Celebs Put Their Money Where Their Mouths Are- McCain or Obama?
The business and Hollywood elite crowd has never been one to keep their opinions quiet - and the tumultuous 2008 race for the White House is no exception. Below, you'll find a list of the big names in film, television, sports, and business who reached into their pockets - some deeper than others - for one candidate or the other.
Barack Obama Backers
J. J. Abrams - filmmaker, TV producer
Ben Affleck - actor
Chris Albrecht - HBO Chairman and chief executive 2002-07
Herbert Allison - TIAA-CREF Chairman, CEO
Big Kenny - Alphin recording artist
Marc Andreessen - Internet pioneer
Jennifer Aniston - actress
Patricia Arquette - actress
Rosanna Arquette- actress
Clarence Avant - record producer
Kevin Bacon - actor
Tyra Banks - model, talk show host
Ellen Barkin - actress
Angela Bassett - actress
Shane Battier - pro basketball player
Maria Bello - actress
Lawrence Bender - producer; political activist
Tom Bergeron - game show host
Halle Berry - actress
Valerie Bertinelli - actress
Jerome Bettis - pro football player 1993-2006; sportscaster
Arthur Blank - Atlanta Falcons owner; Home Depot co-founder
Judy Blume - author
Steven Bochco - producer, writer
Andy Borowitz - satirist, writer
Zach Braff - actor
Steve Brill - writer, publisher; Court TV founder
Christie Brinkley - model, spokeswoman
James L Brooks - producer, director
Blair Brown - actress
Jackson Browne - musician
Warren Buffett - Berkshire-Hathaway CEO, billionaire
Mark Burnett - game show producer (Survivor)
Ken Burns - filmmaker
LeVar Burton - actor, director
Kate Capshaw - actress
Michael Chabon - author
Jay Chandrasekhar - director, actor, writer
Peter Chernin - News Corporation president and COO
Richard A Clarke - former national security expert
John Cleese - actor, author
George Clooney - actor
Chuck Close - artist
Glenn Close - actress
Harry Connick, Jr. - recording artist, actor
Cindy Crawford - model
Alan Cumming - actor
Jamie Lee Curtis - actress
Matt Damon - actor
Larry David - comedian, writer
Laurie David - writer, environmental activist
Geena Davis - actress
Danny Devito - actor
Taye Diggs - actor
Barry Diller - media mogul
Michael Douglas - actor, director
Karen Duffy - model, actress
Joe Dumars - Hall of Fame basketball player
Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds - recording artist, producer
Tracey Edmonds - entertainment executive
Anthony Edwards - actor
Michael Eisner - Disney CEO 1984-2005
Jane Fonda - actress
Tom Ford - fashion designer
Jodie Foster - actress
Michael J Fox - actor, activist
Jamie Foxx - actor, comedian, musician
Jonathan Franzen - author
Morgan Freeman - actor
Jeff Garlin - actor, comedian
Jennifer Garner - actress
David Geffen - Dreamworks co-founder, record producer
Richard Gere - actor
Jami Gertz - actress
Charles Gifford - Bank of America Chairman
Cuba Gooding, Jr. - actor
Berry Gordy - record producer, entrepreneur
Lou Gossett, Jr. - actor
Topher Grace - actor
Brian Grazer - producer
Andrew Greeley - author, Catholic priest
John Grisham - author
Herbie Hancock - musician
Tom Hanks - actor
Ted Harbert - TV entertainment executive
Emmylou Harris - singer/songwriter
Teri Hatcher - actress
Tom Hayden - activist, author
Dennis Haysbert - actor
Christie Hefner - Playboy Enterprises Chairman, CEO
Hugh Hefner - Playboy founder
Marg Helgenberger - actress
Grant Hill - pro basketball player
Cheryl Hines - actress
Dustin Hoffman - actor
Alan Horn - movie executive
Ron Howard - director, producer, actor
Phil Jackson - NBA coach, player
Randy Jackson - musician, record producer, entertainer (American Idol)
Samuel Jackson - actor
Joan Jett - rock star
Kevin Johnson - NBA star 1987-2000; philanthropist
Magic Johnson - pro basketball great 1979-2002; entrepreneur
Spike Jonze - director, actor
Michael Jordan - basketball star
Vernon Jordan - Washington power broker
Casey Kasem - radio host
Jeffrey Katzenberg - Dreamworks co-founder, producer
Garrison Keillor - author, performer
David E. Kelley - television producer, screenwriter
Caroline Kennedy - author, attorney
Margot Kidder - actress
Don King - fight promotor
Gayle King - editor, media personality
Calvin Klein - fashion designer
David Koepp - screenwriter
Cedric 'the Entertainer' - actor, comedian
Sherry Lansing - Paramount Studios Chairman, CEO (1992-2004)
John Larroquette - actor
Sharon Lawrence - actress
Norman Lear - television producer
Spike Lee - filmmaker
John Legend - recording artist
John Lithgow - actor
Nia Long - actress
Chuck Lorre - TV producer, writer, director
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - actress
Sidney Lumet - director
Seth MacFarlane - animator (Family Guy)
Tobey Maguire - actor
Natalie Maines - recording artist (Dixie Chicks)
Barry Manilow - singer/songwriter
Stephon Marbury - pro basketball player
Branford Marsalis - musician s
Judge Greg Mathis - TV judge; Michigan superior court judge
David McCullough - author, historian
Terry McMillan - author
Seth Meyers - comedian (SNL)
Bette Midler - singer, actress
John Morgridge - Cisco Chairman
Errol Morris - filmmaker
Alonzo Mourning - NBA star
Eddie Murphy - actor, comedian
Paul Newman - actor, philanthropist
Craig Newmark - craigslist.org founder
Mike Nichols - filmmaker
Leonard Nimoy - actor
Edward Norton - actor
Rosie O'Donnell - actress, comedian
Stan O'Neal - Merrill Lynch Chairman, CEO 2003-07
Frank Oz - director, writer, actor
Adrian Pasdar - actor
Joe Paterno - Penn State football coach
Jane Pauley - journalist; talk show host
Holly Robinson Peete - actress
Kal Penn - actor
Robin Wright Penn - actress
Rhea Perlman - actress
Tyler Perry - playwright, actor, director
Michael Pfleger - Catholic priest; social activist
Oliver Platt - actor
Sidney Poitier - actor
Ellen Pompeo - actress
Maury Povich - talk/game show host
Penny Pritzker - hotel heiress, executive
Bonnie Raitt - recording artist
Harold Ramis - director, writer, actor
Phylicia Rashad - actress
Brett Ratner - director
Lynn Redgrave - actress
Carl Reiner - actor, comedy writer, producer
Jerry Reinsdorf - Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls owner
Paul Reiser - comedian, actor
Ryan Reynolds - actor
Patricia Richardson - actress
Lionel Richie - recording artist
Jay Roach - director
Chris Rock - comedian, actor
Linda Ronstadt - singer
Hilary Rosen - RIAA CEO 1998-2003
Mark Ruffalo - actor
Edward Rust - State Farm Chairman, CEO
Horatio Sanz - comedian, actor
Susan Sarandon - actress
Thomas Schlamme - producer, director
Howard Schultz - Starbucks Chairman, CEO
Terry Semel - Yahoo! Chairman, CEO 2001-07
Garry Shandling - comedian, actor
Brooke Shields - actress
Maria Shriver - NBC
Andrew Shue - actor; former pro soccer player; activist
Ben Silverman - NBC Universal Chairman
Alicia Silverstone - actress
Russell Simmons - music/media mogul; activist
James Sinegal - Costco CEO
Tom Skerritt - actor
Emmitt Smith - pro football player 1990-2004
Jada Pinkett Smith - actress
Will Smith - actor, recording artist
George Soros - financier
Hal Sparks - actor, comedian
Steven Spielberg - filmmaker
Morgan Spurlock - filmmaker (SuperSize Me)
Leigh Steinberg - sports agent
Daniel Stern - actor
Stuart Sternberg - Tampa Bay Rays owner
Fisher Stevens - actor
Ben Stiller - actor
Oliver Stone - director
Harry Stonecipher - Boeing CEO 2003-05
Meryl Streep - actress
Barbra Streisand - singer, actor, producer
Christine Taylor - actress
Richard Thalheimer - The Sharper Image Chairman, CEO
John Thompson III - basketball coach
Cheryl Tiegs - model
Boyd Tinsley - musician (Dave Matthews Band)
Steve Tisch - NY Giants co-owner; movie producer
Lily Tomlin - actress, comedian
Garry Trudeau - cartoonist
Gabrielle Union - actress
Amber Valletta - model, actress
Paul Volcker - Federal Reserve Chairman 1979-87
Kate Walsh - actress
Cash Warren - producer
Isaiah Washington - actor
Steven Weber - actor
Bob Weir - recording artist; Grateful Dead founding member
John Wells - television producer
Jann Wenner - Rolling Stone
Tom Werner - Boston Red Sox co-owner 2002-present; TV producer
Forest Whitaker - actor, director
Paula White - megachurch preacher, "life coach"
Bradley Whitford - actor
James Whitmore - actor
Olivia Wilde - actress
Gene Wilder - actor
will.i.am - recording artist
Treat Williams - actor
Rita Wilson - actress
Oprah Winfrey - talk show host, actress
Joanne Woodward - actress
Steve Wozniak - personal computing pioneer
Jeffrey Wright - actor
Robert Wright - NBC Universal - Chairman, CEO 1986-2007
Andrew Young - civil rights activist, politician, lobbyist
Edward Zander - Motorola Chairman, CEO
Sam Zell - Tribune Co. Chairman, CEO; real estate magnate
George Zimmer - Men's Wearhouse founder, CEO
John McCain Backers
Duane Acklie - businessman
Sheldon Adelson - casino mogul; billionaire
Troy Aikman - NFL quarterback 1989-2000; sportscaster
George Bodenheimer - ESPN president
David Brandon - Domino's Pizza CEO
Donald Bren - land developer
Jerry Bruckheimer - producer (CSI, Top Gun)
August Busch, III - Anheuser-Busch Chairman
John 'Jeb' Bush - Gov. of Florida 1999-2006
John Chambers - Cisco CEO
Torie Clarke - public relations consultant, pundit
Pete Coors - Coors Brewing Co. Chairman
Richard DeVos - Amway co-founder; Orlando Magic owner
Richard 'Bo' Dietl - Beau Dietl & Assoc. Chairman, CEO; author
Barry Diller - media mogul
Clint Eastwood - actor, director
Dick Ebersol - NBC sports executive
Charles Ergen - Echostar Communications founder, CEO
Miguel Estrada - attorney
John Faraci - International Paper Chairman, CEO
Carly Fiorina - former HP CEO, Chairwoman
Steve Forbes - publisher
Ted Forstmann - financier
Louis Freeh - FBI Director 1993-2001
Roger Goodell - NFL Commissioner 2006-present
William Greehey - Valero Energy Chairman, CEO
Maurice Greenberg - former AIG Chairman, CEO
Brad Grey - Paramount Pictures Chairman, CEO
John C Hagee - megachurch pastor
H Edward Hanway - CIGNA Chairman, CEO
William Harrison JP Morgan Chase Chairman, CEO
Rick Hilton - Hilton Hotels
Allan B Hubbard - E&A Industries president
Jeffrey Immelt - General Electric Chairman and CEO
Ray Irani - Occidental Petroleum, Chairman, CEO
Michael Jordan - EDS Chairman, CEO
Herbert Kelleher - Southwest Airlines Chairman, co-founder
Kirk Kerkorian - casino mogul
Richard Kinder - Kinder Morgan Energy Partners Chairman, CEO
Robert Kraft - New England Patriots owner
Henry Kravis - financier, billionaire
Alan Lacy - Sears Chairman, CEO
Leonard Lauder - Estee Lauder Companies - Chairman
William Lauder - Estee Lauder Companies - CEO
Edward Liddy - Allstate Corp Chairman and CEO
Peter Magowan - San Francisco Giants owner 1993-present
Maureen Mahoney - attorney
Lowry Mays - Clear Channel Entertainment Chairman, founder
Mark Mays - Clear Channel Entertainment CEO
David McCullough - author, historian
Drayton McLane, Jr. - Houston Astros owner
Lorne Michaels - producer
Angelo Mozilo - Countywide Financial co-founder
Robert 'Lute' Olson - basketball coach
Tom Osborne - congressman, college football coach
James Owens - Caterpillar Chairman, CEO
Richard Parsons- Time Warner Chairman
Colin Powell - Secretary of State 2001-05
Steven Reinemund - Pepsico Chairman, CEO
Jerry Reinsdorf - Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls owner
Karl Rove - political consultant
Edward Rust - State Farm Chairman, CEO
Susan Saint James - actress
Curt Schilling - pro baseball player
Charles Schwab - Charles Schwab Inc. Chairman, CEO
Stephen Schwarzman - financier, billionaire
Vin Scully - sportscaster
Ivan Seidenberg - Verizon Chairman, CEO
Harry Sloan - MGM Chairman, CEO
Frederick Smith - FedEx Chairman, CEO
Roger Staubach - NFL hall-of-fame quarterback
Ben Stein - writer, actor
Randall Stephenson - AT&T COO
Jack Taylor - Enterprise Rent-A-Car founder
John Thain - Merrill Lynch CEO
G Kennedy Thompson - Wachovia Chairman, CEO
Rip Torn - actor
Dick Van Patten - actor
Edward Whitacre - AT&T Chairman, CEO 2005-07
Paul Wolfowitz - Deputy Secretary of Defense 2001-05; World Bank president 2005-07
James Woolsey - CIA Director 1993-95
Robert Wright - NBC Universal Chairman, CEO 1986-2007
Steve Wynn - Las Vegas casino mogul
Edward Zander - Motorola Chairman, CEO
Sam Zell - Tribune Co. Chairman, CEO;
Robert Zoellick - World Bank president
---
Thanks to the folks over at Newsmeat.com, an excellent resource for campaign finance-related research.
Read jwilkes’s Last Article: The Obama Administration: The Top Potential Cabinet Appointees (Part II)
And check out our new Barack Obama Veepstakes Section!
Recent Blogs
By jwilkes - Sunday, September 7th, 2008 at 4:04 AM
In an
EyesOnObama feature yesterday, we named the top contenders for three of the highest profile Cabinet positions in a prospective Obama Administration. Today, we’ll continue on down the list with the top prospects for the spots at the head of the table at the Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior, and the Department of more...
By BaldwinParkDemocrat - Saturday, September 6th, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Early in the campaign John McCain acknowledged his age (72) as being a problem for some and promised to select a running mate who would be ready on day one should something happen to him. In nominating Sarah Palin he failed miserably in keeping that promise to the American people.
Sarah Palin is obviously not ready to be Vice-Pre more...
By jwilkes - Saturday, September 6th, 2008 at 2:15 AM
The first presidential decision that any presidential candidate makes is to select his running mate. And the first presidential decision that a president-elect makes is to select his cabinet. Make no mistake, both Barack Obama and John McCain have a short list of individuals they’d like on their executive team. Unlike the vice presidential more...
More Blogs by jwilkes
By jwilkes - Sunday, September 7th, 2008 at 4:04 AM
In an
EyesOnObama feature yesterday, we named the top contenders for three of the highest profile Cabinet positions in a prospective Obama Administration. Today, we’ll continue on down the list with the top prospects for the spots at the head of the table at the Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior, and the Department of more...
By jwilkes - Saturday, September 6th, 2008 at 2:15 AM
The first presidential decision that any presidential candidate makes is to select his running mate. And the first presidential decision that a president-elect makes is to select his cabinet. Make no mistake, both Barack Obama and John McCain have a short list of individuals they’d like on their executive team. Unlike the vice presidential more...
By jwilkes - Friday, September 5th, 2008 at 12:15 PM
With McCain’s selection of a woman- Alaska Governor Sarah Palin- for his vice presidential running mate came the claims of magnanimity, generosity, and progressivism from his cheerleaders on the right. Rudy Giuliani told the Republican National Convention that “John McCain has chosen for the future.” He went on to suggest that a more...
Veepstakes ’08
Learn more about the contenders and share your opinion!
Featured Obama Store Products

