Political Snapshot

A Democratic divide worth $300

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(Via Los Angeles Times.)

YOU think Pennsylvania is close? The gap between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton in the race for Hollywood dollars makes the contest for the Keystone State look like a walk in the park.

According to nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics, less than $300 separates the two Democratic candidates in the entertainment industry. Obama leads with $2,956,858 in contributions, compared with Clinton’s $2,956,567.

E-mails were dispatched in the Clinton camp in recent days noting the difference. For some of the Clinton loyalists here, the number was maddening. You can barely get a steak dinner at Cut for less than $300. One member of Obama’s finance committee said, “This is wild!” (By the way, Republican Sen. John McCain has raised $530,625 from the entertainment industry in his bid for the White House, but then he doesn’t have fundraisers at Oprah Winfrey’s house.)

At the very least, the statistical dead heat between Obama and Clinton shows how deeply divided Democratic Hollywood remains in its loyalties and suggests that, whatever the outcome of the primary, the industry will be there to support the Democratic nominee after the convention.

And like with the box office, it’ll be looking at the numbers.