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Yesterday, it meant do or die for Hillary Clinton. The Democrats in Vermont, Rhode Island, Ohio and Texas voted for their presidential candidate, and once more, it was super-close.

Surprisingly, she won Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas. So, Hillary is back in the race. These primary elections were crucial for her, since her political career (and rumors say her marriage, too) was said to be in free fall after Barack Obama had won eleven states in a row. Obamania (some say Obamamania, but that looks ridiculous to me) has been spreading all over the country and all over Tinseltown.

It’s no coincidence that Obama and Clinton lately held their debate at the Oscar-proven Kodak Theater in Los Angeles (by the way, go see No Country For Old Men), since this was only the highlight of a spectacular, high-profile presidential campaign that involved many of Hollywood’s A-listers. The most charming political activist might be the gorgeous Scarlett Johansson, who participated in Will.I.Am’s music video Yes We Can and who announced (jokingly, of course) that she was engaged to Obama. She even traveled to Iowa (!) to support her favorite candidate at a public meeting.

On Monday, little Latino firecracker Eva Longoria Parker supported Hillary Clinton at a town hall meeting in Austin, Texas. The Desperate Housewife, a Texas native, told the audience that “Hillary has proven she has the strength and experience to deliver the change we need”. The same day, Jack Nicholson posted a video on YouTube, where he states (in his film A Few Good Men) that “there is nothing on this earth sexier — believe me, gentlemen — than a woman that you have to salute in the morning”. Amen.

Hillary could also gather other well-known Hollywood stars, such as the lovely Barbra Streisand, who’s convinced that she “can re-establish people’s trust in the government” or Magic Johnson, über-basketball player of the 80s, who says that Clinton “can take the challenges America is facing”. Madonna admires Hillary Clinton as a female role model and Renée Zellweger is spending and raising money for her favorite Democratic candidate.

Other Hillary fans are Michael Douglas, Danny DeVito, The Nanny Fran Drescher, Mary Steenburgen and husband Ted Danson. Yet, my favorite Clinton-supporter is Christina Dirrrty Aguilera… kinda funny.

However, Barack Obama has way more star appeal. He’s charismatic, eloquent, attractive, blablabla. Hollywood’s coolest hunk, heartthrob George Clooney thinks that “Obama is the most exciting experience for the Democratic Party since Kennedy”. Robert De Niro, Ryan Phillippe, Morgan Freeman, the Greatful Dead and (the incredibly annoying) Bono from U2 are also supportive of the Honolulu native.

Moreover, Barack seems to attract Hollywood’s most beautiful women: Tyra Banks, Halle Berry, Kate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice) and Jennifer Aniston. The former Friends star is delighted by the historical opportunity of Obama’s candidateship: “There has never been a black president in the White House,” she says. Powerful media mogul Oprah Winfrey is an especially passionate Barack Obama devotee. At UCLA, she told over 4 000 Obama fans that she had been called a traitor because she wouldn’t vote for a woman and that she would vote for Barack only because she’s black. “But I don’t care about gender or skin color. I vote for Obama because he’s brilliant,” she let the students know. Oprah also convinced Stevie Wonder who first backed Hillary.

Other famous Democrats like Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio or Ben Affleck haven’t announced any preferences (yet).

The Republican rally is much more boring. Here we have Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Sylvester Stallone and Steve Forbes (editor-in-chief of business magazine Forbes) who support John McCain. Texas Ranger Chuck Norris is a fan of Mike Huckabee; scoffers call it the “Chuck and Huck show”.

It will be interesting to see how Hollywood’s political engagement develops after the latest election results. Nevertheless, the American presidential rally has become pretty glamorous due to Tinseltown`s commitment. Here in Germany, we only have dull personalities like Herbert Grönemeyer (SPD), Ottfried “Der Bulle von Tölz” Fischer (the Greens) or Sky DuMont (FDP). Well, let’s wait for the next Bundestagswahlen in 2009. Maybe the rising Linke can attract some electrifying superstars… no, quite unlikely.

By Melanie A. Wolske