5 Liberal Celebrities Recently Burned By The Obama Administration

Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP

Heather Callaghan
http://www.activistpost.com/2012/05/5-liberal-celebrities-recently-...

Five in one week...

You've probably heard about a couple of the run-ins the following celebrities experienced. It's not just the ire of celebrities that catches media attention, but the fact that it's liberal celebrities angry at Obama, and quite a few of them recently.

Yeah, yeah, celebrities schmelebrities – but what is it about the Administration that has liberal celebrities so outspoken about the country's head they once wholeheartedly supported?

And how is this "public servant" handling it?

John Cusack & Imperialism

Last Tuesday, a sad, disillusioned John Cusack implied that Obama has crossed the Rubicon. He was actually talking about his new film The Raven on CBS's Good Morning when casually asked about the race.

That's when Cusack candidly expressed his disappointment.

From The Daily Caller:

'I don’t think the executive branch — I think that they’ve kind of continued that imperial presidency of the Bush administration with these claims to executive privilege,' Cusack concluded. 'I thought that speech about the assassination of American citizens, you know, in the name of [the War on] Terror was, I thought, very, very troubling.'

He goes on to explain that it goes beyond "left or right" and practically describes himself as a civil libertarian.


Even with those signature puppy dog eyes, Cusack's countenance cast a deeper sadness and disappointment for his and his loved ones' futures.

Jon Lovitz & Taxes

SNL alum Jon Lovitz wasn't acting! when he called Obama a “----ing a-hole...for saying the rich don't pay their taxes.” He and Kevin Smith co-host a show called “The ABC's of SNL.”

From Huffington Post:

This whole thing with Obama saying the rich don't pay their taxes is f*cking bullsh*t. And I voted for the guy, and I'm a Democrat. What a f*cking a**hole. The rich don't pay their taxes? Let me tell you something, right. First they say to you, you're dead broke, 'the United States of America, you can do anything you want, go for it.' So then you go for it and then you make it, and everyone's like 'f*ck you.'

If I make a dollar and out of every dollar I'm taxed at 50, half, at 50 cents, I have to give, isn't that like enough?' asked Lovitz. He continued, 'It's half. HALF?!'

You can listen to the show here for free, but the quotes sum up his feelings about Obama's alleged plan to further tax the rich.

Speaking of banking on taxing the rich to save the economy, Tony Robbins has created a staggering video of how not only will that plan not keep the country afloat for a year, but it will never even chisel a portion of the national debt of over $15 trillion.

Susan Sarandon & Privacy

Susan Sarandon is probably known more for her outspoken liberal activism than her film credits. So doesn't it surprise you that she, of all people, would be barred from entering the White House under Obama's watch? Or should it even?

After exercising a FOIA request she also had to find out her phone had been tapped. So why was she wired and denied security clearance?

Sarandon herself hasn't added much reaction except a little confusion, and the government is keeping very quiet about its reasons for flagging her. A couple of attorneys vaguely speculated that she is "extremist" and Obama doesn't want to shake hands with that before election time.

One article cited controversies over Sarandon referring to Pope Benedict as a "Nazi," calling for troops to come home, and for supporting Occupy Wall Street. This clearly makes her a threat to national security. One of the attorneys, Michael Wilde, said "But, wire taps do not necessarily have to be indicative of someone that is a serious security threat, especially in the Patriot Act era." So commonplace and accepted now. Don't you feel heard?

It would appear that Obama abandons his former liberal support when it suits his election goals. And he is not giving up oversea wars anytime soon.

Matt Damon & Leadership

Bourne Identity star Matt Damon got ballsy when he said that Obama didn't have any “balls.”

Elle Magazine recounted Damon's comments last year that Obama "'misinterpreted his mandate' by rolling over to banks and extending Bush-era tax cuts." Along with referencing Occupy Wall Street's need for a leader, he said:

I’ve talked to a lot of people who worked for Obama at the grassroots level. One of them said to me, ‘Never again. I will never be fooled again by a politician,’  -- You know, a one-term president with some balls who actually got stuff done would have been, in the long run of the country, much better.

Obama retorted:

I've even let down my key core constituency: movie stars. Just the other day, Matt Damon – I love Matt Damon, love the guy – Matt Damon said he was disappointed in my performance. Well, Matt, I just saw The Adjustment Bureau, so right back atcha, buddy.

Laugh-In While Rome Burns - The White House Correspondents' Association Dinner 

Perhaps the hardest bite to swallow at last Saturday's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner were Obama's flippant jokes about grave subjects, complete with a high-five to wingman Jimmy Kimmel.

Some of the comic cover-up included comments about: continuing the precedents of Bush, the GSA scandal, winking as he mentioned his birthplace, leaving his mic on while saying negative things in the bathroom - most likely referencing when he left his mic on while telling Russian president that he'd have more freedom after his second term, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Congress' laziness, and having a secret agenda for right-wing conspiracy theorists which was mainly jokes about waging war on Christmas and re-passing health care reform.

Obama's reaction to Kimmel's Ron Paul jab - Yahoo Vid

Both he and Kimmel made plentiful light of the recent indiscretions of Secret Service agents in South America. Kimmel worked in jabs at Occupy efforts, North Korea, marijuana crackdowns, and one about Obama not sticking to his guns, but he could just ask Eric Holder for some. Obama repeatedly mentioned what he would do in his second term - is he only jesting? It wouldn't be the first reference.

The President worked in a backhanded congratulations to Huffington Post's Arianna Huffington for her Pulitzer prize, saying "You deserve it Arianna. There is no one else out there linking to the kinds of hard hitting journalism that HufPo is linking to every single day...and you don’t pay them. It’s a great business model." She actually laughed about it, but found his exploitation of Bin Laden's assassination for his campaign "despicable."

So, who cares? Well, it could be an indication that even those who previously felt insulated within the soft embrace and slick veneer of the Hollywood celebrity lifestyle are coming unhinged.  And perhaps what has them even more frustrated is that their liberal sympathy is a love increasingly unrequited.

An unapologetic Barack Obama seems to be talking out of turn as he brazenly disregards their tantrums like his snap back at Damon, careless jokes at the WHCD, or how he continues to try to get America to laugh along with him. The above and countless other citizens have justifiable, serious concerns like the true identity of our leader, provoked tensions in the Middle East, dying soldiers, police brutality on peaceful protesters, drone murders overseas and drones here in the states, assassination of Americans under NDAA, and Executive Orders seizing full control during peace time -- just to name a few. Understandably, the WHCD is a roast -- but are these issues that easy to place in a comical context?

But he does; he thinks jokes about killing Disney's Jonas Brothers with predator drones are funny:

Do you notice more liberals becoming disillusioned and feeling betrayed? This article, written from a socialist-leaning viewpoint, finds that liberals' defense of Obama can't withstand scrutiny -- especially of broken promises, saying Obama is "Bush’s spiritual successor on practically all the issues we care about."

So, what does it mean?  Is this a good sign that the system is turning inward on itself, showing signs of breaking solidarity and a liberal awakening to deception?  Or is it all for show, as the left-right step continues its perennial march?  I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Read other articles by Heather Callaghan here.