women. Some 83% of his support came from white voters.

MSNBC's Response

On Monday the White House aired its gripes over NBC News in a very public way, complaining not just about the way an interview with President Bush was edited but also about the perceived bias of Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann.

In their primary coverage on Tuesday, Matthews and Olbermann fought back --- with each claiming Bush erred in his speech last week in Israel. Bush referred to suggestions of talking to enemy countries as "appeasement," and many Democrats saw it as an attack on Barack Obama.

"The fact is they did overstep," Chris Matthews said, citing the White House's efforts to deny that they were talking about Obama.

Olbermann, too, called it an "overstep," because "they pitted Barack Obama against not just John McCain but also George Bush."

Clinton's Big Win

Clinton's Kentucky victory speech here...

Obama Raises $31 Million in April; Clinton $22 Million

Updated

The campaign announces the haul just as Hillary Clinton declares victory in Kentucky.

The Clinton campaign raised a hefty $22 million.

Hilary Rosen Named HuffPost Political Director

Hilary Rosen, former chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Assn. of America, has been named political director and Washington editor at large of the Huffington Post.

"I'm delighted to welcome Hilary to the team," Huffington said in a statement. "With her experience in the power corridors of Washington DC, and her extensive network of contacts, Hilary will be a driving force in taking HuffPost's political coverage to the next level. Her seasoned perspective, judgment and relationships will be of enormous value as our political reporting continues to expand."

Rosen said, "The Huffington Post has established itself as both a credible and diverse news organization as well as the pre-eminent home for progressive opinion. I am really excited to help expand our voice during this critical election period."

Rosen served at the RIAA for 17 years before departing in 2003. She has been a political and media consultant, and has been a lobbyist on behalf of LGBT rights and AIDS issues.

Clinton Wins Kentucky

NBC News projects a "significant" margin for Hillary Clinton in the Bluegrass state.

Exit polls showed she enjoyed big support from seniors, rural whites and whites without a college education.

Frank Sinatra Day --- A Week Late

House members declared a Frank Sinatra Day --- but it was a week ago, May 13.

Lawmakers didn't get around to voting on a resolution until today, voting 402-3 to name the day after the late entertainer. That was the same day that a new stamp was unveiled to honor Sinatra, who died on May 14, 1998.

Edward Kennedy

Doctors have diagnosed Sen. Edward Kennedy with a malignant brain tumor, after he suffered a seizure on Saturday.

President Bush was said to be "deeply saddened" by the news, per The Page.

"Laura and I are concerned to learn of our friend Senator Kennedy's diagnosis. Ted Kennedy is a man of tremendous courage, remarkable strength, and powerful spirit. Our thoughts are with Senator Kennedy and his family during this difficult period. We join our fellow Americans in praying for his full recovery."

John McCain released this statement: "We hope and pray his doctors will be able to effectively treat his condition and that he will experience a full recovery. I have described Ted Kennedy as the last lion in the Senate, and I have held that view because he remains the single most effective member of the Senate.”

Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama was followed by an aggressive schedule of campaigning for the candidate, including this appearance in East Los Angeles on Feb. 1.

But his campaign for the presidency in 1980, where he nearly toppled incumbent Jimmy Carter, is still a fabled moment in recent political history, topped by his speech at the Democratic National Convention that year.

Here's a clip of that campaign, from a documentary called "The Made-for-TV Presidency."

The Ellen Vote

Updated

That, and other news, in today's Political Panorama.

John McCain guests on "The Ellen Show" on Thursday, less than a week after Ellen DeGeneres announced that she and partner Portia de Rossi would wed in California following the state Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage.

McCain is opposed to gay marriage --- as are Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama --- but the way he answers any questions asked about his views could be indicative of how far he is willing to press the issue in the general election. With a constitutional ban on gay marriage poised for the California ballot, it will be interesting to see if DeGeneres presses him to take a position, given that McCain opposed a nationwide constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage back in 2004. But McCain is anxious to see California in play, or at least a little bit competitive, and the ballot initiative could have the net effect of rallying the conservative base in the Golden State. So he is, as Jake Tapper of ABC News writes, walking a tightrope.

Writes Tapper, "The fact that McCain is reaching out to DeGeneres' viewers -- an act that would have been close to unthinkable during the Republican primaries -- is indicative of how the conservative Republican is attempting to pivot towards the political center and reach out to independent voters and Democrats, while his would-be opponents continue to battle it out in the five remaining Democratic primaries."

Meanwhile, the fact that DeGeneres landed McCain --- only the latest presidential candidate to visit her show --- speaks to the importance of her audience. Her marriage announcement could have more power in framing the issue to middle America (or inland California) than any amount of advertising or news debate. That's why it was a bit amusing hearing marketing expert Laura Ries opine on Fox News that Ellen's announcement was an intrusion of a talk show host's personal life into a national program. "Talk show hosts are best when we know little about them,  when they put light on the guest and not their own issues," she said, via Towleroad.  Her point: Johnny Carson never talked about his marriage on "The Tonight Show." Actually, he did, in numerous jokes about paying alimony.

Views of the Candidate: Timothy Noah of Slate wonders whether HDTV will hurt John McCain like TV hurt Richard Nixon in the famous Nixon-Kennedy debates of 1960. That's when the cameras were unforgiving of Nixon's 5 o'clock shadow, while JFK looked brighter and friendlier.

Noah writes, "As someone who'd pooh-poohed the age issue, I found myself gasping at McCain's mug as transmitted in glorious HDTV. Wrinkles, blotches, liver spots, scarry tissue—none of these were hidden by McCain's makeup. As McCain cracked wise ("What do we want in our next president? Certainly someone who is very, very, very old."), I found myself thinking, Jeez, he doesn't look like a guy who'll turn 72 this August. He looks like a guy who'll turn 82."

All the more ironic is that McCain has been a big champion of HDTV in the Senate.

Also via Mediabistro, Gary Kamiya of Salon asks why the press is giving a pass to McCain's association with "bat-shit holy men" but "condemns Obama to talk show hell for the same sin."

Clinton Vs. Media II: Hillary Clinton tells the Washington Post that sexism has played a role in the campaign, including  that generated by the media. "It's been deeply offensive to millions of women," Clinton said. "I believe this campaign has been a groundbreaker in a lot of ways. But it certainly has been challenging given some of the attitudes in the press, and I regret that, because I think it's been really not worthy of the seriousness of the campaign and the historical nature of the two candidacies we have here."

"The manifestation of some of the sexism that has gone on in this campaign is somehow more respectable, or at least more accepted, and . . . there should be equal rejection of the sexism and the racism when it raises its ugly head," she said. "It does seem as though the press at least is not as bothered by the incredible vitriol that has been engendered by the comments by people who are nothing but misogynists."

Eastwood on Clinton: Clint Eastwood tells The Politico's Jeffrey Ressner that he can't understand why people are asking Hillary Clinton to drop out. “Everybody’s trying to talk her into folding, but it doesn’t seem like the spirit of Americana,” Eastwood said.

“Put yourself in the place of [Clinton]: You’ve gone out there and made a thousand speeches, and you’ve shaken a million hands and you’ve been out there working your ass off,” Eastwood said. “And then somebody comes up and says, ‘Why don’t you just drop out of it?’”

Did Saban Make an Offer?

The Huffington Post reports that Haim Saban offered $1 million to the Young Democrats of America during a phone interview in which he also pressed the org's two uncommitted superdelegates to back Hillary Clinton.

Crystal Strait, a Young Democrats superdelegate, backed Obama last week, and the org's president, David Hardt, remains uncommitted.

Saban denied the allegation, which HuffPo attributed to four independent sources that say the offer was made before the Indiana and North Carolina primaries.

Nico Pitney and Sam Stein write, "contacted about the report, Saban, initially very friendly, became curt. "Not true," he said, "it's simply not true." He declined to elaborate. Did he talk to the YDA superdelegate? "I talk to many, many superdelegates. Some I don't even remember their names." Did he propose any financial transaction? "I have never offered them or anybody any money" in exchange for support or a vote, he said. The Clinton campaign did not return a request for comment."

White House Vs. NBC

The White House is accusing NBC News of "deceptively" editing an interview that Richard Engel did with President Bush, but it also takes the network to task for a variety of gripes.

Bush adviser Ed Gillespie sent a letter to network news president Steve Capus, and the memo was posted on the White House Website.

Much of the letter concerns Engel's question to Bush over his speech in Israel last week, which many Democrats took as an attack on Barack Obama.

In the interview, Engel asked Bush, "You said that negotiating with Iran is pointless, and then you went further. You said that it was appeasement. Were you referring to Senator Barack Obama?"

The White House says that the edited segment made it seem as if Bush was agreeing with Engel's characterization of the interview when it really wasn't.

Gillespie wrote to Capus, "NBC's selective editing of the President's response is clearly intended to give viewers the impression that he agreed with Engel's characterization of his remarks when he explicitly challenged it.  Furthermore, omitted the references to al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas and ignored the clarifying point in the President's follow-up response that U.S. policy is to require Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment program before coming to the table, not that "negotiating with Iran is pointless" and amounts to "appeasement.""

Gillespie also complains about NBC's 2006 characterization of the war in Iraq as a "civil war," and gets a final dig in at its coverage.

He writes, "Mr. Capus, I'm sure you don't want people to conclude that there is really no distinction between the "news" as reported on NBC and the "opinion" as reported on MSNBC, despite the increasing blurring of those lines. I welcome your response to this letter, and hope it is one that reassures your broadcast network's viewers that blatantly partisan talk show hosts like Christopher Matthews and Keith Olbermann at MSNBC don't hold editorial sway over the NBC network news division."

Here's NBC's response, via Mediabistro: "Richard Engel's interview with President Bush has been available, unedited, in its entirety, for the past day, on our website. Our reporting accurately reflects the interview. Just as the White House does not participate in the editorial process at the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal or USA Today, NBC News, as part of a free press in a free society, makes its own editorial decisions."

Here's Engel's interview, as featured on "Today":

No FCC in Kevin Martin's Future?

NEW ORLEANS -- FCC chairman Kevin J. Martin's term runs to 2011, but it doesn't look like he'll be a welcomed presence beyond January 2009.

Speaking at the annual cable television confab on Sunday, reps from the three leading presidential candidates were either noncommittal or diplomatically evasive when asked if Martin would continue to serve in any of the administrations that might result from the coming November election.

Martin became chairman in March 2005, when his predecessor Michael Powell resigned. Martin was eventually appointed and confirmed for a term lasting through 2011.

"The protocol is typically with a new president, the incumbent chairman resigns," said former FCC chairman Bill Kennard, who was representing the Barack Obama campaign at the cable convention. "But that's not a requirement. He could stay the remainder of his term, but the new president could also immediately appoint a chairman," who would take over when Martin leaves. The desire that Martin leave soon would thus be communicated.

Susan Ness, a former FCC commissioner who was representing the Hillary Clinton campaign, said of Martin, "He would not be someone she would" have nominated herself, and if he resigned, "she would replace him immediately."

Powell, who was representing the John McCain campain, said, "The question is premature. I don't think any of the campaigns have really gotten to the point of deciding anything on the FCC. But I can say this -- Sen. McCain has often said the FCC is not a permanent job."

---William Triplett

Versus the Media

That, and other news, in today's Political Panorama.

Hillary Clinton is taking on the media on the campaign trail and in an ad that was unveiled over the weekend, deploying a strategy designed to drum up voter anger and resentment over pundits' propensity to call the race over.

"There are some folks, you can see them on TV every night, who wanted it to be over for me after Iowa, and every time they say it, something funny happens, the voters don't agree," Clinton said in Kentucky yesterday, per ABC News. "And so what I'm hopin', what I am hoping is that on Tuesday you're going to send a real message to a lot of those folks who didn't want you to vote, who don't want me to keep fighting for you and fighting for our country."

While such a message can stir up enthusiasm, it hasn't seemed to work that well this campaign for other candidates. Rudy Giuliani cited the punditry in the waning days of his Florida campaign, and John Edwards last year took on Fox News. Barack Obama took aim at ABC News for its pre-Pennsylvania debate, then quickly dropped the approach after even some supporters acknowledged that it made him look whiny.

And this could just add more fuel to Clinton's fire: Tim Russert (who is featured in one of Clinton's ads) asked his "Meet the Press" panel about it on Sunday, and the consensus among them was that it was an oft-deployed last minute tactic of a candidate in the waning days of a campaign.

"Recount" Promo: HBO Films is offering Los Angeles residents the chance to experience what it was like to be a Florida resident, circa 2000. They are putting the "actual Votomatic Florida voting machines" used in the election on display at the Grove shopping complex on Tuesday, allowing people to judge for themselves whether they could have effectively cast a ballot whether it be butterfly or hanging chad.

Franken's Polling: Al Franken, who is in Los Angeles for a fund-raiser on Wednesday, trails incumbent Norm Coleman 51-44, according to the latest StarTribune poll.

Dual Signs: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Brentwood home includes lawn signs for both John McCain and Barack Obama. He has endorsed McCain, his wife Maria Shriver (as well as their daughter) have endorsed Obama. Via Laobserved.

McCain's "SNL" Moment

"Saturday Night Live" also created this Clinton-Obama ad:

The Latest Column

In this week's print edition of Variety, I write more about "Recount."

To the Altar

I took much of the day off --- but I wanted to post some of the reaction today to California's decision to allow same-sex unions. The most prominent couple to make the plunge are Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi. "I would like to say for the first time I am announcing I am getting married," DeGeneres said on her show today. (via Out in Hollywood).

More pictures from the West Hollywood rally Thursday here.

Hillary's Case in the Race

Some supporters shouted "never quit." Others brandished a sign saying "Dare to Complete." Others expressed defiance over the process, as Hillary Clinton returned to Los Angeles to raise money on Thursday in Century City --- rallying support as many declare the nomination battle all but over.

Beaming in her turquoise coat, and showing no sign of fatigue, Clinton made a plea for contributions and for help in competing in the final contests, but much of her 20-minute speech to some 600 supporters was geared toward outlining a rationale for staying in the race and for making the case that she would be better suited to face John McCain.

"If the Democratic party had the same rules as the Republican party, I would be the nominee," she said, noting the GOP's winner-take-all system of awarding delegates versus the proportional system of the Democrats.

The crowd, standing in the main ballroom of the Century Plaza Hotel, cheered with each mention she made of staying in the race. Some expressed anger at NARAL's announcement yesterday that it was endorsing Obama. One woman passed out a handwritten flyer, "Professionals for Hillary," asking for supporters to write the DNC and to call Nancy Pelosi to "tell her you support Hillary." Some were privately a bit wistful about Clinton's prospects. One uncommitted superdelegate, an elderly gentleman in a cowboy hat, was lobbied quite heavily as he walked through the room.

"I consider you part of a great movement," she told the group.

Clinton made a reference to past races going all the way to the convention, but did not indicate one way or another whether she actually intended to do so. She also spoke of the process of going through the primaries and then seating the Florida and Michigan delegations, and of needing help through the next "five or six weeks."

Trumpeting her recent victory in West Virginia, she rattled down the list of the states she has won and noted that they "are in primaries that are much more representative."

She noted that the states she has won award 300 electoral votes, while those in which Obama has been the victor are worth 217. "At some point," she said, "we have to look at the electoral map."

She talked about getting "over that threshold" --- who voters envision as commander in chief. "I cross that threshold," she said from the stage, decorated with a floor-to-ceiling American flag.

Clinton was a bit more frank in acknowledging Obama's ability to harness the Internet to raise money, noting that his pool of donors has allowed him a "steady flow of income" and that he has outspent her.

"We are doing really well (on the Internet), but it has been a challenge," she said.

Sim Farar, Rob Reiner and Erika Alexander emceed the event, and others present included former Gov. Gray Davis and Linda Hope, the daughter of late entertainer Bob Hope. Tickets started at $150 per person.

A postscript: Reiner, one of the most active Hollywood figures on the campaign trail for Clinton, took the stage and suddenly heard the word "meatball" from the crowd.

"No. No. I wasn't meatball. I was Meathead," he said, referring to his character on "All in the Family." "I always said I could win the Nobel Peace Prize and I would still have that name."

Trying to Match Matthews

Right wing radio talker Kevin James thinks he can trump Chris Matthews --- and falls flat.

Reaction to the Ruling

Updated

My friend Karen Ocamb --- certainly one of the premiere journalists in the country covering gay rights issues --- writes of reaction to today's California Supreme Court ruling.

Ocamb gathered this quote from Phyllis Lyon, who with partner Del Martin are plaintiffs in the case. Lyon, 83, and Martin, 87, have been together 56 years. "We have waited more than 50 years for the opportunity to marry. We are thrilled that this day has finally come."

Sen. Diane Feinstein said in a statement, "The Court has affirmed that people of the same sex have the right to marry under the Constitution of the State of California. This makes the legal situation very clear. It's become apparent to me that the views of Californians are changing in this regard, and becoming much more favorable with respect to recognizing the social and economic bonds that marriage provides -- regardless of the sex of the individuals."

The Obama campaign had this statement, via Time's The Page: “Barack Obama has always believed that same-sex couples should enjoy equal rights under the law, and he will continue to fight for civil unions as President. He respects the decision of the California Supreme Court, and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage.”

The McCain campaign had this statement, via Marc Ambinder: “John McCain supports the right of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution sanctioning the union between a man and a woman, just as he did in his home state of Arizona. John McCain doesn’t believe judges should be making these decisions.”

Another good friend, P.R. McDonald of the LA Weekly spends the morning at Tim Sullivan's West Hollywood candle shop, a favorite spot for locals to hang out and gather wisdom. Sullivan: “All I can say is, God bless Gavin Newsom.”

California Overturns Gay Marriage Ban

Updated

The state Supreme Court ruled 4-3 today that the state's domestic partnership law was not a a good enough substitute for marriage.

It paves the way for the Golden State to be the second in the country where gays and lesbians can marry.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released this statement.

"I respect the Court’s decision and as Governor, I will uphold its ruling.  Also, as I have said in the past, I will not support an amendment to the constitution that would overturn this state Supreme Court ruling."

One note: It was a very bizarre morning watching the ruling on CNN, which originally announced that the court had essentially ruled against gay marriage, only to correct itself about 10 minutes later.

The Edwards Nod and Clinton's Response

I talked with big backers in the Obama and Clinton camps about the Edwards endorsement --- and while there are some doubts as to how much impact it will have so late in the primary process, it did come at an opportune time for the Illinois senator.

Hillary Clinton's lopsided victory in West Viriginia got trumped on the network and cable newscasts, as did her blitz of interviews today.

Clinton's reaction was that it was "no big surprise to her," according to one of the fund-raisers who gathered at her D.C. home on Wednesday. Clinton had gathered the group for a meeting to talk about the status of the race and her path to the nomination.

When she arrived at the meeting, she told them that she had just talked on the phone with Edwards, who informed her of his Obama endorsement. It was news to those in the room, but she signaled it was not unexpected. (Edwards has hinted at it in recent weeks.)

What transpired instead at the meeting was a roadmap for how she could stage a come from behind victory: Racking up enough popular vote, particularly with Puerto Rico on June 1, to score a majority (with Florida included) and convince superdelegates to shift her way. And, of course, they also will press for the seating of the Florida and Michigan delegations at the May 31 meeting of the DNC Rules & Bylaws committee.

The case to superdelegates centers on electability, and at the meeting some of those there like Ed Rendell expressed major doubts that Obama can win in industrial states like Ohio and other large states like Florida in the general election.

Clinton is due in Los Angeles on Thursday night for a fund-raiser at the Century Plaza Hotel. Sim Farar, one of Clinton's national finance chairs, said the event was "sold out."

About to return to board a plane from Washington D.C., he described the Wednesday meeting as "very positive in how we're going to win this."

"We all left there on a high note," he says. "We believe she is going to win."

One note: Clinton does lead in the popular vote on the Real Clear Politics tabulation, but only if Florida and Michigan are included and the votes of Washington, Iowa, Nevada and Maine are excluded. Obama also would get no votes out of Michigan because his name was not on the ballot.

Report: Edwards to Endorse Obama

Time reports that John Edwards will endorse Barack Obama at a Grand Rapids, Mich., event this evening, ending months of speculation as to who the former presidential candidate would back.

Response from Clinton campaign chair Terry McAuliffe: “We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over.”

With Endorsements Like These...

The Obama campaign promises a major endorsement will be announced this afternoon, and speculation is that it may be John Edwards.

Meanwhile, as the Cannes Film Festival opened, Sean Penn appeared to be giving Obama his support --- but he also took the opportunity to criticize the Democratic front runner.

From the Daily Telegraph:

”I don't have a candidate I'm supporting and I'm certainly interested and excited by the hope that Barack Obama is inspiring,” he said, but went on to accuse him of a “phenomenally inhuman and unconstitutional” voting record.

”I hope that he will understand, if he is the nominee, the degree of disillusionment that will happen if he doesn't become a greater man than he will ever be,” Penn said. “This is the most important election, certainly in my lifetime, and maybe ever.”

Penn endorsed Dennis Kucinich before the Ohio congressman dropped out.

With him was Natalie Portman, who declined to give her pick in the presidential race.

Gay Marriage Ruling on Thursday

California's state Supreme Court will deliver its ruling on Thursday on whether the state can continue to ban same sex marriages.

The repercussions are obviously huge, not only because it may clear the way for same-sex marriage in the largest state in the country, but it has potential political ramifications come November.

Opponents of same-sex marriage are expected to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot then, leading to the question of whether John McCain campaigns in favor of a gay marriage ban and thereby inspires enough turnout on the right