John Cusack Speaks Out Against McCain

The Obama Supporter's 30-Second Videos Featured On MoveOn.org Will Be Aired On TV

(AP)  Pop quiz: Why has John Cusack jumped into the political arena with a pair of videos saying John McCain is a war-profiteering clone of President George W. Bush?

"I know my opinion doesn't matter more than anyone else's and I just make films," he told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday. "But I do feel you have to speak out, and that's what I'm doing."

The 30-second videos, which went out to members of the liberal political activist group MoveOn.org on Wednesday, will begin airing as television ads Thursday. In one, Cusack offers a "pop quiz" to voters, asking them among other things: "Who supports keeping our troops in harm's way in Iraq but not the bipartisan G.I. bill of rights to support them when they return home?"

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Photos: Political Action

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McCain and Bush both do, Cusack says, adding, "Bet you can't tell them apart."

In the other, he points out that Charlie Black, a key campaign adviser to presumptive Republican presidential nominee McCain, has been a lobbyist for Blackwater Worldwide, the largest private security contractor in Iraq.

In his latest film, the war satire "War Inc.," Cusack makes no secret that he believes the Iraq war was created to profit private businesses like Blackwater and Bechtel Corp., which hold war-related contracts.

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Photos: Political Action Part 2

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"I'm not going to pretend this thing in Iraq was some kind of free market utopia to spread the gospel of democracy through the Middle East," he told the AP from London, where he's at work on another project.

Cusack says he supports Democrat Barack Obama.

Although he has made such films as "War Inc." and last year's "Grace is Gone," in which he plays the husband of a soldier killed in Iraq, Cusack notes this has been his first high-profile foray into partisan politics.

[xyno-2009]

Hey elkc, can you be a little more dramatic?

If you''re truly concerned with the lives of young Americans (and I doubt you are unless you can pin it on Bush) then you should get involved in the fight against drunk drivers since they kill almost 17k people EVERY year.

Wouldn''t it be great to see all these Hollywood types at a rally against drunk drivers? Why isn''t John Cusack speaking out against this travesty? Oh, that''s right, because the Hollywood crowd is usually the ones behind the wheel.

Critisize Bush all you want, but don''t try to convince us that you care about our men and women in uniform. According to the Dems, our military personnel are just a bunch of uneducated thugs that can''t wait to kill innocent women and children.

[elkc]

patriot12436 What if we asked you the same question of George W Bush in 2000? There is no President in the history of the United States and few dictators of the world that have prevailed in doing so much damage to so many countries and people, than "W". He has time and again said his administration was above the law of the land and trumped even the Supreme Court. Bush alone (not to count the people in his administration) has openly violated civil rights of free law-abiding citizens to further profit Corporations and Foreign Nations over the United States. He has dones so without the threat of private counsel to investigate what is thrown in the Americans Face. He stood before Congress and lied, outloud to the entire nation causing the death to date of more than 4000 American Soldiers, ten times the number of people killed in 9/11 can be tracked to the Republicans contribution and George W. Bush. Articles of Impeachment are on file and will be public record to back everything I claim. If we return to the rules set by the Constitution of the U.S. Obama nor no idiot who spins out of control would ever be a threat to this nation!

[kevzgrl]

To magoo2u1: You forgot to mention that that $2500 maximum that hypothetical parent with the cancer stricken child would pay is every YEAR - when a family is trying to survive on $25,000 a year, 10% is a HUGE amount, and you can bet that the hospital/doctor doesn''t want to be paid a couple of dollars per pay - they want the money when treatment is received. So what, pray tell, is the rest of the family to live on until that OPM is paid? Most insurance plans also have a lifetime max, and cancer treatments can blow right thru that in a couple of years - I know, because my mother had cancer, but "fortunately" she DIED shortly before she would have hit her maximum amount allowed. If she had had the "misfortune" to live, she and my dad would have faced losing everything they had worked all their lives for, to continue to pay for the drugs/radiation/blood transfusions/nursing care. At the age of 69, that would have been a cruel blow to someone who was just trying to live...

[p-syrus]

It is interesting how the Republicans while in control for the last several years have bent over backwards to sustain large lucrative war profiteering contracts for their corporate buddies and with no accountability or oversight.

It is also interesting how these same Republicans are unwilling to extend veteran benefits to the actual troops because it will make them not want to "volunteer". And THIS after these same Republicans have already violated the terms of enlistment.

ALL for the purposes of continuing an illegal & unnecessary war.

These Republicans are "strong on defense"?

Hell, the Pacifist Amish would do a better job than these bozos have.

[galvestontex]

Goodnight America. Goodnight CBS. Goodnight John Boy.

[galvestontex]

I%u2019m goint to go over to ABC News (a.k.a. the real Clinton campaign headqurters) and rattle sabers. Then, to CNN News. I don%u2019t even bother with F-U-X News. Fair and balanced my A-S-S. Nothing but T&A over there (ditzes). Some nice cleavage though.

[galvestontex]

Oh well dead in here tonight.

[galvestontex]

Oh well dead in here tonight.

[galvestontex]

The United States must secure its borders, repeal NAFTA and isolate. Then the power of the US consumer once again becomes our most powerful weapon. Obama will work this direction. McSame will not.

[galvestontex]

The United States must secure its borders, repeal NAFTA and isolate. Then the power of the US consumer once again becomes our most powerful weapon. Obama will work this direction. McSame will not.

[galvestontex]

Nontheless, McSame is history!

[galvestontex]

This thing still posted? Old debates.

[patriot12436]

Mr. Cusack is an actor but he is also an American citizen and deserves the right to his opinions like everyone else. We based our democracy on these freedoms, i would never deny them to him or anyone else who is a citizen of this country.

[patriot12436]

jennasmith2
What tv show were they on ?

[patriot12436]

element51
Very good post. We should all be adult enough to express our opinions and differences without resorting to name calling. If we cannot discuss rationally issues, how will we ever find solutions ?

[patriot12436]

maximy55
I see your point of view but if you have been making that kind of money , why not retire and enjoy life now ? If we do socializeed medicine ( and i am not saying i think it is a good idea), wouldn''t the govt also have to pay to educate our health professionals like they do in countries where medicine is already socialized ?

[patriot12436]

elkc
What if tthe rest of us are right and obama turns out to be the racist/terrorist we believe he is. Do you not think that would be the final element to destroying our country ? I hope you are right about obama. Our future depends on it if he is elected.

[magoo2u1]

"socialized medical program"
Somebody''s been bathing in the cool aid. I have medical insurance through my employer. I pay 400 dollars a month and a co-pay. We get a pretty good deal all around because we can negotiate on the strength of numbers. Prescriptions cost as low as $1.18.
So why is it when you propose this same insurance plan negotiated by our government everyone screams and howls like it''s bad?
The biggest protection on the insurance is a 2500 maximum out of pocket. If your kid gets cancer the most you pay is 2500.
Why do you people think you will never be caught without insurance so you don''t want everyone to have it? It''s a plan to provide insurance, not government doctors. You folks are letting the rich fat cats lead you around by the nose.

[jennasmith2]

i miss Washington & Jefferson!
those were the days.......

[xyno-2009]

Element51,

My mistake -- the post was made by mtngurl8. My apologies.