Streisand lends her voice to Clinton

It's no surprise that Hillary Clinton's ever-vigilant campaign would unveil a celebrity endorsement today -- an announcement that might distract attention from the latest developments in Oprah Winfrey's high-profile embrace of Barack Obama.

What is surprising, at least to readers of Carl Bernstein's recent biography of Clinton, is that the name rolled out by her presidential campaign would be Barbra Streisand.

Given Streisand's longtime interest in and commitment to feminist causes, her affinity for Clinton is obvious. Still, according to Bernstein's book, Streisand was at the center of a major marital spat between the former first lady and her husband.

The scene is spring 1993, shortly after Bill Clinton has assumed the presidency. Hillary Clinton has just returned to Washington after two weeks in Little Rock where her father, Hugh Rodham, was hospitalized with a stroke and near death. "Upon her return," Bernstein writes in "A Woman in Charge," she "found the White House in disarray.... She was frustrated, sad, and drained."

Bernstein continues: "To make matters worse, Hillary learned that while she had been tending to her father on his deathbed, Bill had taken Barbra Streisand ... and his mother to the annual Gridiron Club dinner (a Washington institution at which the Washington press corps salutes itself and the president). Streisand had boasted about sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom. Soon after, Hillary reportedly ordered Streisand banned from the White House (on the grounds that, being unmarried, it would be ...

unseemly for her and her then-fiance to stay together in the presidential mansion). Members of the press accompanying Clinton on his jog the following morning noticed that he had a deep scratch along his jaw. [Spokesperson] Dee Dee Myers explained to reporters that Clinton had cut himself shaving. But she, like many of the reporters, came to believe the wound had been inflicted by Hillary in her anger over the Streisand invitation at a time when her father was dying."

For the most part, Hillary Clinton's campaign has been successful in allaying voter concerns that her candidacy would too often rekindle memories of the personal traumas that marked her husband's two terms. But as the Streisand story illustrates, there are times when such recollections are inevitable.

Streisand's endorsement statement, released by the Clinton camp, begins: "Madame President of the United States ... it’s an extraordinary thought. We truly are in a momentous time, where a woman’s potential has no limitations." You can read the rest of it here.

In terms of her checkbook, Streisand has spread the wealth around. Campaign finance records show that she gave $2,300 -- the maximum for the primary campaign -- not only to Clinton, but to Obama and John Edwards. She also kicked in $1,000 to Chris Dodd.

We checked Streisand's own website, and as of now there's no mention of her endorsement. In the top item in her "Statements" section, however, she does her part to promote increased voter participation by single women.

UPDATE: Streisand's own website includes her endorsement announcement. Meanwhile, in the top item in her "Statements" section, she does her part to promote increased voter participation by single women.

As she notes, out of about 47 million single women who are eligible to vote, about 20 million have not been casting ballots. Says the item: "Think about that for a moment: That’s a lot of people. That’s a lot of power."

She's on the same page there with the Clinton campaign, which sees a greater turnout within this demographic as one of the main factors that could propel her to victory -- both in the primary campaign and the general election.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[susan]

She gave a whopping $3,300.00 .... her tickets cost that much to her concerts.

That is hilarious.

[Cathy]

On Barbara's website she states: "Hillary Clinton has already proven to a generation of women that there are no limits for success. She is driven by her passion for public service and her belief in the enormous potential of our country."

What Hillary has proven to our generation of women is that no matter what our husband/boyfriend, etc. does we should stay with him because of what he can do for us. Is that really the message we want to send out to woman??

As a woman - Hillary is Manipulative and will use anyone including her husband to achieve her goals

As a politician – she is a socialist – who will do her best to ruin the democratic society Americans have come to love.

[Emmery Jones Jr HIA CCS-P]

My comment is address to Mrs Barbara Streisand, Thank you So..very Very much for your endoresment for Senator Hillary R.Clintion. because, as you have stated.." it truly is a momenteous time for change, where women potiential is unlimitless."

[Funny Girl]

Who's next to endorse? Flowers, Jones, Monica? This is so ludicrous that I can't stop laughing. Babs has endorsed every loser since Mc Govern and probably McCarthy before that. Why sully a fine career by latching onto this "character attack" trying to find a place to happen?

[Geminate]

Why should I care?

Why should I care?

Girls of fifteen
Sexually knowing
The ushers are sniffing
Eu-de-cologning
The seats are seductive
Celibate sitting
Pretty girls digging
Prettier women.

Magically bored
On a quiet street corner
Free frustration
In our minds and our toes
Quiet stormwater
My generation

Uppers and downers
Either way blood flows.

Inside outside. Leave me alone.
Inside outside. Nowhere is home.
Inside outside, Where have I been?
Out of my brain on the five fifteen.

On a raft in the quarry
Slowly sinking.
On the back of a lorry
Holy hitching.
Dreadfully sorry
Apple scrumping.
Born in the war
Birthday punching.

He man drag
In the glittering ballroom
Greyly outrageous
In my high heel shoes
Tightly undone
They know what they're showing
Sadly ecstatic
That their heros are news.

Why should I care?

Why should I care?

[???]

Who cares whom a pill popping trainwreck endorses ?

[vwcat]

Why in the world does the press go gaga over Streisand endorsing Hillary? She is not relevant and does not speak for most of us democrats. We do not love her or Hillary.
The only democrats who care are the senior citizen set. They remember her from the 60s and 70s. The rest of us could care less.
She is a self important, over rated celebrity of no importance to most people who are under 60 and she has no clue about how any of us feel.
It's just like the press automatically assumes all democratic women love Hillary. Not so. Half the party, many women included, cannot stand her and will not support her.
I seriously doubt many will show up for Babs in Iowa.
Oprah is a different case. she is relevant and she has a core following of everyday women of all ages. And Oprah is alot more than some entertainer.
But, this does show the desperation and how out of touch the Clintons are.
they are of the notion that singers from 40 years ago matter and that we are gullible enough to fall for their spin and triangulation and parsing. Only the koolaid drinkers fall for them and their circus.

[Angel]

What a lot of energy from those who "do not care" about this endorsement.

All I am reading is antipathy towards women with power (except Oprah, because she is "a minority"?). When Hillary is nominated, whom do you think Oprah will support?

Personally I have great respect for the entire field of Democratic presidential hopefuls as well as Ms Winfrey and Ms Streisand.

Most important now is to undo all the harm wrought by W.

[tanaS]

Babs is very economical in her support of Clinton. I wonder how Bas is with her generosity with antique dealers in the Melrose District?

[Michael Snyder]

“People. people who need people”…
Are desperate for anyone uninformed enough to throw their hat into the ring with Hillary.
What were you thinking, Babs?
Have you scratched the paint on your heroin's statue? For a peace loving woman to back a candidate who won’t commit to bringing our troops home before the end of her first term as President is ludicrous.
For a patriot it’s astonishing you’d back a woman who claims to support the American worker yet she imports ten high-tech people from India for every American this company hires in their call center.
Next time you endorse a candidate you need to look beyond the hype. After a lifetime in “show biz” you should know better.

[Vince Kind]

Eat your hearts out you Barbra-Hillary haters. They are both smarter, richer, more talented and infinately more loved than you'll ever be. You go girls!

Vince