It seems celebrities only get their close-up in the public’s eye during their worst moments. Yeah, it makes for great gossip (I read it and talk about it) but sometimes it’s nice seeing them involved in things outside of la’ nonsense. Usher and Kerry Washington are doing just that: as official surrogates, they stumped for Barack Obama in South Carolina.

Last week, Kerry Washington was at the Essence Oscar gathering; asked by Inside Edition how and why she was involved with Barack Obama’s campaign, Kerry was ready with the goods (thanks to blacktreemedia).

“I’m an official surrogate for the Barack Obama campaign. Next week I’ll be in Ohio and Texas and those will be the eight and ninth states I’m visiting. I’m really committed to the campaign.

I really believe that he is the next best human being to run this country, regardless of race, regardless of gender, I think he really is the change that we need because he’s not going to be the President of the United.. you know, Corporate States, or the United Most Powerful Lobbyists, or the United Top Ten Percent. He wants to be the President of the United States of America and it’s time that we had a representational government, that represents us.”

Here’s what she/they do during those campaign stops.

Kerry Washington and Usher at South Carolina State University

*You can stop after Usher. If you haven’t heard this part of Barack Obama’s stump speech, do some searching; you need more than this clip.*