The RNC’s ‘Celebrity Task Force’

Reading through the Republican National Committee’s “Growth and Opportunity Project” report, there’s plenty of text about procedure, tactics, strategy, and outreach. But on pages 22 and 81, we learn about something unexpected: the RNC’s “Celebrity Task Force.”

“Establish an RNC Celebrity Task Force of personalities in the entertainment industry to host events for the RNC and allow donors to participate in entertainment events as a way to attract younger voters.”

The report also said the party intends to focus on “The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, MTV, and magazines such as People, UsWeekly, etc., as well as radio stations that are popular with the youth demographic.”

Hmm. For decades, Republicans have reveled in bashing “Hollywood,” slamming Democrats for their support from the entertainment industry. Now, the Republican National Committee intends to create a “Celebrity Task Force”?

Hypocrisy aside, I share Alyssa Rosenberg’s skepticism.

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One of the first suggestions in the report is to “Establish an RNC Celebrity Task Force of personalities in the entertainment industry to host events for the RNC and allow donors to participate in entertainment events as a way to attract younger voters.” The problem is that the most visible conservative celebrities aren’t particularly engaging one on a broad scale.

Ted Nugent is useful for firing up a small base of gun owners. Hank Williams Jr. appeals to conspiracy theorists who think that President Obama is secretly Muslim. But I can’t think of anyone with the Q score of a Jay-Z or a Meryl Streep who’s solidly identified with Republican values. The party may have to figure out its platform before it can even begin to recruit the kinds of celebrities who would be a draw.

I won’t pretend to be a expert in this area, but I’m hard pressed to imagine who’ll help lead this RNC Celebrity Task Force. Kid Rock? Chuck Norris? Craig T. Nelson? Clint Eastwood? Jon Voight?

I’m sure some GOP consultant was well compensated to come up with this idea, but I get the sense the party is trying too hard to compensate for a problem it can’t easily fix.