Sigourney Weaver to NBC’s Gregory: Dems About ‘The People’; GOP Just ‘Serving Big Business’
In an interview with Meet the Press moderator David Gregory for the Sunday show's web-based feature Press Pass, Political Animals star Sigourney Weaver explained her support for President Obama: "...the Democrats are always going to be about what the people need. And the Republicans are much more serving big business, and I don't think we can afford to serve big business for another four years with Mr. Romney." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Weaver prefaced her slanted observation by admitting: "I'm not a professional politician, so forgive me if it's very simplistic." Gregory encouraged Weaver to discuss her liberal leanings, as he wondered: "What about President Obama? You've been supportive of him, you say you'd be supportive again. And I know that you told Politico that once a president gets a second term, the gloves come off and that a lot of us have sort of been waiting for that."
Weaver reiterated: "I do think that if he gets four more years – you know, it's been so frustrating for him and for a lot of his supporters – that I think he'll just go for it. That's my hope." She later added that once Obama gets re-elected, "everyone's going to go, 'Alright we're stuck, let's get some things done that we need to, you know, get done.'"
Early in the interview, Gregory asked about the obvious comparison of Weaver's character on the new USA series to Hillary Clinton: "I mean, this is very much the Clinton family story." Weaver replied: "I must say that I love the idea that it is inspired by, not only the Clintons, but by a lot of the families who have been in the White House....I wouldn't dream of trying to imitate or impersonate Hillary Clinton, whom I admire very, very much and I think she's done an awesome job in every job she's had."
Gregory followed up: "Would you like to see Secretary Clinton run for the presidency again?" Weaver gushed: "I think that would be amazing. In four years, maybe we'll be ready for her. She's certainly ready for us."
On the July 10 Today show, Weaver admitted to co-host Savannah Guthrie: "...we are inspired by Mrs. Clinton, who's such a remarkable woman and a great secretary of state. She was a great senator for New York State."
Here are portion of Weaver's July 15 exchange with Gregory:
11:32AM ET
(...)
DAVID GREGORY: Well, so let's talk a little bit about the character and some similarities with a certain somebody. Let's see, former first lady, who had to deal with the public acknowledgment that her husband had cheated on her. Runs for president, concedes, becomes secretary of state, even a former president is involved on the campaign trail.
SIGOURNEY WEAVER: That does sound familiar.
GREGORY: Yeah. I mean, this is very much the Clinton family story, it appears. There's – we even looked, and the campaign poster in the show is exactly Hillary's campaign placard. We have time on our hands, so we check into these things.
WEAVER: Yes, well you know much more about it than I do. I must say that I love the idea that it is inspired by, not only the Clintons, but by a lot of the families who have been in the White House. That seems to leave an imprint on these families, for better or worse. And the families often try it get back in the White House and that's sort of what our story is about. Who will make it, of all of us, who knows?
But I think that I love the fact that, that our creator, Greg Berlanti couldn't resist some of the salient facts of the Clintons. But I always felt, from the moment I started reading it, that Elaine was her own person. I wouldn't dream of trying to imitate or impersonate Hillary Clinton, whom I admire very, very much and I think she's done an awesome job in every job she's had. But I wouldn't – you know, I would need months to prepare for that. But this, I just sort of turned the page and I was in the world of the Hammonds and in the world of Washington, D.C. Which is so fascinating. And I just sort of jumped off the cliff.
(...)
GREGORY: Would you like to see Secretary Clinton run for the presidency again?
WEAVER: I think that would be amazing. In four years, maybe we'll be ready for her. She's certainly ready for us.
GREGORY: What about President Obama? You've been supportive of him, you say you'd be supportive again. And I know that you told Politico that once a president gets a second term, the gloves come off and that a lot of us have sort of been waiting for that.
WEAVER: Yes, it's interesting, because we were talking today about the importance of being a political animal, as a politician, and how much of a political animal Obama is. You know, because a lot of that is relishing the, the game of politics. And it's been a very, a very difficult game the last four years. And I don't know how much one could relish it. But I do think that we need, I do think that if he gets four more years – you know, it's been so frustrating for him and for a lot of his supporters – that I think he'll just go for it. That's my hope.
GREGORY: What is it, what would you like to see him go for in the second term?
WEAVER: Well, I certainly think that he has ideas about education that he can – you know, there are a lot of things. To me, the Democrats – and I'm not a professional politician, so forgive me if it's very simplistic – but to me, the Democrats are always going to be about what the people need. And the Republicans are much more serving big business, and I don't think we can afford to serve big business for another four years with Mr. Romney.
So I mean, I think that there are many things on his agenda that he would probably like to do, that we haven't even begun to see yet, because his hands have been tied. Not that that's an excuse. I think he – you know, but I think that he has to win four more years, everyone's going to go, "Alright we're stuck, let's get some things done that we need to, you know, get done."
(...)
Sigourney Weaver Admits ‘Political Animals’ Character ‘Inspired’ By ‘Remarkable’ Hillary Clinton
Appearing on Tuesday's NBC Today to promote her new USA series Political Animals, actress Sigourney Weaver admitted that her character, a former first lady turned secretary of state, was based in part on Hillary Clinton: "Elaine Barrish Hammond is this very gifted politician with a very strong moral compass....we are inspired by Mrs. Clinton, who's such a remarkable woman and a great secretary of state. She was a great senator for New York State." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Co-host Savannah Guthries raised the obvious comparison: "Well, a lot of people may recognize some contours of this character, shall we say. Your character is a former first lady, a former presidential candidate, and a current secretary of state." Weaver initially insisted: "And that's where the comparison ends." After acknowledging how Clinton "inspired" the show, Weaver added: "...it is a tribute to politicians like Mrs. Clinton, but it's – it's both sides. It's the light and the dark."
Near the end of the interview, Weaver praised her latest role: "This is the first character I think I've ever played who's so in the mainstream. Who's so, I mean, you could say that she was like the perfect girl scout who grew up to be, you know, this woman with a great passion to serve the public."
Here is a full transcript of the July 10 segment:
7:30AM ET TEASE:
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: And coming up, Sigourney Weaver is here. She has a new role on a USA Network drama, she plays a former first lady turned secretary of state. Now where have we heard that before? We'll ask her how she came up with the role and how she likes it. So we'll catch up with her in a minute.
8:39AM ET SEGMENT:
GUTHRIE: Back now at 8:39 with Oscar-nominated actress Sigourney Weaver. She makes her television series debut in USA Network's Political Animals, playing a former first lady and current secretary of state. And the pressure to balance her career and personal life can sometimes become too much.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Let's just forget it. Let's forget the press conference. We'll draw a line in the sand with Harris and the White House-
SIGOURNEY WEAVER [PLAYING ELAINE BARRISH HAMMOND]: You could have gotten yourself fired for that kind of behavior in front of the President. He's not just a boss. He's not your floor manager at Chili's, he is the President of the United States. And whether or not this administration is trading on my popularity is not what matters now. All that matters now are the three scared, innocent people sitting in a jail cell in Tehran wondering what the hell their country is doing to help them. Are we clear?
GUTHRIE: Sigourney Weaver, good morning to you.
WEAVER: Good morning. How are you?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: "Political Animals"; Sigourney Weaver On Her TV Series Debut]
GUTHRIE: Your first television series. What made you take this leap?
WEAVER: You know, the series is about this political family that was in the White House and that sort of wants to get back in there again. And it's so delicious and juicy and I don't know, there's – I haven't ever been offered material that's like this, you know. Elaine Barrish Hammond is this very gifted politician with a very strong moral compass. She really brings the right kind of leadership to Washington, which is part of the appeal to me, because I think more women should run. But she's also the matriarch of a very vivid, dysfunctional family. And we have such a wonderful cast. And in the hands of Greg Berlanti, our creator, the scripts are just – I would have to say it's like, you know, after a couple of years of eating salads, suddenly to get a big juicy steak. You know, it's really been great.
GUTHRIE: Well, a lot of people may recognize some contours of this character, shall we say. Your character is a former first lady, a former presidential candidate, and a current secretary of state.
WEAVER: And that's where the comparison ends.
GUTHRIE: Okay. Because some people are going to think, 'Is this supposed to be Hillary Clinton?'
WEAVER: Certainly, you know, you know we are inspired by Mrs. Clinton, who's such a remarkable woman and a great secretary of state. She was a great senator for New York State. But it's also inspired by these different families who have been in the White House, who want to get back in. There's an idea that in spite of how brilliant and talented these people are, being in the White House kind of – you pay a price for that. It sort of becomes part of your system and you have to get back in there again. So it's – it is a tribute to politicians like Mrs. Clinton, but it's – it's both sides. It's the light and the dark. And so-
GUTHRIE: I know a lot of reporters say to you that you are known for playing strong women. But you look at it a little bit differently?
WEAVER: Well, you know, I feel women are strong. I mean, look at you, you're my height, 6 feet tall, practically. You know, I'm surrounded by women in my life and in the world who have jobs, who take care of their families, who support their communities, who champion causes. I mean, there's so much we do. And I've always felt if you really want to get something done, you ask a mother to do it. And so I feel like that's the kind of energy I feel Washington needs. And I think part of my desire to do this show was to show what that kind of women's energy can do in Washington, which is kind of stuck.
GUTHRIE: You have had so many great memorable, unforgettable roles. Is there one in particular that you hold closest to you that you love the most?
WEAVER: Well, right now I have to say it's Elaine. You know, usually I'm playing people who, I have to say in a nice way, are quite eccentric, or they're, they've been put on the periphery for some reason. This is the first character I think I've ever played who's so in the mainstream. Who's so, I mean, you could say that she was like the perfect girl scout who grew up to be, you know, this woman with a great passion to serve the public. And so it's been wonderful to play that, because that's actually not an easy thing for me to do.
GUTHRIE: You make it look easy all the time.
WEAVER: Well, you're very kind, you're very kind.
GUTHRIE: Sigourney Weaver, it's wonderful to meet you in person.
WEAVER: It's great to meet you, too.
GUTHRIE: And we should remind everybody Political Animals premiers this Sunday, 10:00/9:00 Central Time on our sister network USA.