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American Morning Transcript
Feb. 1, 2008
…Now, here’s Kiran in New York.
CHETRY: John, thanks. Oscar-winning actor, George Clooney, has a new role as United Nation’s messenger of peace. We just saw those images from Zain Verjee, and there are problems in other parts of the world as well. And Clooney has been recognized for his work in trying to raise money and raise awareness for what’s been going on in the Sudan, the refugees in Darfur. And I spoke with the actor yesterday.
He told me that he’s hoping his celebrity status can draw attention to the crisis in that region.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHETRY: Congratulations on this designation, the messenger of peace. What does that mean? What exactly is the job?
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: So far, it’s meant sleeping in tents and ditches, things which wasn’t what I thought it meant. No, I actually with any luck, what it is — is really to try and trying to spotlight on the successes and sometimes the shortcomings of peace keeping.
CHETRY: You just recently are back from the region as well.
What is the situation like?
CLOONEY: Chad is infinitely worse in more shape than it was two years ago when we were there. It’s where a lot of the fighting is going on. And the people are caught across fire. It tends to be — people in the internally displaced camps and people in refugee camps.
CHETRY: So many people have recognized what a big problem it is.
Yet still, the number of peacekeepers is not up to par. What is standing in the way of getting more people helping?
CLOONEY: There are difficulties and tricks when you’re working within the United Nations. Because they are skilled members of different countries and they have different interests. The hope is that bit by bit, you can convince the countries that don’t seem to think — seem to think it’s more of an internal or domestic issue that this is something that actually needs the international community to step in. It’s hard. It’s about slowly swaying people.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHETRY: We’re going to talk much more with George Clooney, show more of the interview coming up at 7:40 Eastern Time. He also weighs in on politics, John. Of course, George, very active and not afraid to share his opinions, but he explains why he thinks he’s going be staying off the campaign trail this time around.
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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CHETRY: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING — more candid talk from George Clooney.
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: So far it’s meant sleeping in tents and ditches which wasn’t what I thought it meant.
CHETRY: Life on the road as the messenger of peace. And life on the campaign trail. And why he won’t be on it.
CLOONEY: At times, you can hurt the harm the person you’re trying to help. More of my one on one, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHETRY: Oscar-winning actor George Clooney has a new role. It’s the United Nations messenger of peace. And he was at the U.N.
yesterday for a ceremony that was marking his designation for the special job. He also talked to the press about the importance of highlighting what is going on in the Darfur region of Sudan and the terrible refugee crisis that’s happened there, as well as other trouble spots around the world. He sat down with me and we talked one-on-one about those issues and we even had a chance to talk a little politics.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CLOONEY: A part of this is tricky, which is it’s not really — it’s not fun to watch, and it’s not pretty. And it’s not entertaining. It’s ugly and it’s mean, and people at some point get fatigued from it. So, your job is to try and bring it back up as often as possible so it doesn’t go completely off of the register.
People walked away from doing a big rally, and 50,000 people will show up and say that was great. You know, we really did something and agree on some sort of a peace treaty that falls apart and the truth is nothing’s really changed at all.
CHETRY: Switching gears from the crisis there is what’s been going on in our nation and with our political process right now.
We’re at a very interesting time.
CLOONEY: Oh, yes.
CHETRY: You voiced your support for Barack Obama. Are you campaigning for him?
CLOONEY: No, I really, you know, everybody has to sort of go by their own sort of — what they believe in. And I think everybody has a right to do it. I have a history of being around it. And I feel that at times you can harm the person that you’re trying to help.
And, so, I’m very careful not to go out and stump for Senator Obama.
I just find it’s a slippery slope. My father ran for congress, and they sort of run against him as Hollywood versus the Heartland. So I don’t want to damage anybody.
CHETRY: Between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Hollywood is going to be involved, I mean, with both campaigns? I mean, do you feel that…
CLOONEY: Hollywood has always been sort of involved because they’re a pretty good place to go get money. You know, there’s a fairly — there’s money out there. You can find it. So usually they’re involve in that. Usually it’s easy to get cameras to follow.
Sort of what like what I’m doing the U.N. So, they’re always going to be around and involved. There’s a responsibility. You know, just because you’re asked doesn’t mean you necessarily should get on a train and ride across the country.
CHETRY: What is it about Obama that is inspiring to you?
CLOONEY: I would just say that he is, for me, you know, there are a few people in my lifetime that I’ve heard speak that made me want to get up and do something. Mario Cuomo in 1988 when he spoke, you know, obviously Bobby Kennedy, I was very young for John Kennedy, but he’s one of those people who inspires. It’s not knocking the other candidates, just one that really truly inspires me. But I don’t want to - I don’t want to hurt him by saying that.
(END VIDEOTAPE) CHETRY: We’ll have much more with my candid did chat with George Clooney coming up in the next hour of AMERICAN MORNING. John, I know you talked to him as well. Very down-to-earth guy, very much a gentleman. And you know, he really is doing this for no other reason than to draw attention to what he sees as a major, major crisis that the world really hasn’t yet done enough and done what they need to do to help what’s going on in Darfur.
ROBERTS: Certainly, he doesn’t need the attention, and I don’t get the sense that this is a ticket punch for him. That he really is committed to it. And did you get a chance to meet his folks as well?
They’re just these lovely people.
CHETRY: Lovely people. Yes. His mom and dad, they tell me they watch the show every day. So, we were thrilled to hear that. Very wonderful people as well. And it was hours yesterday that he was at the United Nations taking questions, talking about this, not to mention as he said, this comes on the heels of several weeks in places that most of us would never want to be seeing what it was like in those refugee camps between Chad and Sudan along that border and also in the Congo and as well as India.
ROBERTS: It’s great that he actually get out there to see the whole thing. Good interview with him, Kiran. Hey, coming up.