Statements

"The liberal Hollywood elite's quest to find its anointed liberal of choice for the presidency seems to have come down to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.  But which candidate will land the part?  With what seems to be renewed Hollywood clout for Clinton, will Obama's inexperience and Hollywood's separation anxiety from years of Clinton fawning signal an end to the Obama Show? "

Hector M. Barajas, Communications Director, California Republican Party

Hillary's Callback? Los Angeles Times Emphasizes "Renewed Hollywood Clout" For Sen. Hillary Clinton:
LA Times Headline: "Hillary Clinton Enjoys Renewed Hollywood Clout" (Tina Daunt, "Hillary Clinton Enjoys Renewed Hollywood Clout," Los Angeles Times, 6/8/07)

"It's Starting To Look Like Hollywood's Infatuation With Sen. Barack Obama Was Just A Flirtation Before It Settles Down With Its Longtime Girlfriend, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton."(Tina Daunt, "Hillary Clinton Enjoys Renewed Hollywood Clout," Los Angeles Times, 6/8/07)

• "So Here's The Buzz These Days: Clinton's Presidential Bid Has Begun To Regain Momentum Over Obama's In The Entertainment Industry."(Tina Daunt, "Hillary Clinton Enjoys Renewed Hollywood Clout," Los Angeles Times, 6/8/07)

"Like Democrats Across The Country, Hollywood Activists Are Still Wondering Whether Obama Has The Experience To Tackle The Country's Problems In These Dangerously Troubled Times."(Tina Daunt, "Hillary Clinton Enjoys Renewed Hollywood Clout," Los Angeles Times, 6/8/07)

Hollywood Consultant Noah Mamet: "Sen. Clinton continues to impress people, and the more times people see her and listen to her, the more they view her as presidential material, which she absolutely is. ... She helps herself immensely every time she visits L.A." (Tina Daunt, "Hillary Clinton Enjoys Renewed Hollywood Clout," Los Angeles Times, 6/8/07)

• Mamet: "People were intrigued by [Obama], didn't know him, and came out to see and hear him for the first time earlier in the year ... He was like a big opening weekend for a film, which has a drop-off the next week."(Tina Daunt, "Hillary Clinton Enjoys Renewed Hollywood Clout," Los Angeles Times, 6/8/07)

Top Democrats Note Obama's Inexperience:
"[W]hile Not Mentioning Obama The Field's Charismatic Newcomer By Name, [Sen. Chris] Dodd (D-CT) Said, 'The Idea That Someone Could Come To This Race And Bring Little Or No Experience And Still Connect Is Going To Be Hard.'"(Beth Fouhy, "Sen. Dodd To Decide On Joining 2008 Race," The Associated Press, 12/13/06)

Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) Attacked Obama's Experience In Response To Iraq Question. Former Sen. John Edwards: "... I think that Barack Obama, because he is relatively new to national politics, it's, it's not as clear to me where he stands on, on, on issues. And, and no, I'm not faulting him for that, I just-I think he just hasn't been around as long, so he doesn't have as long a track record, so." (NBC's "Meet the Press," 2/4/07)

• Edwards Attacks Again On Iraq Inexperience. Edwards: "... [Obama] wasn't burdened, like a lot of us, with the information that we were receiving on the Intelligence Committee and as members of the United States Senate. We were getting very intimate detailed information about what was actually happening in Iraq. Senator Obama, I think, what did you say? He was a state senator. So he obviously wasn't in the Congress and wasn't part of the decision-making." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 2/4/07)

"Hawaii Sen. Daniel K. Inouye Says It's Too Soon For Illinois Sen. Barack Obama To Run For President In 2008."("Hawaii Senator Says Too Soon For Obama To Run," The Associated Press, 1/8/07)