Howard Dean took an early lead in entertainment-industry fundraising, but Wes Clark is making a run among the moguls and stars who backed Bill Clinton.
In these early days of the presidential primary season, it's all very nice to meet the people. Here's Joe Lieberman talking with folks at Lindy's Diner in Keene, N.H. There's John Edwards getting an earful from a voter outside a coffee shop in Waukee, Iowa.
But much as the candidates will say how they love getting to know every mom and every pop in every no-account town in New Hampshire -- and much as Howard Dean will brag about visiting every single one of Iowa's 99 counties -- what you really want if you're running for president is something a little more glamorous, a lot more lucrative, and about a million miles away from the closest cornfield or cow.
You want a private get-acquainted lunch at Dreamworks with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg. You want Rob Reiner to like you and write you a check and introduce you to his friends. You want Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez and a bunch of other L.A. swells to pay $2,000 apiece to hear the Eagles -- yes, the Eagles -- play "Hotel California" in a tent and then have dinner with you afterward.
What you really want is to be Bill Clinton.
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http://salon.com/news/feature/2003/12/02/hollywood/index.html