Hollywood star Rob Lowe, who once campaigned for Michael Dukakis, appeared on Tuesday's Hannity and proclaimed that conservative politics is based on "logic." Liberalism, he asserted, is "built on empathy. "
Appearing to promote his new book "Stories I Only Tell My Friends," Lowe was pressed on why Hollywood is so liberal. Lowe enthused, "And you know, one of the great things about Hollywood liberals their passion and their ability to stand out and try to get things done." [MP3 audio here. Video below.]
Lowe, who appeared in the left-wing drama West Wing, added, "Liberal politics is built on empathy. I think conservative politics, from my opinion is built on...logic."
The actor indicated at least a partial move away from total liberalism. (Lowe now refers to himself as a independent.) When Hannity brought up his past support for Dukakis, the TV star joked, "I can always pick a winner."
A transcript of the May 17 exchange can be found below:
SEAN HANNITY: All right, so you were pretty liberal. You supported Mike Dukakis. It doesn't-
ROB LOWE: I can always pick a winner, Sean. [Laughs]
HANNITY: Now you sound like Bob Beckel. But you changed a little bit, you now registered independent.
LOWE: Yes.
HANNITY: So, why is Hollywood so liberal?
LOWE: Well, first, I think it has a long tradition of being a highly Democratic town. You get that perspective sort of over and over and over and over. And you know, one of the great things about Hollywood liberals their passion and their ability to stand out and try to get things done. You can agree or disagree, but they are very vocal. And I admire- I think that's a good thing.
HANNITY: When I think of the old days of Hollywood, Ronald Reagan granted he wasn't at the top of the act- Jimmy Stewart, Bob Hope and all the work that he did for the troops. I don't really sense that duty to country that we felt when we were growing up or - in my parent's generation.
LOWE: I mean, I can give you the names. I mean, you have Gary Sinise who works tirelessly-
HANNITY: He's a friend of mine.
LOWE: And Gary's one of the great guys. There's so many others. But, here's what I think, I think that artists build their art around empathy. I think that if you liberal politics is built on empathy. I think conservative politics, from my opinion is built on-
HANNITY: Common sense?
LOWE: Logic. Logic and empathy it's like left brain, right brain stuff. So I just think naturally empathetic artists are drawn to that.
