Sean Penn Lends Name, Hollywood Cool to North Bay Congressional District Race

Oscar-winning actor and former North Bay resident Sean Penn lent the Norman Solomon campaign some star power when he made an appearance in Petaluma Tuesday to endorse Solomon in the race for the 2nd Congressional District.

Penn, who has collaborated with Solomon on a variety of projects, including “War Made Easy,” a movie about the lead-up to the Iraq War, praised Solomon for his staunch commitment to anti-militarism, the environment and worker rights.

“The legacy of local, national and international influence furthers the equality of rights, for the ability to have a better life, for the courage to take on Wall Street and corporate environmental interests,” Penn said in front of a crowd of several hundred people at the Mystic Theater.

“You have the type of leadership here that had the stick-to-it-ness and didn’t bend to the special interests,” he said. Penn spoke for just under five minutes and ducked into the green room immediately after the speech. He did not grant media interviews.

Solomon is one of four candidates in Sonoma and Marin counties running to replace Congresswoman His campaign finances are second only to Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), who has raised $260,000, the highest sum by far of any of the local candidates.

Solomon has raised around $130,000, according to a July Press Democrat article. The other local candidates include Petaluma City Councilwoman Tiffany Renee and Marin County Supervisor Susan Adams.

Solomon, an anti-war activist and media critic who lives in West Marin, sought to differentiate himself from Huffman, by saying that the Sacramento legislator has never taken a position on the Dutra asphalt plant at Shollenberger Park, despite a strong environmental record. Solomon said he opposed the plant, which was approved by Sonoma County supervisors last December.

“We’ve seen environmental issues be put on the backburner…despite being up to 390 part per million in carbon dioxide,” he said. “It’s simply unacceptable.”

In his speech Tuesday, Solomon quoted Martin Luther King Jr., Theodore Roosevelt and the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, saying that progressives had a duty to fight the racism, xenophobia and fear many political campaigns were based on.

“We have a responsibility to move progressive policy into action, into law and implement our principals and not just talk about them,” he said. “It’s a common misperception that dreams don’t change history, but in fact, when dreams are hinged to our actions, that’s all that changes history.”

In addition to being an author of numerous books and an anti-nuclear weapons activist, Solomon is a three-term member of the California Democratic Party’s state central committee and was an Obama delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Yet Solomon’s strongest words were against what he described as “the delirium of war,” reminding the audience that the U.S. is currently engaged in five wars. “That’s five too many,” he said, as the crowd cheered and clapped loudly.

Attendees said they were enthusiastic about Solomon’s candidacy, viewing him as not only a viable candidate, but someone who was ethical and not a career politician.

“(Assemblymember Jared) Huffman is a fine enough candidate, but Solomon takes it to the next level,” said Tim Eaton, 56, of Novato. “He’s  honest and forthright.”

Sidney Dent, 60, traveled from her home in San Quentin Village to hear Solomon speak.

“He has always been against the war and I know that his heart is in the right place,” Dent said. “He hasn’t been bought by any corporate interests.”

Following the event in Petaluma, Penn and Solomon traveled to Corte Madera where they appeared at a $250 a plate fundraiser.