Oscar-winner Sarandon 'snubs Clinton' as polls tighten

ACTRESS Susan Sarandon is well-known for supporting liberal causes, but helping Hillary Clinton become America's first female president apparently isn't one of them.
As polls tighten between the Democratic nominee and her maverick Republican challenger Donald Trump, Sarandon has endorsed Jill Stein, the fringe Green Party nominee, according to the Stein campaign.
"Fear of Donald Trump is not enough for me to support Clinton, with her record of corruption," Stein's website quoted the New York-based actress and activist as writing in a letter.
Stein stands for "everything I believe in," she said.
"Now that Trump is self-destructing, I feel even those in swing states have the opportunity to vote their conscience," she added.
The 70-year-old Sarandon – a noted Clinton critic – has not commented on her apparent endorsement on Twitter.
In the letter posted Tuesday on Stein's website, she complains about Clinton's failure to support a US$15 minimum wage, legalizing marijuana and other policies.
The actress campaigned for Bernie Sanders, the self-described Democratic socialist and independent senator from Vermont who challenged Clinton for the Democratic nomination.
She told MSNBC in March that "a lot" of Sanders supporters would have "legitimate concerns" about supporting Clinton.
Asked at the time about her own vote in a race between Clinton and Trump – who has inflamed America with an insult-driven, divisive campaign – she replied: "I don't know. I'm going to see what happens."
Stein commands the support of just 2.1% in a poll average compiled by RealClearPolitics.
In a four-way race, Clinton is ahead with 45.3%, Trump with 43.4% and libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, 4.6%, according to the poll.
Clinton has backing from a litany of other Hollywood stars, however. Actors, studio executives and other employees of the film, television and music industries have donated more than US$20 million to her campaign. — AFP