Writers Call Dems Strike-shy
THE striking members of the Writers Guild are disappointed they aren't getting more support from the supposedly pro-union Democratic presidential candidates.
The bitter scribes say front-runners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are afraid of alienating their well-heeled supporters in Hollywood, folks like Alan Horn (Warner Bros.), Peter Chernin (Fox) and Bob Iger (Disney). Plus, thousands of other workers and businesses have been hurt by the shutdown of TV and movie production.
"They can't stick their necks out for the writers in the middle of an election campaign because we are perceived to be in an elite class, not blue-collar workers," said Chris Jackson, whose writing credits include "Men in Black II," "Rush Hour" and its sequel, and "The Kings of Comedy."
Jackson claims he talked to a high-level adviser to the Clinton campaign who told him: "Bill Clinton was approached by someone close to the Guild to come in as the mediator to end this strike, but he was advised not to become part of the WGA strike, other than not crossing our picket line."
All of the Democratic presidential candidates have issued statements in support of the strikers, but only John Edwards has appeared in person to picket and speak with the writers, when he visited NBC Studios in Burbank on Nov. 16. Jackson, who has worked as an advance man for Bill Clinton and Al Gore, told Page Six: "I was hurt by learning the truth. The DNC [Democratic National Committee] are in bed with big business. They are for change when it comes to using marketing slogans . . . but they only use Hollywood to milk money out of us."
Neither the Clinton team nor the Obama operation would respond to the charge that they pay lip service to the strikers' cause but keep their distance.
"I am for the truth," Jackson said, "and not for phony Democrats - Obama and the Clintons - who kowtow to the poor and middle class to gain power in Washington."
The strike over the future profits from digital downloads and other technologies is expected to last several months more.