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LOS ANGELES: Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks has become the latest celebrity to back presidential hopeful Barack Obama, comparing the Democratic candidate's leadership skills to John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
Hanks announced his support for Obama -- who is locked in a neck-and-neck battle with Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination -- in a video message on his Myspace webpage titled "Beware: Celebrity Endorsement."
"As an official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you," said a tongue-in-cheek Hanks, whose two best actor Oscars came for his performances in "Forrest Gump" and "Philadelphia."
Hanks said in the statement that Obama had won his vote because "of his character and vision, and the high road he has taken during this campaign."
"He has the integrity and the inspiration to unify us, as did FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy and even Ronald Reagan when they ran for the job," Hanks said.
Hanks, 51, said regardless of who won, the Democratic nominating contest would be historic "with a capital 'H.'"
"I want Barack Obama to be president of this country, a country that once said people with his skin colour were only three-fifths of a human being," Hanks said.
Obama has already gained celebrity backing from a slew of Hollywood luminaries including George Clooney, Robert De Niro, Scarlett Johansson and Halle Berry.
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