>> back to the politics of same sex marriage. what started off as a rough week for the president could hit an awkward note on thursday when he walks into the star studded fund-raiser hosted by actor george clooney . the event could raise a record $12 million with some of hollywood's most vocal gay marriage advocates. expected to attend. according to the hollywood reporter nearly every celebrity surveyed at the correspondence preparty listed the nationwide legalization of same sex marriage as one of the issues they most care about. so how beneficial will clooney's fund-raiser be for the president? joining us to talk about it. the political editor, ted johnson . thank you for your time.
>> thanks for having me.
>> it was chuck todd who brought it up earlier that this could be an awkward moment. we don't know how this will play out. let me get your thoughts. so many in hollywood have come out. some saying they would not marry until same sex marriage was legal in this country.
>> yes. exactly. that came from brad pitt and angelina jolie . i should say that george clooney himself has become somewhat of a same sex marriage advocate. in march, he appeared as one of the stars of a performance of eight which is a play all about the trial over proposition 8. that was a big fund-raiser for same sex marriage advocates. it raised more than a million dollars in that single evening. so i wouldn't be surprised if this is brought up. clooney or some of his friends who are there who have really been out front on this issue.
>> an article you wrote yesterday, you say the co-creator of will and grace sent a check to the obama campaign on monday. what did he say with that check?
>> well, yeah. these were the co-creators of will and grace . and max is one of the co-creators of that show. and he sent this check on behalf of joseph biden . he was very pleased with what biden said. biden, supportive of same sex marriage but also crediting will and grace with really shaping public opinion on this issue. and on gay rights in general. nevertheless, max was very disappointed in the president's characterization of his stance. that it is evolving. he found that wholly offensive. those were his words. and i think a large part has to do with this attempt to have nuance. talking to a lot of donors and gay donors out here. they just don't believe that the president's position is evolving. they actually believe the president does support same sex marriage and that this is absolutely politically motivated.
>> for the " washington post ," reporting that one in six of president obama 's so-called bundlers. they raise money in great stacks. one in six of them are gay. giving this issue great importance fiscally and as i pointed out, according to the hollywood reporter . nearly every celebrity surveyed listed this nationwide legalization as one of the issues they most cared about. not one in a laundry list. one that they most care about.
>> for a lot of activists within the entertainment community, they see this as the civil rights movement of our generation. that has a lot of resonance. not just because of the history involved but also because there is a perception that the entertainment industry has been out front on this issue. that they've had a real cultural impact. not just with will and grace but ellen degeneres . a lot of these shows have really kind of set the stage for the public acceptance of gay rights and same sex marriage. you mentioned the george clooney fund-raiser. that will be telling on what the president says thursday evening. there is another event that the president has on his schedule and that's june 6th . that will be a fund-raiser for the gay and lesbian community here out in los angeles . that will include a lot of celebrities. a lot of producers, writers and directors and creators. and it is, he will undoubtedly be confronted on this issue.
>> ted johnson , thank you so much. greatly appreciate your time.
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