FIFTY COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVES ENDORSE KERRY
Fifty executives from telecom, mass media and high-tech companies were among the 200 executives that publicly endorsed Sen. Kerry (D-Mass.) for president Wed. Kerry made the announcement in Davenport, Ia., a state then-Vice President Gore won by 4,144 votes (0.3%) in 2000; as it happens, President Bush was holding a rally mere blocks away. Kerry spoke with several executives in attendance, including News Corp. COO Peter Chernin and Oracle Pres. Charles Phillips. Most of the 50 executives have a long history of support for Democrats, although 6 have given to Bush, during the 2000 Presidential campaign or more recently. Many supported other Democratic candidates in the primaries.
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Referring to Kerry and vice presidential nominee Sen. Edwards (D-N.C.), Chernin said “the Kerry-Edwards plan for America is exactly what is needed to jumpstart businesses and get America working again.” He said the plan would “cut taxes on corporations and small businesses to strengthen our economy today and invest in education, science and innovation to help us stay competitive in the economy of tomorrow.” The Kerry campaign said previous prominent corporate endorsements included Apple’s Steve Jobs and investor Warren Buffett.
Emmis Communications Chmn.-CEO Jeffrey Smulyan was among those on the Kerry campaign’s endorsement list, but he gave $2,000 to Bush last Sept., and $1,000 in the 2000 campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. Still, he aggressively backed Democrats in the 2004 primaries as well, giving not only to Kerry but also to Edwards, Sen. Lieberman (D-Conn.), retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark, and Rep. Gephardt (D- Mo.). Saban Capital Group Chmn.-CEO Haim Saban, another Kerry endorser, gave $2,000 to Bush in Oct. and more in 2000. Those donations are the exception, rather than the rule, however, because the man who brought the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to U.S. TV has given Democrats millions in soft money over the years. In the primaries he donated to Kerry, Edwards, Lieberman, Clark, Gephardt and former Vt. Gov. Howard Dean (D).
Loral Chmn.-CEO Bernard Schwartz also has given to Bush, though he has been one of the Democrats’ leading contributors. Schwartz donated to Bush’s reelection campaign, but also gave to Kerry and Lieberman. Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave $1,000 to Bush in 1999, but hasn’t contributed to Bush this election cycle. He did give during the primaries to Kerry, Lieberman, Gephardt and Dean. Cisco Systems Chmn. John Morgridge’s pattern is similar -- $1,000 to Bush in 1999 but donations to Gephardt and congressional Democratic candidates this cycle. Qualcomm Chmn.-CEO Irwin Jacobs is another 1999 Bush donor ($1,000), but this cycle supported Kerry early on. He has given generously to a number of Democrats.
Several executives endorsing Kerry Wed. originally put their money on other horses. Executives originally backing Lieberman were Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partners Brook Byers and John Doerr, Wind River Systems CEO Jerry Fiddler, Cisco Systems Vp Dan Scheinman and Gateway Chmn. Ted Waitt. Dean had been favored by Adobe Systems Chmn. Charles Geschke, former FCC Chmn. Reed Hundt and Oracle Pres. Charles Phillips. Edwards had attracted RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser (who gave to consumer advocate Ralph Nader in 2000), BET Chmn.-CEO Robert Johnson (backing him after former U.S. Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun dropped out of the race), BET COO Debra Lee, DreamWorks SKG Co-Founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and DoubleClick CEO Kevin Ryan. Kerry backers originally supporting Gephardt include Cisco’s Morgridge and Sony Corp. of America Gen. Counsel Nicole Seligman. Clark had the support of Oxygen Media Chmn.-CEO Geraldine Laybourne, Sony Pictures Entertainment Chmn.-CEO Michael Lynton and Nickelodeon Networks Exec. Vp Marva Smalls (she also gave money to Braun).
Supporting Democrats generally appeared to be the motivation for primary donations by several executives now backing Kerry. Among those who gave to multiple primary candidates: (1) CNet Networks Chmn.-CEO Shelby Bonnie (Dean, Lieberman and Clark, followed by Kerry after his primary wins). (2) News Corp.’s Chernin (Kerry and Gephardt). (3) Discovery CEO Judith McHale (Dean and Gephardt). (4) Wenner Media Chmn. Jann Wenner (Dean, Edwards, Kerry, Clark and Rev. Al Sharpton). (5) Miramax Film Co-Chmn. Harvey Weinstein (Kerry, Gephardt, Dean, Clark and Edwards).
Some Kerry supporters announced Wed. have backed him from early in the campaign. These include Warner Music Group Chmn.-CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr., MCI Vp-Technology Strategy Vinton Cerf, Cisco Systems Gen. Counsel Mark Chandler, Viacom Co-Pres. Tom Freston, Sun Microsystems Chief Researcher John Gage, YES Network Chmn.-CEO Leo Hindery, Qualcomm’s Jacobs, Carlyle Group Managing Dir. and ex-FCC Chmn. William Kennard, Paramount Pictures Chmn. Sherry Lansing, E-Loan CEO Chris Larsen, Microsoft Group Vp Jeffrey Raikes and Yahoo COO Daniel Rosensweig.
The 50 executives endorsing Kerry have given overwhelmingly to Democrats in recent years, although 17 of them have given to Republicans. Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. McCain (R-Ariz.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chmn. Hatch (R-Utah) were the most frequent recipients of donations. Two executives gave to Ill. Republican Jack Ryan during the Senate primary in that state; Ryan since has dropped out of the race. House Internet Caucus Co-Chmn. Goodlatte (R-Va.), Sen. Alexander (R-Tenn.) and House Judiciary Courts, Internet & Intellectual Property Subcommittee Chmn. Smith (R-Tex.) also received some donations.