Political Endorsements: The Absurd, The Comedic, The Unimportant

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Political Endorsements: The Absurd, The Comedic, The Unimportant
Sam Stein
October 12, 2007 11:54 AM

Presidential candidates aren't just competing for money and votes on the road to the White House. They are also battling for the support of the most influential celebrities and political officials. Perhaps more than they should be.

Political endorsements are the window dressing of presidential politics. They can give candidates credibility within certain groups or on specific issues. They can also generate media buzz and fundraising efforts (see: Oprah Winfrey and Sen. Barack Obama). But when it comes to the actual effect of an endorsement on the political process - like, say, bringing out the vote - the rubber rarely meets the road.

According to a recent Pew Research Center Survey, "most Americans say endorsements by celebrities and other well-known figures... would not affect their voting decisions." Yet candidates compete for them as if they were the ticket to electoral success. And emails touting the obscure city councilman who is weighing into the 2008 fray fill in-boxes like spam.

"Endorsements are the most overblown, over-hyped element of the campaign," Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report, told the Huffington Post. "And I am sick of these campaigns sending out these really dumb press releases about who's supporting who."

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/10/12/political-endorsements-t_n_68208.html