"Wikler pulled out all the stops to achieve this result, and he had help from an unexpected ally: filmmaker Rob Reiner. The Hollywood director became a central figure in what Wikler recalls as "the biggest state party fundraiser, as far as I know, in American history." That event, a dramatic reading of the script from Reiner's highly regarded film The Princess Bride, was streamed online, attracted 142,000 viewers, and stirred the energy of grassroots activists at a critical stage in an ultimately successful campaign."
"But he was also recalled as a lifelong progressive activist. After decades of campaigning for liberal candidates and causes-particularly LGBTQ+ rights and access to education-he had emerged in recent years as an outspoken and consistent critic of Trump, describing the reality-TV star turned politician as an authoritarian who "wants to destroy the constitution, go after his political enemies and turn America into an a"
Rob Reiner helped energize Wisconsin Democrats in 2020 by staging a streamed dramatic reading of The Princess Bride that drew 142,000 viewers and mobilized grassroots activists. Wisconsin had been a pivotal battleground after flipping to Trump in 2016 by 22,748 votes, making a Democratic win there crucial to Biden's electoral path. State Democratic chair Ben Wikler organized the fundraiser and called it a historic state-party event. Reiner was a celebrated filmmaker with six decades in Hollywood and a lifelong progressive activist who campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights and education access. Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home in an apparent homicide.
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