Actor Grammer Supports Bush

AP via NYTimes.com ^ | 8/24/02

[GeneD]

Filed at 5:12 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Actor Kelsey Grammer, a rare Republican supporter among Hollywood's liberal elite, was in the audience Saturday as President Bush raised money for would-be GOP governor Bill Simon.

In an interview, the ``Frasier'' star called himself a ``big fan'' of the president, saying, ``I think he makes a lot of sense and he's had some clarity when it was very important.''

``The thing I most respond to in the political arena is people that actually don't play politics, and I think President Bush comes from a place that is sincere,'' Grammer said.

The actor was one of about 200 guests who paid $2,500 each to breakfast at the ritzy Regency Club in Westwood, the final of three fund-raising stops Bush was making in California to promote Simon.

While supporting the president, Grammer was less sure about Simon. ``I don't know Bill Simon very well,'' he said.

Grammer described himself as ``lukewarm'' on Simon's opponent, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis -- a view shared by half of California, according to polls.

Politically, Grammer called himself ``kind of a liberal,'' a description he agreed could apply to the snooty Seattle shrink he plays on NBC.

``But I've always had a very conservative respect for the individual,'' Grammer added.

[ClearCase_guy]

Politically, Grammer called himself ``kind of a liberal,'' a description he agreed could apply to the snooty Seattle shrink he plays on NBC.

I agree with him. But let's spell it out: Frazier Crane is a smug, self-satisfied rich man. He lives in a high-rise, far away from normal people. He only eats at fashionable restaurants, and turns up his nose at any eatery where "the common man" (his working-class father) might go. Frazier is unable to sustain a meaningful, loving relationship and is absurdly unable to understand most ordinary human emotions or motivations.

Yup, sounds like a liberal.

[Intolerant in NJ]

The most hilarious of all the funny Frasier episodes IMO was the one wherein Frasier decides to back a leftwing gun control advocate candidate in a local election in opposition to a gun rights candidate for whom his father, a former policeman, had made a TV commercial. The candidate confesses to Frasier just before he is to make his own endorsement commercial that he was once kidnapped by aliens, at which point the line in the commercial "he speaks for the little people" takes on a whole new meaning. Eventually Frasier inadvertantly lets the man's secret out to his entire radio audience, destroying his candidacy; although he gets only ten percent of the vote the man is last seen heading for California where he feels a person with his special background stands a much better chance of being elected to office. Always seemed like a great sendup of unctuous leftwingers to me.......

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"he's had some clarity when it was very important"

"President Bush comes from a place that is sincere"

This kind of touchy-feely New Age speak makes me squirm. But hey, I guess we shouldn't look a Hollywood Republican in the mouth, so to speak!

[Commie Basher]

I don't think Republican need reassurances from celebrities that their political decisions are correct.

True, but irrelevent. Republicans are a fool if they focus on the correctness of their ideas.

Many Americans vote on the basis of their feelings . Many others vote by the brand image that aligning with a party accords them. That is, to many -- even outside Hollywood -- a party label is an accessary, like a brand name that rubs off them, for good or ill. Corporations like Pepsi and MTV understand this.

And to many people, their feelings are that the GOP brand image is one of bigotry, hatred, intolerance, greed, etc. This is true among young people, college campuses, hip yuppies, etc. They vote Dem not because of Dem ideas, but because they wish to identify with the Dem's brand image of tolerance, etc.

Feelings associated with brand images are often set by celebrities. If Britney Spears drinks Pepsi, Pepsi becomes a cool drink that others will want to drink. And if a celeb alligns with the GOP, that creates feelings that the GOP is cool, tolerant, hip. And that translates into votes.

Most voters don't read FR or DU or any of the opinion journals. They wander through life in a mental fog, absorbing vague feelings based on sound bites from MTV, E!, People magazine, etc. And they vote!

[Commie Basher]

All together now: Who cares?

A whole lot of voters care. See post #24.

[ASDFGHJK]

Hey! At least he's no longer driving his Viper upside down on Mulholland Drive!

This might be the best post on this whole thread. It's beats mine.

[Pharmer]

Politically, Grammer called himself ``kind of a liberal,'' a description he agreed could apply to the snooty Seattle shrink he plays on NBC.

``But I've always had a very conservative respect for the individual,'' Grammer added.

This, my friends, is a MODERATE! A stick you finger in the air, follow the herd, spineless moderate! These folks are the reason we are losing the culture war. This is, IMHO and regretfully, the base of the Republican party in the Northeast and California. They have grown weary of defending their values to a bunch of screaming "in-your-face" liberal elitist bullies who have gained power in private and public institutions. I hope that Mr. Grammer learns from Charlton Heston and gets a backbone.