Scores of actors, writers, producers and others from the entertainment industry have contributed to Al Franken's Senate campaign, helping the Minnesota Democrat get off to a strong fundraising start.
Franken, a former "Saturday Night Live" star who hopes to take on GOP Sen. Norm Coleman next year, raised the maximum $4,600 from actors such as Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jason Alexander and Larry David, according to a campaign finance report filed Friday.
That helped Franken pull in $1.35 million in the first quarter of the year -- despite not beginning his fundraising effort until February 14 -- just behind Coleman's $1.53 million.
Franken has held two fundraisers in California this year, said his spokesman, Andy Barr.
Other notable contributors include actors Kevin Bacon and Kevin Kline; producers James L. Brooks and Norman Lear; directors Rob Reiner and Jonathan Demme; singers Don Henley and Bonnie Raitt; and actress Jane Curtain.
He also picked up donations from cartoonist Garry Trudeau, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, comedian Bill Maher, Dream Works Studios CEO David Geffen and former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro.
As if to preempt expected GOP criticism that Franken was raising "Hollywood money," his campaign put out a statement noting it had pulled in money from every state, and had more donors from Minnesota than any other state.
"Al's been speaking out on important national issues and campaigning on behalf of Democrats across the country for years now, and we're lucky to have support from over 10,000 donors and from every single state," the statement said.
Coleman's campaign said that 73 percent of its contributors came from Minnesota.
"With such a high percentage of Minnesota donors, we not only get their financial support, but these people are instrumental in building our grass roots infrastructure," Coleman campaign manager Cullen Sheehan said in a statement. Coleman is considered one of the GOP's most vulnerable incumbents.
On an appearance on CNN Friday, Coleman said he's taking Franken's campaign seriously.
"He's raised 1.3 million; he's rich enough that he doesn't have to work," Coleman said. "He can campaign full-time for the next 20 months. That's not a joke. And I hope we will have a serious discussion at some point in time."
Meanwhile, another Democratic candidate, attorney Mike Ciresi, is nailing down arrangements for an expected U.S. Senate campaign kickoff next week.
Ciresi is best known for securing a multibillion dollar settlement against the tobacco industry on behalf of the Minnesota government. Ciresi put nearly $5 million of his own money into a 2000 U.S. Senate race, which ended with a primary campaign loss. http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/14/franken.senate.ap/index.html
Franken, a former "Saturday Night Live" star who hopes to take on GOP Sen. Norm Coleman next year, raised the maximum $4,600 from actors such as Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jason Alexander and Larry David, according to a campaign finance report filed Friday.
That helped Franken pull in $1.35 million in the first quarter of the year -- despite not beginning his fundraising effort until February 14 -- just behind Coleman's $1.53 million.
Franken has held two fundraisers in California this year, said his spokesman, Andy Barr.
Other notable contributors include actors Kevin Bacon and Kevin Kline; producers James L. Brooks and Norman Lear; directors Rob Reiner and Jonathan Demme; singers Don Henley and Bonnie Raitt; and actress Jane Curtain.
He also picked up donations from cartoonist Garry Trudeau, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, comedian Bill Maher, Dream Works Studios CEO David Geffen and former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro.
As if to preempt expected GOP criticism that Franken was raising "Hollywood money," his campaign put out a statement noting it had pulled in money from every state, and had more donors from Minnesota than any other state.
"Al's been speaking out on important national issues and campaigning on behalf of Democrats across the country for years now, and we're lucky to have support from over 10,000 donors and from every single state," the statement said.
Coleman's campaign said that 73 percent of its contributors came from Minnesota.
"With such a high percentage of Minnesota donors, we not only get their financial support, but these people are instrumental in building our grass roots infrastructure," Coleman campaign manager Cullen Sheehan said in a statement. Coleman is considered one of the GOP's most vulnerable incumbents.
On an appearance on CNN Friday, Coleman said he's taking Franken's campaign seriously.
"He's raised 1.3 million; he's rich enough that he doesn't have to work," Coleman said. "He can campaign full-time for the next 20 months. That's not a joke. And I hope we will have a serious discussion at some point in time."
Meanwhile, another Democratic candidate, attorney Mike Ciresi, is nailing down arrangements for an expected U.S. Senate campaign kickoff next week.
Ciresi is best known for securing a multibillion dollar settlement against the tobacco industry on behalf of the Minnesota government. Ciresi put nearly $5 million of his own money into a 2000 U.S. Senate race, which ended with a primary campaign loss. http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/14/franken.senate.ap/index.html
