Alyssa Milano is riling liberal members of the political press corps by attending a fundraiser for Democratic presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson. An author and a motivation speaker, Williamson is the most unconventional candidate in the hopper. She has also taken anti-vaccination stances that are scratching at these reporters’ last nerves.
Milano has become known in Washington as a Hollywood activist who takes up liberal causes. As many recall, last September, she was a looming presence at the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings. She’s a big hater of President Trump, but hasn’t settled on who her pick is for the White House in 2020.
For now, she says it’s all of them.
And yes, including Williamson, who says stuff like this:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.”
Circa 2018, the new age author wrote, “You’re not the water; you’re the faucet. You’re not the electricity; you’re the lamp. You’re not the Light; you’re the torchbearer. Turn on the faucet. Turn on the lamp. Hold high the torch. And God will do the rest.” (RELATED: The Day After The Debate, Everyone’s Talking About Marianne Williamson Tweets)
What’s frightening these reporters is that Milano is taking this woman seriously.
“Mentally quarantine Marianne Williamson, see her surrounded by a golden egg that her malevolence cannot penetrate,” cracked Josh Barro, a business columnist at New York Magazine.
On Tuesday night, Milano announced the treacherous news that she was attending Williamson’s fundraiser, already anticipating that the reaction would not be favorable.
“I’m going to my first fundraiser of the election cycle and it’s for @marwilliamson,” the actress tweeted. “I know. I know. But she’s the only candidate talking about the collective, soulful ache of the nation & I think that’s an important discussion to have. Look for her soon on @sorrynotsorry.”
Four minutes later, she added another disclaimer: “And as I’ve said before, I’m not committing to anyone yet. I’m going to support everyone if given the opportunity until the choice is crystal clear.
Shoshana Weissmann, digital media coordinator for the non-partisan R Street Institute, replied, “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Thor Benson, whose writing is featured in The Daily Beast, The Atlantic and Rolling Stone, took the whole thing far more seriously, writing, “Really? She’s an anti-vaxxer. This is incredibly irresponsible.”
Milano snapped at Thor and chastised him for an unseemly habit. “Smoking in your profile picture is also incredibly irresponsible,” she wrote.
Brian Hiller, an associate professor of wildlife, was also unhappy with Milano. “Would probably prefer you spent any political capital on someone who is actually electable and can beat Drumpf,” he wrote.
She countered, “How about I spend it on everyone?”
Some naysayers had obnoxious ideas about how Milano could spend her time and money.
Self-proclaimed “bleeding liberal” Ellen Smith wrote, “My house payment is due. $743.00. DM me & I’ll send you the details.”
Daniel Summers, a gay pediatrician, was a real buzzkill. “This is profoundly disappointing,” he whined. “She has said innumerable dangerous and misleading things about evidence-based medical care, and I really expected better of you than this.”
LindaJoy Rose, who specializes in hypnosis, had more fluffy things to say about Williamson. “I will always have admiration for her because of the impact her book ‘Return to Love’ I do believe that she has fairy [sic] wise things to share,” she wrote. “Maybe not as our president but she should be taken more seriously than she is.”
Erin Biba, a science journalist who has contributed to National Geographic, The Daily Beast, Gizmodo and more, was probably the most incensed of the bunch.
“You’re supporting an anti-vaxxer,” she tweeted Wednesday morning.
She wasn’t done pouncing on Milano.
“You’re supporting a woman who had told other women that depression and specifically, post partum depression is all in their heads and should not be treated with medication,” Biba continued. “You’re supporting a woman who has fat shamed other women and told them that overweight women lack spiritual intelligence. You’re supporting a woman who told gay men dying of AIDS in the 80s and 90s that if they didn’t hate themselves they wouldn’t be sick.”
To be fair, in 1989, Williamson founded Project Angel Food, a volunteer food delivery service for people with AIDS and other serious illnesses. She also created the LA and Manhattan Centers for Living to give love and psychological resources to people with HIV and AIDS.
Katelyn Burns, a regular contributor for liberal Vox, was not buying Milano’s excuses.
“This is so very much a yikes. Why are you like this?” she pointedly asked Milano. (RELATED: Gowdy Takes A Shot At Alyssa Milano’s Acting)
The actress’s response was silence.
