Dead actor Roy Scheider donates to Barack Obama campaign anyway

Sen. Barack Obama does come from the Chicago school of politics, where historically voter turnout has been unusually high for residents of certain graveyards. And he has been unusually successful raising money.

Now, he's raising money by raising the dead.

The Times' campaign finance expert Dan Morain has found Obama campaign records reporting a $50 donation by Roy Scheider, who lists his occupation as actor and his home as Sag Harbor, N.Y.

Remember him from many great movies, including "The French Connection" and "Jaws" and the immortal line: "You're gonna need a bigger boat"?

According to the campaign records, Scheider made the donation March 10.

Trouble is, Scheider died exactly one month before that, on Feb. 10, at age 75. Just another example of Hollywood's undying affection for Democrats.

Obama recently reported other donations from breathing actors: Sam Waterston, $2,300; Lynn Redgrave, $600; Sydney Poitier, $250; and Treat Williams, $100.

Scheider was unavailable for comment. However, informed of the deceased donor's generosity, an Obama campaign spokesman said late Tuesday it had come under a monthly credit card donation program and that it would be halted this month. The $50 March donation would be donated to another cause, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton's campaign has been waiting weeks for Marlon Brando to return its calls. Same for John McCain and Charlton Heston.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Andrew]

Chief Brodie to Obama: "You're gonna need a bigger vote"

[yo]

that credit card excuse sounds like plausible deniability to me

[A.Levine]

I didn't know that Roy Scheider died, but this is another Obama "Miracles",. collecting money from dead people. We have yet to ask how much others have given ,the like of Wrights and friends. Did Obama get a chance to meet the POPE when he came to America or was he busy having pancakes looking like ,a "wolf in a sheep costume'" America watch for the too much change.Thank you PA for leading the way to at least knowing that Hillary does and is a true loving American.And for Roy Scheider sorry that we lost great actor.

[Doc LMNO]

"The $50 March donation would be donated to another cause, the spokesman said."

Looks like the Weather Underground is about to get a donation from the Obama Campaign

[Jeezlouise]

Yeah, cuz it's all Barak Obama's fault that Roy Schneider set up an automatic payment to the campaign and then didn't stop it before he died.

I hate politics more and more every day.

[Rik]

A dead donor beats a dead voter any day.

[David]

Obama is captivating unlike most of his competition but guarantees more of the same costly foreign policy that protects corporate interests and isolates the US. Like his colleagues, his stated foreign policy intentions foment the long term militarization and balkanization of the middle east while resources will continue to be spent in deficit to finance an illegal foreign policy.

[Tony Pistone]

According to Obama...the rights of an unborn living child shouldn't count, but the contribution from a dead actor should.

[Barbara Eastwood]

Enough already. I do not think any newspaper should be telling people who will win. They should all be impartial, and tell just the facts. It seems that money is all they understand. How much are they paid to tell the people who will win. then people vote that way. Some people cannot think for themselves, maybe we should have a test when we register voters. Maybe our Country would not be in this mess, plus the fact that anyone can be bought off, just look at Florida; and that we have the worst President ever in Office and he should have been impeached along with Cheney years ago, but too much money involved. Now look at this mess. People think for yourselves not what the papers or news tells you.

[Chicago Politics]

LOL!!! Odds are many of Barack Obama's contributors are long since dead and/or are alive but don't realize money is being donated in their name to Obama's campaign. The Daleys and Longs would be proud of Barack, that is if they weren't already dead. But they are probably donating money to Obama, from their graves.

[Howard]

Talk about burying the lede! So it was a continuing credit card payment that hadn't been canceled... What a non-story.

[jjohannson]

Here we have, once again, a gratuitous hit piece on Obama and progressive Hollywood, filed under "campaign gaffes", no less.

All candidates, and most non-profits, use a monthly debit system, as you well know, Andrew. But given this nugget of non-news, you take the opportunity to fill Obama's bag with "the Chicago school of politics", "graveyards", and "another example of Hollywood's undying affection for Democrats".

Since Mr. Scheider can't defend his modest monthly donation to Obama in person, allow me to respond on his behalf.

Many millions of us, truck drivers, teachers, home caregivers, mechanics, salespeople, and yes, actors, think this country is going down the rat hole, and we hold the country's elite press responsible as enablers of the Bush administration's extra-constitutionalism, warmaking, corruption and economic mismanagement. Suffice it to say, when we voters have to slog through this kind of pap to find nuggets of useful political coverage, we tend to lose our sense of humor.

We know this type of dumbed-down, tribalizing content is Tribune's way of doing business, we know your newshole is shrinking, we know you lose principled editors about once a year, that your publisher wants to "localize" your content with celebrity pap and "news you can use."

We have known this en masse for a while, actually, going back to the successful grassroots battle against media consolidation in 2003. But today, we have a national candidate who is calling for "a new politics", and we take him dead seriously. And a part of that new politics will be to marginalize this example of political coverage, which remediates our compound national crises not one iota.

Now, having vented a little, I appeal to your conscience and your sense of professionalism: please cease stereotyping a candidate and political movement earnestly seeking to pull this country back from the abyss of recession, privation, endless war and division.

You remember 1968 as a professional journalist. Obama and many of us who support him don't romanticize 1968. We want to prevent that political climate from returning. But we stand at the cusp of repeating it. George Bush yesterday secured the highest disapproval rating in the history of the Gallup organization. That's no mean feat, and frankly, it should scare the pants off anyone plying their trade in the public square. And yet, we read from your fingertips today about Roy Scheider's $50 automatic donation exemplifying corruption on the part of Sen. Obama? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to incite a riot.

As your professional valedictory, would you please consider filing political correspondence that bridges and not exacerbates divides, that teaches rather than inflames, and that addresses specific problems instead of contrivances? C'mon, Andrew, go out on the good foot.

With regards,

[Donald]

Money can come from one place; then be divided among simpatyser; and then, compressed, and given back to another place.

[cino]

Chief Brodie to CLINTON: "You're gonna need a lotta HOPE"

[George Bush, TX]

Funny how people who posts on blogs are all ignorant fools. Get a life.

[gurney]

How about less spin, less parroting and more substance, people?

Especially you, Andrew. You should know by now – playing the tool for TribCorp won't save your job when the next budget cuts are announced.

Try to tell us something useful.

[What's The Matter?]

Seems to me that a former first lady with huge name recognition like no other would have wrapped up this nomination by now? What gives? Why can't Hillary close the deal in a state where she claims to be raised in and with all the political establishment on her side? 10% margin in a state like that? Pretty sad indeed.

And that, with Republicans changing their affiliation to try to help her chances and prolong Democratic infighting, only to switch back by November to vote for McCain.

Why can't she close the deal?

[Anita]

I bet that's why Roy died.

[You've been hoodwinked!!!]

Looks like we have been hoodwinked. How low can Obama go? Really? Taking money from a dead guy!! Shame on you Barack Obama. Shame on you!!! Roy probably died when he realize that Obama was a snake oil salesman and a liar. Next up... Obama announces that he has just been endorsed by Jim Jones and that both he and Michelle will appear in the next round of Kool-Aid commercials.

[ttj]

Why are the Obama people so touchy about this? I thought it was funny and actually tells us that Obama had support from the guy who performed in Jaws. That was cool. Why are you so humorless? Is it because Hillary the "Jaw-breaker" Clinton beat your candidate in Pennsylvania? Lighten up. Your candidate seems to have a better sense of humor than you do.

[Mr. The Plague]

Shame on Roy for dying. Seriously, what gives him the right?

Clinton will fight against this, and not for it.

[hammerdown]

I didn't know Roy was a Democrat and quit badmouthing Kool-aid.

[Rolf Ernst]

This will become known as 'Scheidergate' and the Clinton campaign will issue a statement this afternoon Obama's campaign financing practices. Several interviews with ABC analysts have been scheduled where Barack will have to defend himself against the allegations of having accepted donations from the dead. Does he think Scheider loved America as much as he does?

We are anxiously awaiting commentary from McCain who has already indicated we will align himself with the Clinton camp and demand further explanations of the matter.

[Brandon]

Its amazing how many people commented without reading the whole article! If the money was debited automatically, how did Obama do anything dirty or dishonest? Get a life and stop trying to poke holes in his integrity, in order to hide your blatant racism.

[Sara]

Uhhh - there IS a monthly credit card option on the Obama donation page. Check the box and every month your money is put in the kitty.
Yeah, before I drop dead, I'll be sure to notify them.

[Follow the Money]

Obama has raised unimaginable sums of money from "people" donating $200 or less, so they don't have to disclose any records. Now, I know he's cool and all that, but more than anyone in history by several factors? Perhaps foreigners are illegally donating by credit card? Perhaps foreign countries? Perhaps people like George Soros are funneling money through small donations? Hasn't anyone thought of researching this?

[Emmanuel Winner]

It may be a glitch, but it could be his estate. You know this. Your attempted humor is borderline sick.

[Annie Jackson]

Mr. Obama, I think you are a wonderful person. The ideal person to run our country, but I heard it said a long time ago. You have to be low and dirty to deal with the political scene in the US. We do need your help, but Its seems that the people as in the bible will try and destroy anyone that is decent and honest. it amazes me everyday to see how warped, confused, and evil some people are. But I know the bible must be fulfilled and we are nothing compared to Jesus and we see what happen to him. I pray for you and your family. Thank you for trying to make a difference, but we see people would rather accept a liar, believe a lie than see a change. I pray for my country for they know not what they do.

[Opsimath44]

First time I've visited LA.com in ages, and lordy, the folks who take the time to post their words of wisdom sure sound bitter to me. I thought with all that sunshine, you'd be more of a glass-half-full type, but y'all make Ben Stein sound like Elmer Gantry. Lighten up, folks. And maybe get a life while you're at it.

[Cathy]

In a campaign process that has been deadly serious, this was hilarious! A little comic relief is in order.

I am a Clinton supporter and this story reminds me in "reverse" so to speak of something that happened when I worked in the claims department of an insurance company. Somehow, an insured had been reported as having died. The company sent out a form letter to the deceased insured's estate. The insured himself responded back stating that "rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated," which I think was also a quote from some great author. But anyway it made our routine and sometimes boring job a little "lighter."

[John Marakari]

Check out the spike in popularity and money just before Xmas for BO. Someone made a big donation and her name could be, Oh, I don't know, maybe OPRAH?! College punks and blacks would not normally make their donations just before xmas, even if they were to make donations. If I was asked to name 2 groups that would be most likely to donate money to a political campaign, it sure as hell would not be these 2 groups-starving students and the well-known poorer black population. I do not believe it, and never will believe it.

[Beetle]

Just wait until Roy Scheider tries to vote for Obama in the general election. That'll really raise questions!