20 politico friday, november 6, 2009

WHO’S WHO: It’s not like being named the ambassador to London or Paris, but an ap- culture. Studying their résumés, some clear patterns and paths emerge. So pointment to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities is if you aspire to discuss the future of the humanities or the place of regional They’ll Be one of the cushier rewards for supporting a presidential candidate. And the 26 theater in America with, among others, first lady Michelle Obama (the honor- members President Barack Obama named earlier this week seemed like a suit- ary chairwoman), study this closely. ably motley group, with little in common except an ability to raise campaign This social map illustrates what the PCAH members have in common, money. Vogue magazine’s Anna Wintour and Minnesota State Sen. Richard J. from Harvard to Hollywood. Each circle represents an organization or a com- Involved Cohen? Yo-Yo Ma and the guy who made a pre-fab house that floats? munity. Each line represents an individual’s connection between groups. The Disparate, yes. But these 26 private-sector appointees are intricately con- connections may be current, past, marital, tangential or vital, but ultimately, Artistically nected through years of leadership in the intersection of politics, arts and they will shape what (if anything) this committee comes up with. What’s the fastest way to an ad- By Pi a Ca t t o n ministration committee slot? Raise that campaign money. Minnesota NGOs are generally more con- State Sen. Richard J. Cohen and Alexa cerned with humanitarian issues L. Wesner, founder of the Blue Texas than with the arts, but cultural PAC, did it. Vogue’s Anna Wintour diplomacy includes anything that Anne Luzzatto helped the and actress Sarah Jessica Parker did says: “Can’t we all just get along?” There’ll be no shortage of reminiscing Obama administration transition it. And business owners J. Ricky Ar- Jill Cooper Udall, an arts advocate, about one’s days at Cambridge on this com- into its leadership of the National riola, Christine Forester, Paula Hann- is a trustee of the Meridian Inter- mittee. There are two Harvard M.B.A.s — Ricky Anna Wintour, the undisput- Endowment for the Arts. Previ- away Crown and Agnes Varis did, too. national Center, which promotes Arriola and Reggie Van Lee — who have both ed queen of American fashion, ously, she was special assistant What brings these Obama activists cross-cultural diplomacy. Architect supported Obama and arts philanthropy. Yo- will undoubtedly be air-kissing to President Bill Clinton and White together is that they, like Madeleine Thom Mayne designed a sustain- Yo Ma, class of 1976, once shared the stage fellow committee member Sar- House deputy press secretary. Harris Berman, are aggressively ac- able floating house for Brad Pitt’s with New York City Ballet dancer Damian Wo- ah Jessica Parker. Wintour put Madeleine Harris Berman, a sup- tive in arts at the local level. Make It Right Foundation in New etzel, who served on the Harvard Task Force porter of arts and politics, served SJP on a Vogue magazine cover Orleans. That gives Mayne some- on the Arts. On the educational side: Victoria this same committee during the — and the two hosted a major thing in common with fellow com- Strauss Kennedy was a teaching fellow for Clinton years. New York fundraiser for Obama. mittee member Kerry Washington, an undergraduate course and a fellow at the Andy Spahn guides Holly- And, in a case of life-meets-art, who was in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” with Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. wood moguls through Demo- George C. Wolfe had a cameo Pitt and who works with Americans (And her husband, Matthew Maxwell Taylor cratic politics, which sometimes in “The Devil Wears Prada,” for the Arts. Ed Norton, Sarah Jes- Kennedy, graduated from Harvard, though as leads to the Clintons. He aided which was set in a thinly veiled sica Parker, Forest Whitaker and the son of Robert F. Kennedy, he has a cre- Spielberg in his endorsement of version of Vogue. OBAMA Alfre Woodard all have humanitar- dential even more impressive.) Teresa Heinz Hillary Clinton — and he stepped ian credits that go beyond stage Kerry’s foundation endows two professors of in when Geffen touched off a FUNDRAISING and screen. environmental science. Committee Co-Chair- huge controversy early in the woman Margo Lion is in the Harvard Public corem dunt iriurero od etue magna autat. Ut 2008 campaign by dissing the Diplomacy Collaborative. And in a mashup of exer sit luptateEndiam iustrud et do eugiamc Clintons in an interview with New many worlds, actor Edward Norton (along with York Times columnist Maureen Queen Noor of Jordan) received the 2009 Global Environ- onsent ad minci bla ad diatie velestie min ero Dowd. mental Citizen Award from Harvard Medical School’s Center for Health and the Global Environment. essit niam do dolorper ipit wisissi estrud tat ul- VOGUE NGOs lanPit, cor sendre con henim dolor incipit iure delese commy nos erci blan hendre tem illaorp PRESIDENT’S erostrud tincilla at. Rat lum nismod eugait ul- CLINTONS lum ipit, quis nim non utat. Et dipsusto consed COMMITTEE ON THE eum augiatem iriliquat adRo ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES Officially, the committee advances the president’s arts and humanities goals. Unofficially, it gives private- sector leaders — whose glamour, money and influence HARVARD helped on the campaign trail — a taste of policymaking, which is the Washington equivalent of “being involved HOLLYWOOD artistically.” In addition to the first lady, the com- mittee includes 12 federal ex-officio members and 26 citizens appointed by the president. Though they come from different fields, they’re already well- connected.

Obama appointed three of Hollywood’s most prominent African-Americans, who are also well-known for their off-screen ac- tivism. Forest Whitaker’s work in humani- AMERICANS ASPEN tarian causes has earned him a Cinema for Peace award and an upcoming honor FOR THE ARTS INSTITUTE from UNESCO. Kerry Washington is a com- NEW YORK mittee member of Americans for the Arts. And Alfre Woodard co-founded Artists for CITY BALLET a New South Africa, a nonprofit that has partnered with the CAA Foundation, the do-gooder arm of the Creative Arts Agency, where Bryan Lourd is partner and man- aging director. (CAA works or has worked Americans for the with several artists who have played at the Arts, a leading advocacy group, is well represented White House.) Though Yo-Yo Ma is a clas- He broke hearts when he retired, Saving the world? Boosting the arts? Didn’t we already try here. Madeleine Harris BROADWAY sical musician, he has earned Hollywood- but former NYCB principal dancer that at Aspen? Maybe it’s just good practice for a presidential Berman, who sits on the level standing. Damian Woetzel was clearly cut out committee. Reginald Van Lee is executive vice president of organization’s board and Edward Norton has just produced the for the world’s stage. He obtained Booz Allen Hamilton, which sponsors the Aspen Ideas Fes- executive committee, is documentary “By the People: The Election a master’s of public administration tival. Former New York City Ballet principal Damian Woetzel a contributor to Michigan of Barack Obama,” which debuted this from Harvard and spoke at the As- was the 2008 artist-in-residence at the Aspen Institute and politics and arts. She was week on HBO — where independent film pen Ideas Festival in 2009. Actress a speaker at the 2009 festival. In 2007, Ricky Arriola, an appointed to this same producer (and Obama donor) Liz Manne Sarah Jessica Parker has long been Obama fundraiser, was named one of the Institute’s Henry body in 1994. Ameri- has consulted. Sarah Jessica Parker is a The drama kids are always an active board member of the bal- Crown Fellows, a seminar program for entrepreneurs. Jill Coo- cans for the Arts recently UNICEF goodwill ambassador and serves the stars. Case in point: The let company. (And she’s married to per Udall has attended in the past with her husband, Sen. gave a public leadership on the board of NYCB. committee is co-chaired by a man who was, for a considerable Tom Udall (D-N.M.). award to Obama backer But the power player here is Andy George Stevens Jr. and Margo run, the toast of Broadway: Matthew and Minnesota State Spahn, political consultant to Steven Lion, who both have credits on Broderick.) Sarah lauren Bell — POLITICO Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Sen. Richard J. Cohen. the Great White Way. They’ve Geffen, though not always at the same Kerry Washington is on both got Hollywood chops, too. time. Before starting his own company, the group’s Artists Com- Committee Vice Chairwoman he headed communications for Dream- mittee. Mary Schmidt Campbell is Works. He introduced Obama to the dean of the Tisch School of West Coast early on. He helped organize the Arts and a board member major fundraisers. Yeah, this guy gets to of the Public Theater and the United be on the committee. Nations International School.