Rahm Emanuel and Ben Affleck Over Easy
In response to our posting yesterday about Ben Affleck causing fainting spells all over Capitol Hill (come on, admit it: he's hot), readers have e-mailed us asking which presidential candidate the movie star is supporting. (Our dear readers also verbally insulted us, as is often their wont, for not informing them.) So, in the interest of giving the people want they want, here goes:
Affleck the heartthrob hasn't outright said yet ---and there are no records of him having donated money to any '08 candidate -- but Barack Obama insiders have expressed confidence Affleck is in their camp. And he sure sounds like an Obama backer in this video of his appearance on Hardball.
But the real question is: how much longer can the member of Congress who Affleck had breakfast with this morning on Capitol Hill hold out on endorsing a candidate? Hint: the member is a longtime Clinton loyalist who worked in the (first) Clinton White House. And the normally in-your-face politician who has a reputation for twisting arms (and maybe even waterboarding if need be) is caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to choosing his former boss's wife over his own state's junior senator.
Yes, the member of Congress who took Affleck to breakfast this morning at the Bistro Bis restaurant is Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), who told our friend Mike Dorning of the Chicago Tribune last year, regarding his presidential endorsement dilemma: "I'm hiding under my desk...very far under the desk."
And to date, Emanuel, even though he publicly declared support for Clinton before Obama got into the race, still has not formally endorsed.
But back to Rahm and Ben, the two have met on several occasions before. So when they ran into each other Wednesday in the Capitol, where Affleck was doing some research for his upcoming film "State of Play" in which he plays a Democratic congressman caught up in an investigation into the murder of his mistress, the real-life politician and the actor decided to make a breakfast date.
"I ran into Ben Affleck, bought him breakfast, it cost me $35 and right after my brother Ari called Ben and asked for 10 percent," Emanuel told us, referring to Ari Emanuel, the uber Hollywood agent who is the inspiration for the character "Ari" on HBO's Entourage.
With Ari Emanuel a publicly declared Obama supporter, the Emanuel brothers may just have to hug it out after the rough-and-tumble Democratic primary ends.
By Mary Ann Akers |
January 17, 2008; 3:35 PM ET
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Posted by: Anonymous | January 17, 2008 6:43 PM
Snore.
Posted by: SooonerThought | January 18, 2008 10:19 AM
What ever The Slueth has for us,- it is important.. don't miss out on the next blog from MAA...
Posted by: harveyharv | January 21, 2008 8:25 AM
I have a lot of respect for both men. I think that they have their heads on right. Olso they both are easy to look at and listen to. Peace to you.
Posted by: Donna Graham | January 21, 2008 3:22 PM
Now I know whom to vote for--I'll pick the person that Bed Affleck DOESN'T support. He's a pretty boy, and an idiot. I can't believe he's actually considered "news."
Posted by: msmyra | January 22, 2008 8:25 AM
I heard Ben Affleck on HBO, Bill Moyer's program and also listened to his positions on Hardball. He's obviously knowledgeable about current, political events and articulates his positions well. Who says only Republicans from Hollywood should be pursued for electability?
Posted by: Dru | January 22, 2008 1:23 PM
Ben Affleck is far from an idiot. He went to Harvard and is articulate and thoughtful when he speaks on political matters. Not every movie star is a moron.
Posted by: kristilj | January 22, 2008 4:45 PM
was ben and rahm kissing and holding hands?
Posted by: dwight | January 23, 2008 10:41 AM
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this blog is getting way too gay