Arnold Getting Powerful Hollywood Endorsements

Friendship goes a long way in Hollywood - it's even enough to make hard core Dems give money to a Republican:

Some of Hollywood's most reliable and generous donors to the Democratic Party — Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and media mogul Haim Saban — are endorsing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's bid for reelection.

Their support is partly a matter of friendship over partisanship. But it could deal a blow to the governor's main opponent, state Treasurer Phil Angelides, by signaling to other Democrats that it's acceptable to embrace a Republican.

"It starts with a personal relationship. They are friends," said Andy Spahn, a spokesman for both Spielberg and Katzenberg.

The two men also like Schwarzenegger's plans to tackle global warming and fund schools. But further, Spahn said, "they are receptive to the governor's taking a less partisan approach to the job and a more inclusive approach to government."

Perhaps the deepest pockets among those embracing Schwarzenegger belong to the Egyptian-born Saban, who produced the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" and eventually created a media empire.

Saban, who is trying to acquire the Spanish-language network Univision with other investors, is a former trustee of the Democratic National Committee and one of its biggest donors. He spent $200,000 fighting the 2003 recall election that brought Schwarzenegger to power.

Other Hollywood Democrats on the list of Schwarzenegger supporters include Jerry Zucker of "Airplane!" fame, movie producer Jonathan Sheinberg and Bud Yorkin, a longtime TV director and producer.

"I can't run away from the fact that I am a friend of Arnold. But if I disagreed with him, I wouldn't have voted for him," Yorkin said Friday. "People think Hollywood is one giant liberal. That's not the truth."

Well, I don't know about that. You have to keep in mind the reality that Arnold is not a conservative Republican, which undoubtedly makes him more palatable to the lefties in Tinseltown. His stances have often been at odds with the conservative base, but given how far left Angelides is, no conservative worth his salt is going to switch away from Arnold. They may stay home, but they won't vote for Phil.