WP: Picture This: Ben Affleck, Senator From Va.

[DeepModem Mom]

Picture This: Ben Affleck, Senator From Va.
By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts
Tuesday, September 27, 2005; Page C3


If you liked him as Bennifer . . . you'll love him as Benator!

That's the hot new idea being tossed around by Virginia Democrats, who are desperately searching for a big name to challenge the reelection bid of rising GOP star Sen. George Allen next year, now that outgoing Gov. Mark Warner has ducked out.

Why, who should happen to be pondering a move to Thomas Jefferson country but a certain square-jawed media magnet with a taste for liberal politics and millions to spend on it . . . Ben Affleck ! Star of "Gigli" and the J.Lo tab romance, now happily settled with "Alias" star Jennifer Garner .

The couple, expecting their first child, have been shopping for real estate around Charlottesville. British tabloids claim it's a done deal; we will only go so far as to report that they checked out at least one country estate a few weeks ago.

It was about that time that party officials started batting Affleck's name around. "It's spread pretty widely, at least in the political underground," University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato, Virginia's premier pundit, told Michael Shear, The Post's Richmond correspondent....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/26/AR2005092601991.html?sub=AR

[2Design]

1. I could see him in politcs and figured that after going around with

kerry on campaign - that if kerry had won - he would have gone after mass. opening

george allen is a mean and nasty toward anyone who is not rw - he made it illegal for non married people to get a mortgage together while he was governor of va - he is right of right and evil faux christian

[MostlyLurks]

11. Are you serious?

"he made it illegal for non married people to get a mortgage together"

Seriously? Like, me and my best friend couldn't buy a house together, even if we're completely herero and not evil, boy-tempting gays? That's fricking CRAZY. Is that law still on the books?

Mostly

[2Design]

52. exactly - even hetro could not buy together unless married -

this is how evil these rw are -
they say they want smaller government = what they want is concentrated government into rw dictatorial hands

[Maine-ah]

69. sounds like bs to me

my husband and I bought our house together before we got married.

[MostlyLurks]

79. In Virginia, though?

The post says he enacted the law while Gov of VA, not while in the US Congress. So the law would only effect Virginians, not Maineians...er, Maineites...um Maineiacs.

Mostly

[mcscajun]

2. I loathe him as an actor...the thought of him as a politican makes

me very glad I do NOT live in Virginia.

It would make my VA Republican friend's head :nuke: so it does have some entertainment value. :snicker:

[Doremus]

57. Are you kidding me?

Affleck has a brain under that gorgeous head of his.

When he toured with Kerry last fall he made the rounds of the cable news shows and I was impressed with both his knowledge of current events and his political philosophy. He was well-spoken, intelligent and didn't take any crap.

He's an outspoken PROGRESSIVE folks -- unless I've suddenly ended up inside the looking glass, we are in dire need of those, or have you forgotten??

The only better news I've heard this week is that Paul Hackett will likely go after Mike DeWine's seat in OH!

[mcscajun]

61. I've never been able to get past my loathing of him as an actor

or as a person to learn one thing about him. The downside, I guess, of the Bennifer business, which I also didn't pay much attention to. I avoid him nearly as much as I avoid *.

I'm glad he's a progressive -- I didn't have a clue on that, either. You're right, we do need those, and I haven't forgotten. He just hasn't been on any part of my political radar.

Still, he will make my VA Republican friend's head :nuke:, so there IS that. :)

[Eurobabe]

68. Well he has one thing in common with Bu$h,

a drinking problem.

[onehandle]

3. Anything to stop him from acting. nt

[mcscajun]

62. Indeed!

His leaving the acting business is the one thing I could :applause:

[HughBeaumont]

4. I thought he was good in Dazed and Confused.

Played the perfect asshole.

[donheld]

38. He played a republican in Dazed and Confused?

:shrug: Who knew?

[zbdent]

5. And watch the Repukes talk about what a joke a celeb running for

office is . . . shortly after running Ahnold . . .

Please, can we find someone else? Are the Virginia Dems as desperate as the "liberal media" says?

[gorekerrydreamticket]

6. He will be dismissed as a drunk and druggie, I'm afraid...

n/t

[superconnected]

7. Bush was (is?) far more a drunk and a druggie and he made prez.

I'm all for it. Affleck has far better views than Schwartzenegger and he can ALSO get elected.

The Dems have some real candidate problems if you haven't noticed. It took me 6 months to warm to monotone Kerry (who didn't work on his voice until 2 months before the election). Affleck would be a lot better spoken than Kerry ("we will hunt down and kill the enemy") simply by his choice of words, let alone the delivery.

Go Affleck!

[ecdab]

23. I second that

Go Ben! We could use high profile people speaking truth to power. Win or lose, Ben could help raise awareness.

[regnaD kciN]

45. Look for lots of 'Chasing Amy' clips...

...to be circulated by Virginia Repugs. :eyes:

I somehow doubt that the good people of Virginia would be ready to elect someone immortalized on celluloid in an earnest discussion of lesbian "fisting."

Besides, what can one say about a contest between one candidate known for Gigli, and another whose main claim to fame is being the son of a famous football coach?

:shrug:

[mahatmakanejeeves]

72. "... what can one say...?"

"Look how far we have fallen."

Virginia:
First governor: Patrick Henry.
Second governor: Thomas Jefferson.

[Virginian]

66. Anything to get Allen OUT!!!

But a liberal Massachusetts carpetbagger can't get elected in this state. Try again.

Our former best choice, Governor Mark Warner, says he isn't going after Allen's Senate seat.

Can Chuck Robb run again? If Mayor Wilder will endorse him, he can win again. Will Wilder bury the hatchet and do that in support of his party or will he allow Allen to remain in power and ruin our nation.

[Laughing Mirror]

8. Affleck's name "spread pretty widely, at least in political underground"

and, of course, is practically a household name here in the political underground, DU. I don't see why he wouldn't make as good or as bad a governor of the Old Dominion as any other.

Virginia, like most places I guess, is quite a star-struck state. The venerable Senator star-fucker John Warner once married superstar Elizabeth Taylor to further his political career. I think he might have been a congressman at the time, wanted to move up to the next higher, more corrupt level, with the help of Liz. She, of course, was best known at the time for her many previous husbands, as well as an Oscar or two, and the delicious profanity she shocked the movie going public with in the decade previous, in one of her most famous films. After her marriage to Warner she married somebody else, and then somebody else, and she became a very successful and beloved spokesperson about a new killer epidemic that was being ignored by another actor on the scene at the time, Ronald Reagan, raising public awareness and also big money to fight thus new disease AIDS. She knew all the rich society people and got out the word and made them open their pocketbooks, the pocketbook of Doris Duke, for one. Liz Taylor the child star became an AIDS educator and a huge fund raiser at many major events.

In the end, she might have been a much better senator for the state of Virginia than the interminable fraud Warner.

[lynne]

37. As someone who grew up near where Warner lives in VA -

- I remember when he married Liz. Hell, I remember when she would pop into the local Safeway - big as a house - no makeup - bloodshot eyes. At that point in her career she was mostly tabloid fodder. IMO, their marriage was more to benefit Liz's career than to benefit Warner's.

The first big difference is that Warner was already involved in VA politics when he married Liz. And, I can tell you that the marriage did not go over well with the natives. It was considered by them as an elitist marriage and much mockery was made of it.

But Ben Affleck moving into VA just to run for Senate in a state that he has no history with and knows absolutely nothing about? As a Virginian, I find the concept nothing short of insulting.

[Cha]

49. Don't worry, Ben Affleck won't

be running for Senator from Virginia.

This is all much ado about NOTHING!

[MarsThe Cat]

9. he can't get people to go out and see his crappy movies-

what makes him(or anyone) think that he could get people to go out and vote for him...?

[renegade000]

10. i'm from virginia

i haven't heard anything about this...

evidently i'm not part of the "political underground" :shrug:

i don't think anything will come of it honestly

[gauguin57]

12. Bennifer can have Ricky Santorum's Virginia home when PA votes him OUT

in 2006!

[davidinalameda]

13. he and Jen should move back to West Virginia

her family still lives there and it wouldn't be seen as carpetbagging on his part

[lynne]

20. THANK YOU -

- I was going to use the term "carpetbagging" in my post but thought I'd get flamed for it.

But that is exactly what would be said. And - in my opinion - rightly so. For God's sake - certainly there is a democrat somewhere in VA that at least knows our state and our people and our needs and our wants and is willing to run for senate!

[davidinalameda]

33. you're welcome

[Sydnie]

35. That didn't work so well for Nick Nolte, I wouldn't recommend it for

Ben. Nolte was married to two different women from the Charleston area. One I went to school with. It was not a pretty sight.

[davidinalameda]

46. Ben certainly isn't Nick Nolte

he looks much better in his mug shots and rehab pics than Nick does

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

58. we're doing just fine with the great Rober C Byrd - and jay's alright, too

we don't need bennifer here

pointless footnote-jennifer garner used to babysit my ex-girlfriend when she was a kid

[JerseygirlCT]

14. I remember some of his commentary during the election

he made sense, was quite articulate in fact.

Why not? Why are actors somehow exempt from public service -- or not good enough for it? What makes, say, a businessman or woman a better potential candidate?

[RaRa]

15. I agree

I also heard him or read his comments over the years and whatever his personal behavior and acting abilities, he's no dummy. His politics, from the little I've gathered, are sound.

[Enraged_Ape]

16. I think a lot of Dem actors express their political views better...

than most of our Dem "leaders".

Affleck, Viggo Mortensen, George Clooney, and even Heather ("Fall Guy") Thomas are just a few actors who have truly impressed me with the way they express their stances on politics.

And I still think that Angelina Jolie should be Secretary of State. She knows more about international issues and relations than ANYONE in the chimp administration.

[Lorien]

18. Yep. Repugs aren't the only ones who can put celebrities to

work for them. Ahnold is less articulate and has a more sullied past, yet he's in office.

[stanwyck]

24. Agree. Saw him on The Daily Show

and thought he was smart and knowledgable. He does choose lousy movie roles, though.
I'd vote for him.

[Viking12]

17. Larry Sabato = FoxNews shill....

I'd take anything this O'Reilly Factor regular says with a grain of salt.

See Media Matters on this asshat...

http://mediamatters.org/archives/search.html?topic=Larry%20Sabato

[underpants]

21. Sabato used to be well respected

now he can only be seen on Fox News and local stations. His old partner outed him for shilling only for the right price.

[lynne]

19. As a seven generation native Virginian -

- raised in a Democratic family, I can tell you - without any hestiation or doubt - that the easier thing to do would be to just crown George Allen "Virginia Senator for Life". It would save the time and expense of Affleck's campaign.

I know Virginian's. They aren't impressed by hollywood and they will not look kindly at anyone who moves into the state for the sole purpose of running for a state office.

A stunt like this would have VA democrats switching their vote to Allen. Mark my words.

[ernstbass]

27. This Virginian agrees

Ben Affleck will NEVER be elected in Virginia. I can hear it now - "Hollywod Librul"

[0rganism]

30. And that's the real problem with an Affleck candidacy

in pretty much ANY state, but especially one with a recent history of conservative leanings, fascist tiltings, or downright head-over-heels rightwing nuttiness. Hollywood is automatically pilloried, seen as a strike against a person's credibility, no matter how articulate or intelligent otherwise. And even among those who appreciate theatre and cinema, Affleck's best films (e.g. Chasing Amy) probably go unwatched in VA by anyone over 40 for moral reasons.

So someone else has to do it.

[electricmonk]

31. This Va Democrat

Would vote for a dead skunk before ever voting for Allen.

[Blue_Tires]

40. another Virginia agrees

he might try if he AT LEAST had some local ties, or was from the area originally...no chance

[Penndems]

48. Another multi-generation Virginian here

Hey Lynne! :hi:

Ben Affleck's politics are liberal, and liberals just don't get elected in Virginia (especially so outside of Northern Virginia). Being branded a lib in this state is political suicide.

The Hollywood connection DID help one candidate in particular, though: John Warner. He certainly didn't have nearly the number of visitors to Atoka Farm for his annual barbeque after he and Liz Taylor divorced as he did when they were married, LOL. ;)

(And many of those visitors were at Atoka just to gawk at Liz.)

[Va Lefty]

56. Not a chance...John Grisham should run

John Grisham has a law degree, served in Miss. state House of Representatives for seven years and has strong ties here in Va. (lives near Charlottesville). Allen would crap himself if he had to debate Grisham!!

[LostinVA]

64. I would vote for Grisham

I see him around town alot -- he's a nice guy. I'd also vote for Ben Affleck. Heck, I'd vote for Satan if he became a progressive Dem....

[AngryAmish]

22. He is too dim for public office.

I'm sure with proper training and a long probationary period Ben Affleck could be a perfectly serviceable janitorial assistent or perhaps a grocery bagger. However, any job which requires insight or reasoning is terribly unsuitable for poor Ben.

[superconnected]

25. boy do you need to look at the people currently holding political offices

Experience, not necessary.
Brains, nope.

Ask Arnie.

[AngryAmish]

26. However, in a decent world experience and brains would be necessary

We do not need another dimwit in the senate. We have enough thankyouverymuch.

[ecdab]

28. Since you are so quick to punt Ben,

let me ask who it is that you believe should be running against George Allen? And do you think Ben would be a worse Senator than George Allen?

[AngryAmish]

29. A respected local Dem

Sorry, I'm from Chicago. I don't know the ins and outs of Virgina politics. I have let my subscription of Virginia Politics Weekly lapse. I do know that Ben Affleck is a public laughingstock and a buffoon.

[ecdab]

32. Ah yes,

he believes in progress Democratic ideals, like us, so we should crucify him for his stupidity. Let us not look out side the box, but instead focus only upon those that are already a part of the political machine. No wonder this party in stuck in second place when it only has one serious competitor.

If a respected local politician comes forward and can take Ben in a primary - great. If not, we should all be thankful if Ben sees fit to run for public office.

[superconnected]

39. Where does he lack brains?

I guess I missed the memo. Maybe that's just a personal opinion that doesn't have substance behind it.

Is it because he's an actor. I cast actors all the time and I haven't noticed a shortage of brains. I do notice strong left political leanings and good sense on why.

[AngryAmish]

42. Gigli

[superconnected]

43. as bad of a movie as that was,

It was the writers fault for the script, the directors fault for the acting and the producers fault for funding it.

I don't think filming a bad movie diminishes anyones intelligence. I know too many people who have shot bad movies - very personally.

[tkmorris]

55. Great Caesars Ghost, Gigli is a MOVIE!

There is absolutely no way you can measure a person intelligence or anything else of substance by seeing them act in a movie. Do you still think Sean Penn is a fried stoner a la Spiccoli?

I don't believe what I am reading on this thread.

[LostinVA]

63. Me either -- I live in VA and would vote for Affleck in a minute

Almost every dem I have to vote for here isn't a "real" dem in some way: anti-choice, anti-gay, or something. I'm sick of it. Just like I;'m sick that they NEVER run anyone against Warner,a nd now Allen's gonna get a free ride, too. And Allen is a zillion times worse than Warner....

The only VA dems I could somewhat stomach voting for have been Emily Couric, Creigh Deeds, and Mark Warner.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

34. And Mat DAMON for Congress!-just affirms POLITICAL Office is a JOKE !!

Just look at all the * appointees-
-our country as a whole has become ineffective because many or most people in positions of power are incompetent.

!! Look what happed in Katrina when we have unqualified people in positions of power-

It AFFECTS lives--people may live or DIE because of unqualified idiots.
Iraq= thousands die, American and Iraqi--
-Protection of the environment--eliminated--(Alaskan Wildlife refuge)

and Look at AHNULD and Kallee-fawnee-ah !!!

[UncleSepp]

36. People voted for Reagan, didn't they?

He's pretty, and he knows how to deliver someone else's lines. So long as he's the people's marionette instead of a puppet with the hand of big business up his a$$, he may very well do just fine.

[Baconfoot]

41. He's a smart guy and not REALLY an actor... He'll never win! lol NT

[Orsino]

44. Why Virginia?

He's apparently never lived there before. Carpetbaggers are not a long-term solution to the Republican machine's dominance, but any port in a storm, I guess.

Someone not plugged into the usual pay-for-legislation corruption would be good, but unless that person can think for himself, he'll ultimately be run by the Usual Suspects.

[AspenRose]

47. He may pick bad movies but I remember last year seeing threads here on

DU that Affleck cleaned Tucker Carlson's clock on "Crossfire." I doubt he's "dumb." He's just cursed with being a "Hollywood Liberal."

[GOPAgainstGW]

50. No, Picture My Response On This Subject

[TygrBright]

51. Not. An. Effing. Chance.

Nothing against Ben, but he'd get his head handed to him, rolled in a slice of ham and with a sprig of mint between his teeth.

Not in VA. Nope, won't happen. There's more to VA than Richmond and Alexandria.

warningly,
Bright

[MADem]

53. I have to agree with the Virginians commenting here

I lived in that state for many years, and I think they have the right sense of the electorate.

And the thing is, any Democrat with the right verve and who strikes the right chord COULD beat Allen. The guy looks like Howdy Doody, fa chrissake, and he is a mean-spirited shit. It doesn't matter what is happening, they could be slaughtering a baby before his eyes, and he would still have that glazed look with the pasted-on half smile. He is a creepy guy...

Enough money, the right ads, and the right person who can APPEAL widely could beat that guy. But not Ben Affleck. Someone homegrown, photgenic, smart, and congenial, with a no-nonsense, firm, fair, can-do attitude.

[GRLMGC]

54. I'm pretty sure this isn't true

and I sure as hell hope it isn't. I'm from CA and I'm sick of actor politicians. I could go my whole life w/o another one. Although the the thought of Affleck not making movies anymore is quite appealing, I'll stick to my guns on this one

[Doremus]

59. HELLO? Affleck is a Dem -- remember?

Or do we have so many smart, articulate progressives running for office we don't need anymore? :eyes:

Affleck campaigned with Kerry if you'll recall, and he made the rounds of talk shows and cable broadcasts. The man is well-spoken, intelligent and doesn't take RW shit.

I'm incredulous that many of the DUers in this thread are so eager to write him off without knowing a thing about him other than what they hear on Entertainment Tonight.

[IA_Seth]

70. Hear, Hear! n/t

[lynne]

76. Sorry. Just not enough -

- to be a Democrat. What the hell have the people of VA done to deserve to be saddled with a Senator that has never held any elected office? One that knows squat about their state? Has never lived there, knows nothing about their economics, their needs, their desires, their lives? Party is not the issue here - having a Senator who's totally ignorant of his constituents is.

I'm incredulous that the Democratic party would have so little consideration for the people of the Commonwealth of VA that they would hand them a totally green hollywood actor who knows nothing about Virginia to run for Senator. Quite frankly, if the VA Democratic party can't come up with someone within their own ranks that is more deserving of the contest then they need to take a good, hard look at themselves. And they'd better do it damn quick.

[gauguin57]

60. It's fun thinking about it, though. Like fantasy casting of a movie.

I was trying to get people in Pennsylvania to come up with fantasy celebrity candidates (with Pennsylvania ties) to run against Rick Santorum in 2006.

I came up with Will Smith (Philly); Sharon Stone (Meadville); Benecio del Toro (spent his teen years in Mercersburg, PA); Kevin Bacon (Philly boy -- son of very progressive parents); David Morse (moved to PA to be near wife's family); Franco Harris (hey, if one ex-Steeler is gonna run for Gov., why not for Senator?); Michael Keaton (Pittsburgh roots -- he operated the trolley behind the scenes on MisterRogers Neighborhood) ... and on it goes.

But what we'll have, against Santorum, is more PA Demo. machine nepotism -- Bob Casey Jr. But, at least he's ahead in the polls.

[RedCloud]

65. The democrats were robbed by Robb!

Robb never once socked that Allen right in the nose as he deserved. He allowed himself to be mocked by Allen on many issues, such as gays in the military.

Robb should have galvanized the Virginia military vote by saying,"Why are you talking about the military, Mr. Allen? When it was your turn to serve, you did not. You did not represent the fine military tradition of Virginia, did you? And since you didn't man up to your responsibilities there instead of seeking your father's protective coattails to shirk your military repsonsibility..."

(I know this is extreme, but Allen kept painting Robb as a Northern Virginian...)

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/programs/debates/00_transcript.htm

[Virginian]

71. Robb a Northern Virginian? Where does Allen live now?

How can the California boy Allen claim he is more Virginian than Robb who has lived here at least since he married Lynda Bird Johnson in the 1960s.
At least Northern Virginia is part of Virginia -- Unless the rest of the state wants to cut NOVA and it's tax base free of the rest of the state. The last time I checked California was an entire continent away.

Now that Allen is in the Senate, where does he live when the Senate is in session? Could it be -- Northern Virginia?

By the way, where does Al Gore live? Hasn't he been in Arlington for quite some time now? Tipper grew up in Arlington. They own a house on the ridge near the Pentagon. I know a lot of you want him for the big office, but we NEED a good candidate against Allen.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

73. Where does Allen live?

Earlysville - isn't that his primary residence?

The Gores - yes, still overlooking Crystal City, in a manner of speaking. Not far from where Jesse Helms lived.

Where did Rehnquist live? Any guesses? I don't want to have to go through the property tax rolls or old phone books.

[Virginian]

74. Earlysville - Does he commute from there?

It seems a bit far to be traveling every day when the Senate is in session. Where are the kids in school? In Earlysville or in NOVA?

Where did Rehnquist live? Guesses: Ivory tower? Self made pedistal?

Earl Warren lived in the Hotel Washington. I've always thought of the justices as living in a hotel or Georgetown estate or in the Watergate. I have always thought of them as too old to have school age kids, too. Where did the Justice live in "Pelican Brief?"
John Grisham for senate '06 -- smart man, sounds good to my ears, but can he win?

Gore '06, Gore '08 -- I'd vote for him, but could he get other Virginia votes?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

75. Where are the kids in school?

Now that I think about it, he doesn't live in Earlysville when the Senate is in session. He lives down by Mount Vernon.

I had a hunch I knew where Rehnquist lived in Arlington. I thought it was up by Marymount. I haven't been able to zero in on the house, though. It's a matter of searching old phone books, as his gay ex-neighbors were quoted by name in an old Post article.

[Vadem]

77. The Gores sold their house in Arlington, I believe, and bought in

Tennessee....and now live there.

[Eurobabe]

67. Sorry, don't like Ben Affleck

Whay are they moving to C'ville??? AGH, that's MY TOWN!! Go away!

[Zynx]

78. I may not be a Virginian, but never in a million years would they vote for

Affleck. Hell, WI wouldn't and we're about 8-9 points more Democratic than VA.