Cliff Clavin joins the campaign

But try this one on for size: Cliff Clavin.

Yes, one-time “Cheers” regular John Ratzenberger, who now hosts the Travel Channel’s “John Ratzenberger’s Made in America,” is getting involved in the 2008 presidential campaign by touring seven states (especially those important primary states) and hosting “Keep it Made in America” town hall events on behalf of the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

“The manufacturing base of the United States is disappearing,” Ratzenberger told Yeas & Nays. “And when factories disappear, the entire fabric of a community disappears.” Ratzenberger, who grew up in a factory town in Connecticut, hosts his firsttown hall meeting tomorrow in Manchester, N.H., and will later visit Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and South Carolina.

Despite the partisan inclinations of actors who get involved in political advocacy, Ratzenberger says this is a nonpartisan issue that every presidential candidate should champion. But don’t expect many of his Hollywood colleagues to rally behind the cause.

“I don’t see them embracing this issue,” he says. “They’re mostly environment-orientated. But, if they’re environmentalists, they should take issue with all those countries that take our jobs and have them clean up their act.  …  It’s the same ozone. It’s the same ocean. It’s the same air and same water.”

But does Ratzenberger’s issue stand a chance of rising to the top of 2008 topics, given how prominently Iraq, health care and the economy dominate the talking points?

Absolutely, he says. “You won’t have an economy if manufacturing leaves. You’re not going to be able to go to war because you’re not going to be able to supply your own military.”

So expect Ratzenberger to talk about how strengthening the U.S. manufacturing base affects every major issue, but there’s one topic you won’t hear at his town hall meetings:

“We’re definitely not going to be talking about O.J.”