Poll: Hollywood And Politics

Arnold Schwarzenegger just started a second term as the governor of California, and you can find a whole lot of people who think Oprah Winfrey should run for president. But the American public is divided on whether Hollywood celebrities should be involved in politics, a new CBS News poll finds.

This represents somewhat of a reversal from four years ago. Then, a majority of the public thought celebrities should get involved in politics if they choose.

Today, 47 percent think Hollywood celebrities can offer a new perspective on political issues and should get involved in politics, but a similar number – 48 percent — say celebrities are inexperienced about such issues and should stay out of politics.

In August 2003, 54 percent of Americans said celebrities should get involved in politics if they wanted, while 38 percent disagreed.

HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES SHOULD …

GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS

Now
57%
8/2003
54%

STAY OUT OF POLITICS

Now
48%
8/2003
38%

There are clear partisan differences on this matter. A total of 61 percent of Democrats say celebrities should get involved in politics, while 67 percent of Republicans think the Hollywood crowd should stay out of politics.

Independents are divided. Liberals and moderates support the idea of celebrity involvement in politics, but nearly two-thirds of conservatives are opposed to the idea.

SHOULD HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS?

TOTAL

Yes
47%
No
48%

REPUBLICANS

Yes
29%
No
67%

DEMOCRATS

Yes
61%
No
34%

SHOULD HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS?

INDEPENDENTS

Yes
46%
No
46%

CONSERVATIVE

Yes
30%
No
65%

MODERATE

Yes
52%
No
43%

LIBERAL

Yes
63%
No
33%

SHOULD HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS?

MEN

Yes
40%
No
54%

WOMEN

Yes
53%
No
42%

SHOULD HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS?

AGE: 18 - 30

Yes
61%
No
33%

AGE: 30 - 44

Yes
45%
No
51%

AGE: 45 - 64

Yes
44%
No
49%

AGE: 65 and over

Yes
36%
No
57%

SHOULD HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS?

NORTHEAST

Yes
50%
No
44%

MIDWEST

Yes
48%
No
47%

SOUTH

Yes
44%
No
51%

WEST

Yes
45%
No
47%

In addition, 53 percent of women say Hollywood celebrities should be involved in politics if they want, but a similar number of men are opposed.

There are differences by age as well, with a majority of the youngest Americans (those under 30) saying celebrities should be politically active if they choose, while two in three of the oldest Americans are against the idea.

Also, Americans living in the Northeast part of the country are the most likely of any other region to embrace the idea of celebrities being involved in politics. Southerners are the least likely.

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,142 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone February 8-11, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.