Sort of Breaking News: Tom Hanks endorses Barack Obama

In an obvious attempt to be ignored for a while, Tom Hanks with no fanfare, news release or hoopla, late tonight put up a video on his MySpace page endorsing Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president.

Had it come on, say, a Monday morning, the endorsement by the popular and widely-respected Hanks would have caused seismic shifts on those rock shelves that underlie Hollywood and promise to slide the place into the ocean someday.

Thanks to The Times' dauntless Tina Daunt, The Ticket, however, is right on top of this major international political story. "BEWARE," says the headline on Hanks' video, "Celebrity Endorsement."

"I'm Tom Hanks," Tom Hanks says directly into the camera in what looks like someone's den, "And I want Barack Obama to be the next president of our country. As an official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you."

He continues in a straightfaced, tongue-in-cheek manner to seriously endorse the freshman senator. Hanks acknowledges all the candidates -- and some of their relatives, associates and supporters -- have made gaffes in recent weeks.

But he says he reads history sometimes and cites the groundbreaking peaceful turnover of power in 1797 from George Washington to John Adams as a major turning point in history. And says the same sort of corner can be turned by the election of the country's first African American president, a member of a race once officially considered only three-fifths of a person here.

He especially praises Obama's character and vision, integrity and ability to unify the country. Hanks' endorsement is a breath of good news for Obama after a few difficult weeks involving the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who Obama says is wrong.

It'll be something positive for Tim Russert to ask Obama about on "Meet the Press" Sunday morning, but Hanks' approval may not carry much weight with the working class Democratic voters where the senator's support has not been strong.

Things have been relatively quiet on the Hollywood endorsement scene of late, since it's a given that most prominent celebrities there will be endorsing Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Just kidding. McCain's got Sylvester Stallone and that's it.

Hillary Clinton lined up Jack Nicholson too. And Obama has also been endorsed by Jane Fonda but that hasn't shown up on many billboards yet.

"I'm Tom Hanks," the actor/director/producer says at the end of his video, "I wrote and approved this message, and I am now going to turn off the camera." He gets up, walks around out of sight and the camera goes off.

-- Andrew Malcolm

                                                               Photo: Courtesy of Tom Hanks

Comments

[ann]

I love Tom Hanks as an actor. That said, his political endorsement will have no effect on anybody including me. He can vote for whoever he wants and so can the rest of us. Go Hillary!!!

[dave]

so, tongue-in-cheek or not, tom hanks asks people not to question, but to stick to the script, and vote as (fore)told, to keep these elections a staged act like so many before; that the race card is a diversion tactic to distract people from the fundamental issues, he does not seem to, or wish to understand. but why is obama referred to as a 'member of a race...' in what is clearly a racist fashion, since there is no more reason to call him black than there is to call him white? racism and sexism in the united states has indisputable, well documented origins: even 'free' women, like 'slaves,' were not allowed to vote; and indeed - article I, section 2 of the constitution as ratified in 1787, among other things states that
'representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding indians not taxed, three fifths of all other persons.' obviously obama is not a woman; and whether or not he's free or a slave, and to whom or to what, is for himself to determine. and it's great that today the unalienable rights of the constitution are extended to all, and race or gender are not to be instrumentalized in the quest of privilege or power.

[Robbie]

Excellent!!
OBAMA .08

[Dan A]

Tom Hanks--a great actor with excellent character and judgement--that shows for his Obama endorsement. For the gal Ann who posted a comment earlier saying she did not care who Hanks voted for and she was voting for Hillary--well my answer to you is that none of us care who you are voting for either and I personally could care less if you like Hanks endorsement or not !!!

[sue]

Hey, good going Tom. I hope people can look beyond the ridiculous distractions of the last few weeks and get behind this outstanding candidate for President. I don't look at all these temporary distractions but at the heart and intelligence of this outstanding man. There is a reason why so many are drawn to him and when the Clinton led slug fest is over these will again be crystal clear. Anyone who is tough enough to withstand all that has been thrown at him and still be ahead and still be standing tall is a great example of a formidable candidate. He is someone our young people can look up to.

[thebaker]

For a person like me, who does not have time for researching who is fit for the next President of the U.S., Tom Hanks' endorsement is good enough for me to vote for Obama. Whatever Tom Hanks does or believes affect the way I think. He is one of only a handful of celebrities who are respectful and put FAMILY VALUES as priority of their life. I'd vote him for the President any time if he runs for one.

[Maria]

What a Joke! I read the article, did not see his video...but it sounds hilarious. As if his personal vote matters?

[Robert]

Who the heck cares. When will these Hollywood types realize mainstream America completely and totally despises them outside of when they're performing their craft in the movies or TV.

Let's face it, Hollywood is so far to the left we normal people just wants to puke when some self-important "movie star" tries to pretend they know what's good for us or that they somehow reflect our values.

Take your fake selfs and run down to Hugo Chavez and see if it impresses him. It doesn't work here except in commie Berkeley or San Francisco and where their fellow travellers are in isolated pockets elsewhere.

Not interested.

[Timray]

Well....i think you all are missing what is important. Who is Pamela Anderson backing....i mean let's get real

[SVRichard]

I respect the actor that he is and I do support Obama, but its a bit far fetch and an attempt to discredit our power of choice.

I mean; "As an official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you."" How and why would it? Should one give his/her power of choice just because you are a celebrity?

I'm glad he is endorsing Obama but disappointed at that ego statement.

[Robert]

"For a person like me, who does not have time for researching who is fit for the next President of the U.S., Tom Hanks' endorsement is good enough for me to vote for Obama."

This is possibly the stupidest thing I have ever heard this election season.

[Judith]

Thank you! Did you notice that decent and honest people endorse Sen. Obama?

[sylvester]

Dear Andrew Malcolm:

Every time you want to say Obama does not connect with "working class voters" you should qualify it with "white," since the 80-90% of blacks who are voting for him include large numbers of working-class people. I'm bummed that the media won't spend more time talking about this as largely a problem of white racism, stoked by Clinton's many comments, the Swiftboat-like Jeremiah Wright media spectacle, and Ferraro's performance of white victimage.

[deBeer]

sylvester You do know that more blacks are voting percentage wise for Barry O then whites are for Hillary. Of course that is not black racism...LOL Unreal

[vincent Virom]

Does it matter whom Tommy endorses?
Really, this is such nonsense. Next week you'll have Mickey Mouse and Daffy Duck's endorsements. Such a high class paper.

[K Baker]

Not sure why this is breaking...Hanks has been supporting, contributing to, listed as endorsing, etc., Obama for months and months.

[Benjamin Munda]

I think it is hilarious that 'swift boat' has become a verb of frequent usage.

I guess its just people taking the lesson from an event they want. I'll vote D in November in all probability...but let's remember what actually happened with the swift boat fiasco.

John Kerry made his war record an issue (substitute war record for judgment, if you please) and then looked like rather silly when he had to actually defend it (which should have been a cake walk).

In that sense, indeed, Obama is being 'swift boated'

[keith]

"For a person like me, who does not have time for researching who is fit for the next President of the U.S.,"

I almost spit coffee on my laptop when I saw this, LOL!

[SoCal4Hillary]

How sad that another public figure/celebrity has chosen to drink the Kool-Aid. I guess Tom Hanks--who WAS one of my favorite actors--doesn't care about the LONG list of scumbag friends/business partners/mentors/spiritual advisors/company that Obama has kept--and, yes, that DOES matter. You are a reflection of the company you keep, and when you spend 20 years listening to venomous hatred from your "spiritual advisor/'uncle'/mentor" your actions prove that you're on the same page with them. Too bad Hanks doesn't care about Obama's seething anti-white racism, or his money laundering, or his total ignorance on any/all of the important issues. Way to go, Tom... PS: GO HILLARY!

[mike k]

Hey SoCal - Get a life - it isn't sad - it just is. And PLEASE no one has more scuzzy friends than the Clintons. That venomous preacher is was invited to Clinton's White House - were you?

Again - GET A LIFE!

[Susie]

"Obama's seething anti-white racism"???
He was raised by white family members! His mother is white! He frequently collaborates with white colleagues in the Senate and in community work. Some of his closest friends are white people. Some of these Hillary supporters just love to spew unfounded and ludicrous drivel, it's remarkable. Really showing the world your level of intellect there. Well done.

[Swissdiver]

"I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you"--EXCUSE ME, I've made up my mind a long time ago to vote for Hillary so Tom Hanks's endorsement is not only presumptuous but plain stupid. Who cares who he endorses? He's just another far left liberal who is totally out of touch with the real world. His judegement on his choice for presidency comes from his naive and slow "Forrest Gump" brain.

[sylvester]

deBeer
1. according to exit polls many more whites than blacks said race matters in their vote and that they would vote for McCain instead of Obama if Clinton were not the nominee
2. more Clinton voters say they will not vote for Obama than the other way around (an astonishing fact, given how eager Clinton has been to mobilize white racism against Obama)
3. whites can vote for Clinton without being racist, but I suspect that, given the similarities between Clinton's and Obama's record in many ways, that white Clinton supporters who hate Obama and would never vote for him are racists
4. why is it uneducated whites who are most virulently anti-Obama?
5. Obama is not seeking to mobilize anti-white sentiments to appeal to black voters. Clinton, on the other hand, seems perfectly willing to appeal to white racism in order to win over more white voters.

Think about these facts and use your brain a bit and the reverse racism charge makes little sense.

[mccotter]

WHO IN THE HELL IS HANK AND WHO CARES.

[michael duplessis]

wow another hollywood type supporting a democrat. what a surprise im sure if hitler was a demorcrat they still support him. its the candidate whos the most qualafied not the party he represents. like im going to listen to some millinoare on who to vote for. like he really understand my concerns. when was the last time he pumped his own gas?