Clooney wouldn't 'want to damage' Obama by stumping for him 
George Clooney has recently become a spokesperson for peace efforts to counter the ongoing violence in Darfur. "It's ugly, and it's mean, and people at some point get fatigued from it," he told CNN, explaining why he feels it's necessary to keep reminding people.
Clooney was also asked whether he would be campaigning for Barack Obama, whose candidacy he supports, but he answered that he would not.
"At times you can harm the person that you're trying to help, and so I'm very careful not to go out and stump for Senator Obama," Clooney stated. "I just find that it's a slippery slope. My father ran for Congress and they sort of ran against him as Hollywood vs. the Heartland. And so I don't want to damage anybody."
Clooney was enthusiastic in his praise for Obama, however, explaining, "There are few people that I've heard speak in my lifetime that made me want to get up and do something. ... He's one of those people who inspires you ... but I don't want to hurt him by saying that."
Clooney has been making very similar statements for over a year. In 2006, he told ABC News, "'You know, my father ran for Congress two years ago. ... But ... everything was categorized as Hollywood versus the heartland, and I actually hurt him. ... I could do damage to Obama. So, I don't necessarily know [that] saying I back him is helpful.'"
The one-time Academy Award winner, nominated for an Oscar again this year for his work in the film "Michael Clayton," also recently laughed off questions from reporters on whether he might follow in the footsteps of Ronald Reagan and run for president one day.
"I'm too much of a liberal for that," Clooney joked.
This video is from CNN's American Morning, broadcast February 1, 2008.
 
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