Is Barry Manilow a Closet Libertarian? (He Gave $2,300 to Ron Paul's Campaign)

Check it out here, at The New York Times' Contributions to Presidential Campaigns page.

3	Manilow, Barry	Woodland Hills	CA	91367	Self employed	$2,300	Hillary Clinton
4	Manilow, Barry	Woodland Hills	CA	91367	Self employed	$2,300	John Edwards
5	Manilow, Barry	Woodland Hills	CA	91367	Self employed	$2,300	Barack Obama
6	Manilow, Barry	Woodland Hills	CA	91367	Self	$2,300	Ron Paul
7	Manilow, Barry	Woodland Hills	CA	91367	Self	$2,300	Joe Biden

Go figure.

Update: Do your own digging, on the Federal Election Commission's dime (that is, the taxpayers' dime): Here's a link to the FEC's disclosure page, at which you can search by candidate, ZIP, donor name, employer, etc. to find out who gave what to whom. This database goes back years and covers all manners of federal donations. So check it out and make sure to post any interesting contributions below. (And I say this as someone who is against virtually all campaign-finance laws, including mandatory disclosure rules, which I believe are too often used for reprisals against political foes.)

Comments

Eryk Boston | July 17, 2007, 1:39pm | #

The question is: which of these candidates has raided his wardrobe?

VM | July 17, 2007, 1:41pm | #

He writes the checks that make the whole world sing...

Jack | July 17, 2007, 1:41pm | #

Joe Biden? Anyhow, seems pretty clear he's pulling for anyone to put an end to the war

thoreau | July 17, 2007, 1:43pm | #

He came to the fundraiser and he gave without taking.

Kwix | July 17, 2007, 1:44pm | #

Wow, the shotgun approach to Presidential candidacy. Wonder if it works any better than applying it to the horses or the stock market.

Kwix | July 17, 2007, 1:45pm | #

Jack, if that were truly the case, Hillary wouldn't be on that list. But you are right, that is probably his main stickler.

Warren | July 17, 2007, 1:47pm | #

The people they all look the same,
Only the names have been changed.

de stijl | July 17, 2007, 1:51pm | #

I dig the SELF EMPLOYED bit.

cjp | July 17, 2007, 1:53pm | #

If you thought Stephen Colbert hated Manilow before, wait till he gets wind of this.....

ed | July 17, 2007, 1:54pm | #

Given the list, the Ron Paul contribution must have been an accident.

Episiarch | July 17, 2007, 1:58pm | #

If none of these candidates win, will it be time for Hari Kari for Barry?

VM | July 17, 2007, 2:02pm | #

Careful Episiarch or we'll have our lead tongue player bite the head off your wife.

[Opus - now try your wa wa peddle]

Episiarch | July 17, 2007, 2:04pm | #

I'll get the Bactine.

VM | July 17, 2007, 2:04pm | #

Just wing that mother.

JLM | July 17, 2007, 2:06pm | #

Gillespie- What motivated you to search for "Manilow, Barry" at that link? Was this action preceded by "Hey y'all, watch this", or are you a closet Manilow fan?

Mutts | July 17, 2007, 2:10pm | #

Maybe he thought he was contributing to RuPaul.

Lost_In_Translation | July 17, 2007, 2:16pm | #

I'm with Mutts.

Marcvs | July 17, 2007, 2:17pm | #

If you search on 91367 (his zipcode), you find out this:

Streisand, Barbara $1,000 Chris Dodd
Streisand, Barbra $2,300 John Edwards
Streisand, Barbra $2,300 Barack Obama

Didn't she sing at Clinton's inauguration? She can't even give a few bucks to Hillary?

Pro Libertate | July 17, 2007, 2:18pm | #

My favorite Manilow song is not really a Manilow song: "The Star Wars Cantina." "Music and blasters and old Jedi masters at the Star Wars. . . ."

Gordon | July 17, 2007, 2:18pm | #

No, but Ron Paul is a REPUBLICAN.

Edward | July 17, 2007, 2:22pm | #

Probably it's Ron Paul's anti-Iraq war stance. Manilow may want to encourage that position among Republicans.

Lost_In_Translation | July 17, 2007, 2:27pm | #

Edward,

You forgot, Ron Paul will have no impact on anything. So Manilow couldn't ve encouraging an anti-war stance.

de stijl | July 17, 2007, 2:28pm | #

I searched 90210 and the best I found was John O'Hurley (aka J. Peterman) who apparently is a big Mitt Romney fan.

ed | July 17, 2007, 2:29pm | #

Maybe he thought he was contributing to RuPaul.

If it were actually possible to win threads, Mutts would go home with this one.

Edward | July 17, 2007, 2:30pm | #

Lost_in_translation

Manilow may not agree with my assessment of Ron Paul's potential impact. Maybe he has a soft spot for hopeless kooks.

Rattlesnake Jake | July 17, 2007, 2:32pm | #

"Didn't she sing at Clinton's inauguration? She can't even give a few bucks to Hillary?"

I don't think Hillary and Barbra like each other. When Hillary's father was dying, she went to Little Rock to see him. When she got back to the White House, she was upset when she found out that Barbra had been there during her absense. She told Bill she didn't want that bitch in HER house anymore.

Rattlesnake Jake | July 17, 2007, 2:39pm | #

Did you know that Barry Manilow didn't write "I Write the Songs"? Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys did and won a Grammy for it.

Abdul | July 17, 2007, 2:43pm | #

This is a totally fun game. Turns out Wonder Woman is a Mormon.

CARTER, LINDA ATHERTON CA 94027 INFORMATION REQUESTED PER BEST... $2,300 W. Mitt Romney

Stephen V Funk | July 17, 2007, 2:43pm | #

What a stellar timewaster that site is...

*Bill Gates gave $2300 to Barack...
*Leonard "Spock" Nimoy and his wife each gave $2300 to Barack...
*George Clooney also forked over $2300 for Barack...
*Babs Streisand gave $2300 each to Barack, Hillary, and Edwards...
*Steven Spielberg gave $2300 to those three AND Bill Richardson...(?!)
*Larry David gave $2300 Edwards (and maybe another $2300 to Barack)
*Mary Steenburgen gave $4600 to Hilary and $2300 to Edwards
*Martha Stewart gave Hilary $2300 twice...
*Branford Marsalis gave Barack $2300 twice...
*Donald Trump gave $4600, got $2300 back, and then gave another $2300 to Rudy G
*Michael Huffington gave $2300 to Rudy (Arianna is nowhere to be found)

Meanwhile, nobody famous besides Barry Manilow seems to have given over $200 to Ron Paul....... happy hunting...!

Taktix® | July 17, 2007, 2:58pm | #

With this new tool, everyone should check their zip code and then the phone book, see if these people actually exist. With a tool like this, we could stop the fraud from a grassroots angle.

(I only say this because I checked my zip and a number of contributions were made by John Smith.)

Tym | July 17, 2007, 3:01pm | #

Maybe he's a fanilow of Ron Paul.

Nick Gillespie | July 17, 2007, 3:11pm | #

JLM,

A secret source--not Scooter Libby!--told me a chart in some print edition of today's New York Times mentioned this tidbit. I couldn't find that but ended up at the online contribution database.

de stijl | July 17, 2007, 3:11pm | #

LOL - Larry Flynt $2300 for Kucinich!

Baylen | July 17, 2007, 3:13pm | #

I was "self employed" when I was unemployed, too.

Jeff | July 17, 2007, 3:29pm | #

Hugh Hefner -

2300 for Barack and Hillary

robc | July 17, 2007, 3:29pm | #

Nothing really interesting in my zip code, I was looking for donations by "Papa" John Schnatter. Only thing mildly interesting was that Clinton and Paul were tied, with $0. I guess I should send the good doctor $200 so he shows up in my zip.

Mike Laursen | July 17, 2007, 3:30pm | #

What's so magical about the amount, $2300?

Stephen V Funk | July 17, 2007, 3:31pm | #

Paul Newman...
$4600 for Obama & Clinton, $2300 for Richardson

Michael Douglas...
$4600 for Richardson, Hillary, Obama... AND Chris Dodd!

Gail Zappa (wife of Frank, RIP)...
$3600 for Hillary..........

Quincy Jones...
$4600 for Hillary.

(positively addictive...)

robc | July 17, 2007, 3:32pm | #

Mike,

I think it is the maximum an individual can give. Although, after the primaries, you can give another $2300, IIRC.

Jeff | July 17, 2007, 3:39pm | #

Going with sports (commissioners):

Roger Goodell (NFL): $2300 for McCain
David Stern (NBA): $2300x2 for Hillary
Allan (Bud) Selig (MLB): $2300x2 for Dodd
Gary Bettman (NHL): None

wow | July 17, 2007, 3:47pm | #

Huh. More than a few times, I've heard Manilow denounced by boomer liberals as some kinda reactionary. Then again, it doesn't take much to pull that assessment out of a boomer liberal.

Jack Jackson 3rd | July 17, 2007, 3:52pm | #

Entertainers/Musicians/etc are pretty much always Self Employed, aren't they? Why would that be interesting to anyone?

crimethink | July 17, 2007, 3:54pm | #

The CEO of Wendy's of Rochester gave $2300 to Rudy! Boycott!!!!!

Also, the owner of a local restaurant has two $2300 contributions to Hillary listed. WTF?!

Mike Laursen | July 17, 2007, 3:55pm | #

Isn't the rationale for having secret ballots to protect the voter from retaliation? It's interesting that there is no such concern about making contributions private. Of course, I guess it could go the other way: make all votes public and you've taken care of the polling fraud problem.

Trevor | July 17, 2007, 3:58pm | #

So he came and he gave without taking?

not the senator | July 17, 2007, 4:02pm | #

Not real accurate. I've been giving $50. a month since February for a $250. total by 6/30/07 and only $50. shows up.

Are these supposed to be up-to-date?

Bee | July 17, 2007, 4:07pm | #

Gary Bettman (NHL): None

Yeah, that's about right. (Hoots with laughter.)

Michael Vick should have made more local contributions.

Stephen the Goldberger | July 17, 2007, 4:09pm | #

His Name is Robert Paulson gave $250 to hillary.

Robert | July 17, 2007, 4:12pm | #

[ Insert spoofed Manilow song here ]

MWH | July 17, 2007, 4:15pm | #

Let's play Match Game:

Yes, Barry is a closeted.....

von Laue | July 17, 2007, 4:17pm | #

That FEC website is made of fail.

de stijl | July 17, 2007, 4:19pm | #

His Name is Robert Paulson gave $250 to hillary.

The first rule of Project Mahem is ... screw it, you can talk about Project Mayhem.

crimethink | July 17, 2007, 4:24pm | #

I'm the only person in Rochester to have given money to Ron Paul. That blows.

me | July 17, 2007, 4:26pm | #

A Michael Jordan who is retired and lives in D.C. gave 10,000 to Barack in 2004 through a corporation. Could it be #23?

Stephen V Funk | July 17, 2007, 4:29pm | #

MJ #23 currently lives in the suburbs of Chicago, IL I believe...

seer | July 17, 2007, 4:43pm | #

Mondior Folimum gave $500 to Ron Paul and lists his occupation as... wizard?

profstampede | July 17, 2007, 4:44pm | #

Charles Koch, the billionaire libertarian known for funding the Cato Institute, gave $2,300 to... Sam Brownback???

Stephen V Funk | July 17, 2007, 4:52pm | #

check out all the Rudy McRomney donors living in the bogus 99999 zip code...

Edward | July 17, 2007, 4:55pm | #

RICHARDSON FOR PRESIDENT INC.

The query you have chosen matched 10118 individual contributions.


RON PAUL 2008 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

The query you have chosen matched 2236 individual contributions.

C Bowen | July 17, 2007, 4:58pm | #

Jimmie Vaughn, brother of Stevie Ray, gave $2300 to Ron Paul.

Jerry | July 17, 2007, 5:11pm | #

Walter Block is supporting Ron Paul :)

Edward | July 17, 2007, 5:12pm | #

From my searches, Balko, Gillespie, Walker, and Weigel haven't given Ron Paul a penny.

Jerry | July 17, 2007, 5:15pm | #

And Mark Ruffalo is supporting Mike Gravel?!

zevatron | July 17, 2007, 5:16pm | #

This site is utterly addictive.

Big surprise: searching for my old address (94707, Berkeley CA) and searching the page for "Repub" or "Bush" yields only the beeps of "no such luck finding that" on Mozilla...

zevatron | July 17, 2007, 5:24pm | #

Drew Carey is a big Voinovich fan apparently. If this story is an indication, bully for him.

Mondestrunken | July 17, 2007, 5:35pm | #

24 co-creator Joel Surnow gave $2100 to Rudy Giuliani.

plane | July 17, 2007, 5:51pm | #

Barry came and he gave without takin'.

Mike Espinoza | July 17, 2007, 5:57pm | #

Wendy Dio (Ronnie James Dio's wife) gave $5700 to congressional Republicans last year? WTF?

Edward | July 17, 2007, 6:10pm | #

Justin Raimondo doesn't show up as a contributor to Ron Paul either. These libertarians for Ron Paul are all talk.

Jerry | July 17, 2007, 7:12pm | #

@Edward
Right. Like Eric Dondero's non-support for Giuliani?

Kwix | July 17, 2007, 7:25pm | #

Hey!
Robert Kampia, head of the MPP has donated a full $2300 to Paul.

mccleary | July 17, 2007, 9:10pm | #

A Michael Jordan who is retired and lives in D.C. gave 10,000 to Barack in 2004 through a corporation. Could it be #23?

Dean Smith, like practically everyone else in Chapel Hill, gave to John Edwards. $4,400.

Pro Libertate | July 17, 2007, 9:47pm | #

mccleary,

That's not a contribution. That's protection money.

crimethink | July 17, 2007, 9:52pm | #

Edward,

Maybe Nick Gillespie did contribute to Ron Paul, but it was under his alias Buck Coatleather.

Edward | July 17, 2007, 9:58pm | #

Man, if Ron Paul can't get contributions from professional libertarians, what can't he expect from the amateurs? Maybe donations of under $100 aren't listed.

crimethink | July 17, 2007, 11:27pm | #

Are the professional libertarians under "L" in the yellow pages?

Edward | July 18, 2007, 12:47am | #

No, they're under "R" on the Internet. I guess I would actually think less of Gillespie et al if they had sent Ron Paul money. You don't have to be a crazy cultist to run a crazy cult. It's a living, I suppose.

Edward | July 18, 2007, 1:31am | #

Here's a Libertarian who thinks Ron Paul is out to destroy the Libertarian party for personal gain. Fascinating.

http://knappster.blogspot.com/2007/07/my-ron-paul-conspiracy-theory.html

greedycapitalist | July 18, 2007, 3:43am | #

Is this THE Zach Braff, or just some guy who lives in LA and works at Toshiba?

Braff, Zach Los Angeles CA 90067 Toshiba TV $2,300 Barack Obama

Terrorific | July 18, 2007, 4:28am | #

Is Barry Manilow a closeted anything?

BakedPenguin | July 18, 2007, 6:30am | #

You don't have to be a crazy cultist to run a crazy cult...

Ok, Edward Sheepleson, we get the message. It's beaaatter to beaaaa in the herd. Beaaaatter not to stand out.

unknown reasonoid | July 18, 2007, 9:33am | #

Nothing from Reason Foundation Trustee, and US Ambassador to the EU, C. Boyden Gray.

A "Mrs." Marilyn Manson, of Phoenix Ariz (retired) gave $1k to McCain.

Edward | July 18, 2007, 11:28am | #

BakedPenguin

No, my point is that that your libertarian leaders aren't committed (or crazy) enough to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to Ron Paul. That's all.

Wreck of the Zach B | July 18, 2007, 5:27pm | #

NewsMeat is a little more "friendly" form for this info, but they don't seem to have the entirety of what is on the FEC site.
Check out Casey Kasem's giving history... talk about laying the money around the block.

Tom Lundy | July 18, 2007, 9:10pm | #

Ex-King of drag racing, "Big Daddy" Donald G. Garlits of Ocala Florida gave $1000. But I still think Barry Manilow's contribution wins by a nose.

T-Bag | July 18, 2007, 11:56pm | #

All this proves is that entertainers are every bit as stupid as the general public.

Haven fun with sacrificing your children to the war machine and for future national debt slaves!

Jive Dadson | July 19, 2007, 4:04am | #

The magic $2300 number is the maximum you can give to your favorite candidate under the McCain-Feingold Insider Protection Act - unless your favorite candidate happens by some coincidence to be yourself. Mitt Romney has loaned himself millions.

T-Bag, Ron Paul strenuously opposed the war from the very beginning, and will continue to oppose the war machine. He probably knows more about the national debt, the Fed, and monetary policy than anyone on the hill. He would save your children from paying all their lives into a Social Security system that would pay them back with virtually worthless devalued paper dollars someday.

Paul D. | July 19, 2007, 11:10am | #

I'm guessing most of these actors and entertainers are simply donating to the candidates they expect to win, in the hopes the president will remember their names and invite them to posh White House events or something.

T-Bag | July 19, 2007, 9:09pm | #

Jive, that's what I am hoping. Ron's record is the most solid out there.

But to the folks out there calling Ron a "kook" and saying that entertainers are supporting Democrats like Hillary and Obama by large margin and that is somehow great, is retarded to me. Those entertainers don't know Hillary's voting record I guess, and don't understand that they are supporting a warmonger.