Rabu, 16 April 2008

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner host fundraiser for Obama


Ben Affleck and wife Jennifer Garner were in the Boston area over the weekend to host and appear at a fundraising dinner for presidential candidate Barack Obama. Affleck has never been one to shy away from political causes- he and buddy/co-star Matt Damon campaigned in favor fair health benefits for labor unions back in 2004 and Ben not only appeared on the Bill O'Reilly show, but held his own against the host. Affleck told O'Reilly during that broadcast that he is a social liberal but didn't consider himself a Democratic "party guy." But since meeting Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention on Boston, Affleck has become a big fan of the candidate.

They may have been drawn by a chance to meet Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, but the hearts of the 450 people who packed Rumor last night belonged to one man: Barack Obama. The sold-out fund-raiser at the Theater District nightclub was hosted by the Hollywood power couple to rally support for Obama's bid to win the White House. "I'm here because I'm trying to raise money for a campaign and a candidacy that I believe in," Affleck told the media shortly after hopping out of a black Chevy Suburban with his wife and his mom, Chris. "I'm just trying to do my part." Affleck met the Illinois senator when they were both in Boston for the 2004 Democratic National Convention and said his "admiration of [Obama] has grown" since. The Oscar winner seemed particularly proud to participate in a gathering that regular folks could go to, noting "it's not a $1,500-a-plate event for the elite." (Tickets were $250 for a VIP reception and $50 for the main party.) Among those spotted were Senator John Kerry and his wife, Teresa, Red Sox GM Theo Epstein 's brother Paul and his wife, Saskia Grinberg, and Wellness Community-Greater Boston CEO Ron Lipof. The politically savvy Affleck, who has donated at least $4,600 to Obama's campaign according to public records, wasn't going to be drawn into the recent flaps between Obama and Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton, who won the Massachusetts primary. "This is not about casting aspersions," the "Gone Baby Gone" director said. "If I were to choose between the two, it would be Barack." Garner stayed above the political fray, saying she really likes Boston and "would move here in a heartbeat, but it's six hours from where I work." But Garner, who's in town filming "The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" quickly corrected herself saying, "Whoops, I'm working here at the moment."

[From Boston.com]

I liked that Ben chose to throw this fundraiser in his hometown instead of Hollywood. It would have been so easy for Ben and Jen to turn this into a Tinseltown glamour event, but instead, he decided to keep it a little more low-key and focus more on the candidate than his own star power. My only complain was that his new life partner, Jimmy Kimmel, couldn't make an appearance.

Pictures of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner were taken on Sunday outside Rumer nightclub where the fundraiser for Obama took place, thanks to Splash News.

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