George Clooney: I Am Not Advising Obama

By Caris Davis

08/13/2008 at 11:35 AM EDT

Actor, activist, and United Nations ambassador ... George Clooney wears many hats. But there's one role he doesn't have: Political consultant.

The actor is shooting down reports claiming he's been advising presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

"I have never texted or e-mailed Senator Obama. And I'll offer a million dollars to anyone who could prove otherwise, " Clooney said Tuesday in a statement released by his publicist, Stan Rosenfield. "In fact, I've only talked to the Senator once in the last year and a half. On the phone."

The Oscar-winning actor was responding to last week's Los Angeles Times story, which claimed that Clooney "frequently text messages the Illinois senator with whom he's been friends for many years."

Not true, said Clooney.

"I've spent more time with Senator [John] McCain ... than I have with Senator Obama ...," he said. "Although I support Senator Obama, I would never be dumb enough to offer policy advice to either candidate. They seem to be doing fine without me."

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