Advertisement

White House enlists celebrities for campaign against sexual assaults

The push to end sexual assault on college campuses is the latest campaign from the White House using celebrity faces to gain support for policy.

By Aileen Graef
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden listens as President Barack Obama makes a point during his remarks at an event to launch the 'It's On Us' campaign geared to preventing sexual assault on college campuses, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on September 19, 2014. The administration has enlisted the help of major college sports leagues, athletes and celebrities in the public awareness campaign. UPI/Pat Benic
1 of 5 | U.S. Vice President Joe Biden listens as President Barack Obama makes a point during his remarks at an event to launch the 'It's On Us' campaign geared to preventing sexual assault on college campuses, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on September 19, 2014. The administration has enlisted the help of major college sports leagues, athletes and celebrities in the public awareness campaign. UPI/Pat Benic | License Photo

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- The White House is enlisting A-list celebrities to promote their campaign to bring an end to sexual assault on college campuses.

In this latest video campaign, actors Jon Hamm, Connie Britton and new Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love will encourage people to take responsibility for preventing sexual assault on college campuses through awareness, understanding, and reporting.

Advertisement

The Obama administration has made a habit of having celebrities help push policy, from first lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move program with Lebron James to changing the pay gap with Mad Men star Christina Hendricks.

"Our purpose here is to meet people where they are," senior advisor Valerie Jarrett told the Washington Post. "We're extremely strategic in how we engage and deploy validators, and we're very fortunate that people who have tremendous followings across the country are willing to be very effective messengers."

Republicans and critics of the White House have chided the administration for their work with celebrities, calling the president "out of touch" with the American people. They have slammed him for his White House invites to sports teams and celebrities like Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Advertisement

For Democrats and Obama supporters, they believe the strategic use of star power is an effective way to raise money and push policies with faces the American people know.

"In the Clinton White House, we sometimes reached out to the entertainment community for private advice," said former Clinton adviser Paul Begala. "I can recall getting thoughtful insights from Spielberg and [director] Gary Ross, for example. ... But the Obama White House uses celebrity supporters in a more strategic way."

Latest Headlines