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| LIGHTS, CAMERA, POLITICS? | |
 September 29, 1999 
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Washington and Hollywood have been buzzing with rumors of a Warren Beatty presidential candidacy. After a background report, Movie producer Gerald Rafshoon and The NewsHour's regular historians discuss the rise of celebrity candidates.
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MARGARET WARNER: It's not just Democrats and Republicans who are vying right now for their party's year 2000 presidential nomination. The top slot of the reform party, founded by Texas billionaire, Ross Perot, is also up for grabs. And this time around, the three most talked about potential contenders are all, above all, celebrities. They are actor Warren Beatty, real estate magnet Buchanan parlayed his TV pundit celebrity image into serious challenges for the Republican presidential nominations in 1992 and 1996, and he's been at it again this year. Talk of the 62-year-old Beatty as a potential contender started at
a summer dinner party given by conservative columnist Arianna Huffington,
who then promoted the Beatty has specialized in playing sexy heartthrobs, beginning with his 1961 film debut in "Splendor in the Grass." But some of his movies have had political themes, like the 1981 film "Reds" and last year's "Bulworth," in which Beatty played a senator who talks bluntly to the political establishment. WARREN BEATTY: (Rapping): You know, it ain't that funny, you contribute all my money. You make your contribution, then you get your solution. As long as you can pay, I'm gonna do it all your way. Yes, money talks and the people walk. MARGARET WARNER: A liberal Democratic activist in his private life,
Beatty campaigned for Senator George McGovern in 1972 and advised Senator
Gary Hart's 1984 and 1988 presidential bids. Jesse Ventura wants a Reform
Party nominee who will do well enough in 2000 |
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Donald
Trump, and television commentator Pat Buchanan, who's considering bolting
the G.O.P. for the Reform Party. Their would-be sponsor, a celebrity
who's already hit it big in politics, Minnesota governor and possible
future presidential contender, Jesse Ventura. He was a television-famous
professional wrestler before winning the governorship on the reform
ticket last year. Another celebrity, actress Cybill 
Shepherd,
is also rumored to be considering a run for president on a pro-choice
platform. 
idea
of a Beatty candidacy in her column. The mainstream media followed suit,
and Beatty tantalized them further with a coy late August op-ed piece
in the New York Times. He bemoaned the Democratic Party's current choice
between two capable, cautious centrists, Al Gore and Bill Bradley. 
to
keep the party eligible for federal campaign funding in 2004, when he
hopes to run. To that end, he sent an emissary to meet with Beatty and
placed a phone call himself to the flamboyant, apparently interested
Donald Trump.