‘Dave’ star eschews politics, while actor Robert Redford weighs in on climate debate

Political movie junkies, prepare for disappointment — actor Kevin Kline, best known inside the Beltway for his turn as the president in the movie “Dave,” has no desire for his life to imitate art.

Kline was in town Sunday for the red-carpet premiere of Robert Redford’s “The Conspirator,” in which he plays Lincoln’s secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. 

But he told ITK that despite having starred in several politically themed flicks, he has no desire to run for public office.

“I haven’t thrown my hat into the ring,” he said, “but I follow politics from a great distance.” 

Kline shows little of the fervor of another famous fictional president, Martin Sheen of “The West Wing,” who is a longtime progressive activist.

But any gap in political enthusiasm on Kline’s part was filled Sunday by filmmaker Redford, who said he would be “devastated” if Republicans passed rules that would limit the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulatory powers.

A longtime environmentalist, Redford told ITK, “I’m going to be devastated if something happens, and I think the country will be devastated, too. Particularly, future generations will be devastated. It’s a very narrow way to be.” 

Redford said he was going to try to meet with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar while he was in Washington.

Following the screening, Redford and Kline rubbed elbows with a few real-life politicos at an after-party for the film at the Newseum, where ITK spotted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), outgoing Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Attorney General Eric Holder, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.).

Baucus even indulged his inner fan, asking actress Robin Wright to pose for a picture with him.

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