Angelina Jolie - a McCain Supporter?

Headlines (Scroll down for complete stories):
1. Angelina Jolie — a McCain Supporter?
2. George Clooney's Celebrity Gets in His Way
3. Lindsay Lohan 'Pains' Her Way Past Party-Girl Image
4. Britney Spears Pining for Paparazzi?
5. John Edwards Poverty Committee Funds Mistress's Videos
 

1. Angelina Jolie — a McCain Supporter?

As Hollywood celebrities queue up for presumptive Democrat nominee Barack Obama, one superstar is giving the Obama campaign some shivers.

It's none other than Brad Pitt's main squeeze — Angelina Jolie.

In a statement to Variety, Jolie indicated that she hasn't made up her mind about whom she's going to support.

Then came the scary part for Democrats. She seems to be leaning McCain's way.

"I have not decided on a candidate," Jolie said. "I am waiting to see the commitments they will make on issues like international justice, refugees and how to address the needs of children in crisis around the world."

It just so happens that Jolie is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Her endorsement would certainly have some clout, as she is well known and respected for her humanitarian activities.

Sounding like a staffer from the McCain campaign, Jolie penned an Op-Ed in The Washington Post in which she made the case for staying in Iraq.

She wrote, "Today's humanitarian crisis in Iraq — and the potential consequences for our national security — are great. Can the United States afford to gamble that 4 million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of Middle East, won't explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder?

"What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that has been made."

You may recall that not too long ago she and Pitt spoke out in favor of gun ownership. Jolie's father, Jon Voight, has endorsed McCain, and he recently criticized Obama in an Op-Ed that was published in the Washington Times.

In a campaign season where Hollywood celebs are presumed to be in Barack's camp, so far Jolie has refused to jump aboard the Obama train.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she said, "I think people assume I'm a Democrat. But I'm registered independent and I'm still undecided. So I'm looking at McCain as well as Obama."

2. George Clooney's Celebrity Gets in His Way

George Clooney has been looking a bit worried lately. The "Ocean's" star did some campaigning for John Kerry back when the Massachusetts senator ran for president. Now Clooney wants to give an assist to his favorite candidate for president this time around —Barack Obama.

But he says if a big-name celebrity like himself campaigns for Obama, it might hurt the candidate's chances as much as it might help, especially when Obama's rival, John McCain, has been hitting him with the celebrity hammer.

Clooney may have found a way, though, to raise some cash for Obama by using his fame yet still keeping things low key.

How? By going overseas.

Clooney's going to be the draw at an Obama fundraiser in of all places, Geneva, Switzerland.

The event will take place at the swanky home of one of the members of Obama's national finance committee. If you happen to be in Switzerland, you can get tickets for 1,000 bucks.

You can even attend a reception with Clooney, but that dinner will cost you 10 grand.

Watch for a trend in which Hollywood celebrities jet off to exotic places and use their famous faces to help Democrats win their political races.

3. Lindsay Lohan 'Pains' Her Way Past Party-Girl Image

Remember when Lindsay Lohan got in trouble for repeatedly being late to the movie set thanks to her party-hearty ways?

She was tardy so often that studio head James G. Robinson wrote a letter to her, bawling her out for being unprofessional.

Apparently the letter did the trick.

Lindsay promised to turn over a new leaf. And according to those who are working with her on her latest film called "Labor Pains," she's changed her party girl ways. Lindsay's co-star, Jay Thomas, told E!, "I'm just guessing, but someone must have said to her, 'You better get your act together or else.'"

Thomas also said that Lindsay was "perfect" and "a really good actress." And he claimed that he wasn't just saying that "because of the movie." No, Thomas really thinks Lindsay's talented and says, "It looks like she's OK now."

Does this mean Hollywood's bad girls are turning good?

If so, what ever will the tabloids do?

4. Britney Spears Pining for Paparazzi?

It's a frequent complaint from stars — that the paparazzi harass them, always trying to take their pictures.

But there are plenty of celebrities that get nervous when photographers don't come around. In fact, Britney Spears was recently accused of having arranged for the paparazzi to snap some pictures of her while she was on a beach in sunny Mexico.

The New York Post reported that a super-flattering picture of Britney in a white bikini, frolicking with some dolphins in the ocean, was set up by her camp.

Supposedly the pop star posed for photographers and got part of the money when the picture was sold. But Britney's spokesperson claims the report isn't true.

Her rep says, "If someone is trying to sell photos of Britney in Cabo, they're doing so without her knowledge or permission."

In other words, even though Britney's had a friendly relationship with the paparazzi for years, palling around with them, bantering back and forth, even dating one of them — that particular sunny day all those Hollywood shutterbugs just happened to show up on the same beach.

5. John Edwards Poverty Committee Funds Mistress's Videos

Lost in the flurry of reporting about former Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards' extramarital activities are questions surrounding campaign fund impropriety.

Records indicate that an Edwards PAC, the One American Committee, which was set up to fight poverty, spent $114,000 for the production of several short Web-based videos.

The videos were produced in 2006 by Rielle Hunter; the same woman with whom Edwards has admitted having an affair.

Hunter reportedly pitched the Web video idea to Edwards in a New York City bar.

IMDB shows Hunter's professions as writer, actress and producer, having had written, acted and produced a short film, "Billy Bob and Them," under her own production company, R. Hunter Films.

One key question is, Why would Edwards direct his PAC to pay an arguably inflated price to a relatively inexperienced individual to have her work on such an important project?

It may turn out that Hunter was paid a far larger sum. According to Fox News, Fred Baron, a Dallas lawyer and former campaign finance chairman for Edwards, gave money in the $15,000-a-month ballpark to Hunter.

Edwards claims he had no knowledge of Baron's payments and that he learned about the cash given to Hunter from the press. Hunter now lives in a rented home that is worth several million dollars. The residence is located in a gated section of Montecito, an exclusive area of Santa Barbara, Calif.

Andrew Young (a top Edwards aide who claimed to be the father of Hunter's child) and his wife are reportedly roommates of Hunter at the Montecito home.

Hunter and business partner Mimi Hockman apparently set up Midline Groove Productions in 2006 to produce the Edwards Web videos.

Midline Groove's Web site has since been pulled from the Internet, although Hockman is still shown as owner of the company's domain, midlinegroove.com.

The videos, too, disappeared from the Internet, only to resurface via an anonymous posting on YouTube.

Midline Groove Productions was described on its now missing site as "committed to projects that reveal truth."

In a 2007 interview with the TV show "Extra," Hunter shared her feelings about working with Edwards. "He was very authentic. He was inspirational to me," Hunter said. "I was around him a lot. It was great. We went to Africa. The whole experience was life altering for me."