President to kiss, make up to Hollywood after online-piracy fight

[Geee]

TheHill:

When President Obama heads west to Los Angeles on Wednesday for a fundraising junket, he will have a bit of smooth talking to do.

After all, Obama’s trip to the West Coast marks the first time he has been back in California since siding with Silicon Valley over Hollywood in the dispute between the state’s power centers over online piracy.

 

Obama’s decision to weigh in and side with Silicon Valley last month came at a key political moment, and Hollywood’s supporters on the issue ended up retreating. Now, with some in Tinseltown still reeling from the decision to support the anti-piracy legislation, Obama will be looking to mend some fences with one group and win even more support from the other.

In recent months, Hollywood has felt like a stepsister of sorts to Silicon Valley, a place where Obama — who has held Facebook and Twitter town halls — has spent time not only fundraising but seeking advice from techies. (Who can forget the famous photo released by the White House showing the president hobnobbing with the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, the late Steve Jobs and other tech types?)

“There’s definitely been some resentment, especially among those at the studio level,” said Ted Johnson, managing editor of Variety, who writes the popular Wilshire and Washington blog. “When he had that big meeting in Silicon Valley [with Zuckerberg and Jobs] I think it crossed some moguls’ minds, like, ‘Why isn’t he having a similar meeting here?’ ”