George Clooney distances himself from Obama’s A-list cheerleaders

The manner of George Clooney's arrival at the Venice Film Festival
yesterday - in a slick-looking speedboat, hair blowing in the wind -
might have even made a Doge blush. However, the suave old silver fox
would not want anyone thinking that he is not a serious type, and so,
soon after he hit terra firma, he turned his attention to the presidential race, taking a swipe at the Hollywood A-listers who have become cheerleaders for the Barack Obama bandwagon.

Clooney (right) didn't mention them by name, but his remarks were clearly directed at fellow thespians Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway and director Spike Lee, all of whom have descended on Denver, Colorado for the Democratic convention. Asked by reporters if he would have liked to attend, Clooney replied: "I like watching conventions on television. I think the stars there should be the people who have been elected."

Perhaps he was trying to dampen any further speculation about his friendship with Obama - only last week he was forced to deny that he'd been sending the senator texts about body posture and presentation. Whatever the extent of the relationship, Clooney was cool in his appraisal of an Obama administration, saying that while he was "optimistic" he was also "worried" about what the future might hold.

Lest we forget, the 47-year-old star is in Venice to present his
latest movie, Burn After Reading, in which he stars with Brad Pitt (left) and Tilda Swinton (centre). No doubt infected by Clooney's reservations, Pitt was similarly reticent when asked about the Democratic candidate, saying only that it was a "vital time".