Celebrity Endorsements: No Thanks!

Celebrities are clearly able to convince people to drink a certain soda or eat a certain food, but when it comes to politics, their word carries little weight.
Oprah, Donald, Kanye, Bill
According to a telephone survey of more than 1,000 people, conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, several celebrity endorsements would actually cause people NOT to vote for a candidate. For example, when asked whether an endorsement from Kanye West would make them more or less likely to vote for a candidate, 4% said it would make them more likely , but 15% said they'd be less likely. What are those 4% thinking?

Other celebs who had a negative impact included Donald Trump, Jay Leno, Toby Keith and -- shocker -- Bill O'Reilly. The endorsement Barack Obama got from Oprah Winfrey was a wash -- 15% said an endorsement from Oprah would help -- and 15% said it would hurt. Looks like Oprah should stick to recommending books!

Reader Comments

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16. I don't like it when celebs push their presidential favorites. I understand consumer products, but politics are another arena. Celebs are just that-celebs. People who get dressed up and sing or pretend to be someone on a movie screen. It's not an appropriate partnership between the two. Now if it's a charity or something universally good that they are promoting then good! Help raise awareness with your influence, but I think trying to influence others' choice of candidates is irresponsible and an abuse of fame.

Posted at 12:51PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by Kait

17. What’s funny about Oprah is that she never comes out and directly states her political beliefs. Where does she stand on abortion, the war, health care, gay marriage, etc…If she put her own political beliefs out there, she’d probably lose a lot of viewers. Her endorsement of Obama has turned me off. I will not be voting for him….nor will I be reading any books she recommends…or watching her show…or buying her magazine. People need to get a mind of their own and stop worshipping her. It’s beyond ridiculous.

Posted at 12:48PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by yaya

18. Celebrities should just shut up & sing! Nobody wants advice from a bunch of bimbo's!

Posted at 1:01PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by mickeylou

19. kayne west can't spell "cat" and he loves wings

Posted at 1:28PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by gee

20. I've lost alot of respect for Oprah. She's endoursing a black man, because he's black. No one should vote because they like a celebrity. They should vote for who they want. In my life time I can tell you there will be no black person in the WHITE house. In my life time there will be a woman in the white house. GO HILLARY GO 2008

Posted at 1:33PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by POODLE

21. Give a black man a chance Kanye-
Your ancestors are calling you home.
They say 'yes' they will give you a chance.
Accept and be gone ---NEXT

Posted at 2:30PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by colored blind

22. I'm suppose to listen to what some brain dead celebs tells me who to vote for while they got their lips locked onto a booze bottle or nose on some coke trail and can't stay married to the same person for more then a couple months and are pretty regulars at aids testing center- a real picture of healthy living they got there in hollywood yep real wholesome & healthy living and they are telling us what to do & how to live YEA RIGHT!!! and the sad part is they really believe they are whats right in America

Posted at 3:49PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by annie

23. Oprah is a major non-talent and only got her start because of her race at a time when it was the trend to get a minority. She has blindly misled people into thinking that she has both talent and intelligence and those who have sucked up everything she has to say are non-thinkers and void of any intelligence. Sheep all baa-baa-ing their way through life not breathing until the great Oprah says to do it and then they sheepishly do it.

Posted at 5:11PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by TH

24. Great post. Thanks.... Exactly!
Was actually interested and was looking into what Obama had to say and was about...
but the Oprah thing turned me way off and now am looking in other directions.

Posted at 5:35PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by yikes

25. i was voting for obama anyway , it's nice when such a smart lady as oprah is on the same page.

Posted at 5:44PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by peeachpie

26. Dear Oprah
Obama Will be your Down Fall. I will not vote for him. You had him on your show you asked him to run, you begged him to run. You might can sale books But honey you can't sale a black man.

Posted at 7:02PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by Preston Shuman

27. I've always respected Oprah - but I think she has gone to far in making such an open blatant endorsement, private party, the works, for Obama. I don't care who she likes because she isn't me.........I don't think it's wrong of her to make this statement, but it doesn' t sway me in the least.......except I'm for sure not voting for Obama!

Posted at 8:21PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by me

28. Come on people, wake up, thes people who tell you who to vote for have their very own agenda and reasons. This country is in a mess, we need the the best person in the White House that we can possibly get. We need someone who is qualified and experienced, someone who has been there and know what to do to fix our relations with other countries. This is not the time to be training new recruits, experience does matter and Hillary, with Bill's help will get us back on course and get our service men back home where they belong.

Posted at 1:39AM on Sep 23rd 2007 by Dee

29. ORPAH will never have my respect again...just because some guy started a "Oprah for Prez thing" last year she now feels she has the God given right to DECIDE who will become the next US President...I support Hillary and I will never forgive OPRAH if Obama turns out to be the SPOILER who loses the election for us DEMOCRATES...remeber that frigging Green Party candidate that lost us the election and gave us BUSH? Let's hope OPRAH doesn't screw it up for us this time!!

Posted at 10:09PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by Rudyboy

30. oprah bashing tsk! tsk! tsk! the fear that a black man might actually win? this is funny. before obama a lot of you thought oprah was the most level headed, intelligent , generous person on t.v. well she still is. and she is human. lucky she is more powerful than most . so, someone pushing her off her seat is more than a notion. these are very serious times. as a private citizen . she has the right to support whom ever she wishes. enough old white men making decisions for everyone. time to try something else.

Posted at 10:51PM on Sep 22nd 2007 by peeachpie

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