2008 Woodie Awards
Do celebrity endorsements matter in political campaigns?
Andrew Carwile
Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: Entertainment
For quite some time, celebrities have used their status as public figures to inform Americans on issues of public concern. Whether it's the AIDS epidemic in Africa or the global warming crisis, celebrities have used their unique position in hopes of spurring action from an apathetic and often times uninformed public.
Recently, many have thrown their names into the political circle with presidential endorsements.
As the primary season of this presidential campaign continues to heat up, celebrity supporters are becoming more vocal in hopes of swaying momentum their candidate's way.
Oprah Winfrey has campaigned on behalf of Barack Obama, Chuck Norris continues to stump for Mike Huckabee's campaign and recently Bill Clinton has been filmed sparring with reporters while defending his wife's candidacy.
To say that the candidates don't value these endorsements would be foolish. Receiving a celebrity endorsement is a cheap and easy way to have a candidate's platform spread to the public. These can be used as vital trump cards hidden up a candidate's sleeve. However, informing the public about global concerns and wielding influence to help sway voters are two very different things. This raises an important question. Should celebrity endorsements of presidential candidates matter to voters?
IUPUI electrical engineering student Dan Martin doesn't think so.
"I don't think celebrity endorsements are good," Martin said. "We are all smarter than the average bear. Not now or any other time will a celebrity have that much respect as an individual to change public opinion.
"When I heard Robert De Niro endorsed Barack Obama, it made me stop and listen because he's not a guy you see endorsing candidates," Martin said. "But it didn't change my mind.
"The people those endorsements affect are such a small segment," he added. "Segments like that are just fanatics and fans. It's a novelty, but not a decision maker."
Recently, many have thrown their names into the political circle with presidential endorsements.
As the primary season of this presidential campaign continues to heat up, celebrity supporters are becoming more vocal in hopes of swaying momentum their candidate's way.
Oprah Winfrey has campaigned on behalf of Barack Obama, Chuck Norris continues to stump for Mike Huckabee's campaign and recently Bill Clinton has been filmed sparring with reporters while defending his wife's candidacy.
To say that the candidates don't value these endorsements would be foolish. Receiving a celebrity endorsement is a cheap and easy way to have a candidate's platform spread to the public. These can be used as vital trump cards hidden up a candidate's sleeve. However, informing the public about global concerns and wielding influence to help sway voters are two very different things. This raises an important question. Should celebrity endorsements of presidential candidates matter to voters?
IUPUI electrical engineering student Dan Martin doesn't think so.
"I don't think celebrity endorsements are good," Martin said. "We are all smarter than the average bear. Not now or any other time will a celebrity have that much respect as an individual to change public opinion.
"When I heard Robert De Niro endorsed Barack Obama, it made me stop and listen because he's not a guy you see endorsing candidates," Martin said. "But it didn't change my mind.
"The people those endorsements affect are such a small segment," he added. "Segments like that are just fanatics and fans. It's a novelty, but not a decision maker."
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