George Clooney Shoots Down Rumors He Is Advising Barack Obama
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FIRST PUBLISHED: August 12, 2008 9:23 PM EDT
LAST UPDATED: August 12, 2008 10:05 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
George Clooney is many things – an actor, an Oscar winner, a dapper gentleman and an activist — but there’s one thing he definitely is not – an advisor to Barack Obama’s.
The actor issued a statement on Tuesday night, debunking a story out of Britain, claiming the “Ocean’s Thirteen” star has been advising the presidential hopeful on policy issues.
“I have never texted or emailed Senator Obama,” Clooney said in a statement to Access Hollywood. “And I’ll offer a million dollars to anyone who could prove otherwise.”
Clooney’s statement was issued as a result of a story that appeared in Monday’s Daily Mail newspaper, claiming he gave his “good friend Obama” advice on a host of issues.
Sources the paper described as “Democratic Party insiders” claimed the two were more than casual acquaintances.
“They are extremely close. A number of members of the Hollywood community, including Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, offered to help raise funds for Barack but it was with George that he struck up this amazing affinity,” the source claimed in the Mail. “‘George has been giving him advice on things such as presentation, public speaking and body language and he also emails him constantly about policy, especially the Middle East.”
Clooney refuted the story, noting he has had very little contact with Obama recently.
“I’ve only talked to the Senator once in the last year and a half… on the phone. I’ve spent more time with Senator McCain (he did my TV show) then I have with Senator Obama,” Clooney’s statement continued. “I would hope that my friend John McCain would join me in condemning this kind of politics. Although I support Senator Obama I would never be dumb enough to offer policy advice to either candidate. They seem to be doing fine without me.”
Ben LaBolt, a spokesperson for Obama also criticized the article, telling Fox News it was “an inaccurate report.”
Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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