Celebrity endorsements

[Zelphiel]

Do you think that politicians should seek the help of famous people (actors, etc) to help them get votes? Mike Huckabee has Chuck Norris and Barack Obama has Oprah. Is it right for them to get influential people to help them or should they only try to win an election with what they have to say alone?

[Dark Marmosett]

Not really. I don't think its fair play cause hell, you could get bill gates on your side and you'd have a pretty heaping amount of money to be backed with.

[Zelphiel]

Rich folks privately endorse politics all the time. I'm just talking about influential people publicly speaking for one of them.

[Dionne]

Well, I mean... to me, many things in politics "aren't fair" or whatever. And celebrity endorsements is just one of them. It'll never really be a fair game. I think it's okay for a celebrity to voice who they support.

[Aerion]

Why not? I don't see how that would be against the "Survival of the most average" strategy behind democracy, as the average person is influenced by them just like any other average person.

[The Deity]

Its certainly a smart move on their part, and I have a hard time seeing it as unethical. People are aloud to speak their minds whether they are famous or not. Oprah has the right to endorse a candidate and Obama would be an idiot not to take the endorsement and run with it. If you don't think Oprah's worth a significant chunk of votes in an election, you're foolish.

[Night]

Because somebody is famous they can no longer aid the candidate of their choice?

[Irving1992]

The celebrity needs to be legitimate in the political world. Chuck Norris? As much as I hate to say this, no. Oprah? Uhhh, yeah a little.

[Chicken Little]

Because somebody is famous they can no longer aid the candidate of their choice?

Because someone is famous they should realise that giving their support to something will mean that they then turn that something into a gimmick to several people who only buy into said thing because "celebrities said so." I don't know how it is there, but funding is regulated and those within the media, while having differing viewpoints should not be doing what Oprah is doing because it can be deemed as political propaganda and thus come under the regulation in which Obama would be dicked for taking her support.

Outside looking in it's less about what can be done and more about who's supporting who. Crazy bill has no pants, Chuck Norris' foot or Oprahs gigantic mouth is more like a circus than a political attachment. In a system where people vote only if they want to honestly celebrity weight adds more than it should for all the wrong reasons.

[Kaffee]

sure, if its that right person, sometimes celebrities can hurt.

[Rainbow Dash]

Most of the celebrities know nothing about politics and alot dont even have proper education. My guess is that the politicians are buying their support. Really now, Chuck Norris hasnt been on record for politics ever, who would he start now if it werent for the money? Not to mention I have a whole slew of other problems with people giving a damn about celebrities to begin with, and getting those mindless emotions mixed up in the election process is poisonous to democracy. So unlike Deity, I'm having a hard time finding anything ethical about them at all.

Oprah does have legitimacy though, and I'm glad Obama has her.

[Altima]

I knew what you were talking about before I entered this thread.

I think it is wrong to get votes only because you have a famous celebrity with you. I think Obama will win the election simply because he has the most powerful woman in the world on his side. I actually just saw him on GMA talking about Kenya and the battling there. I don't care about any of that, fix America and its own problems first. I don't want my tax dollars going to another country. They don't pay for our schools, roads, military, etc etc and they don't vote so if they want to destroy each other then let them. I want our own problems addressed before we even think about getting too involved with other nations and their problems.

I mean look at Isreal, we have been involved with them for years and it may not be as bad as in past years but they are still fighting so lets let them figure things out for themselves for a while and stay out of it I say.

Anyway I hope that McCain makes a run and becomes our next president.

[The Deity]

Most of the celebrities know nothing about politics and alot dont even have proper education.

Now you're just being presumptuous. Celebrities have a lot of money, and quite honestly people with a lot of money have a vested interest in politics.

My guess is that the politicians are buying their support. Really now, Chuck Norris hasnt been on record for politics ever, who would he start now if it werent for the money?

And I thought the previous statement was presumptuous. Do you really think Chuck Norris or Oprah needs money? Norris has the right to say he supports Huckabee or any other candidate. Its not like he's said nothing on his candidate's merits.

Not to mention I have a whole slew of other problems with people giving a damn about celebrities to begin with, and getting those mindless emotions mixed up in the election process is poisonous to democracy.

Now I don't think people should give a damn what celebrities think either, but to think they won't ever is just foolish.

Oprah does have legitimacy though, and I'm glad Obama has her.

And now the secret slips.

[Night]

Because someone is famous they should realise that giving their support to something will mean that they then turn that something into a gimmick to several people who only buy into said thing because "celebrities said so."It isn't their fault that people are sheep. If they believe that somebody is the right person to lead the entire country, it's a big enough issue that they should have the right to do whatever they want.

I think it is wrong to get votes only because you have a famous celebrity with you. I think Obama will win the election simply because he has the most powerful woman in the world on his side.Obama has fallen to third in the polls, after Oprah's endorsement. You're not only wrong, but you're making no effort to educate yourself in order to properly take part in government.

Kenyans deserve tax dollars more than you. At least they're helpless against what's hapenning to them.

[Chicken Little]

It isn't their fault that people are sheep. If they believe that somebody is the right person to lead the entire country, it's a big enough issue that they should have the right to do whatever they want.

They should have the right to support, campaigning in an attempt to sway voters and thus using their celebrity status to turn democracy into "which candidate has the better celebrity support" they should have a bigger fucking brain than what they seemingly have since people will question how much support was actually due to the policies, the person, the ideas and how much was because "Oprah said so and gave you a car."

Yes it's not they're fault if people are stupid sheep, but it is their fault for exploiting the stupid sheep and bringing the entire process into disrepute by doing so.

[Rainbow Dash]

Obama has fallen to third in the polls, after Oprah's endorsement. You're not only wrong, but you're making no effort to educate yourself in order to properly take part in government.
Which year's polls are these?

Deity, why wouldnt Chuck Norris want more money? You seem to forget how greedy Hollywood is. Though Oprah does have a history of kindness rather than sheer publicity like Chuck Norris, which is why I'm not against her.

[The Deity]

Deity, why wouldnt Chuck Norris want more money?

So here are the "facts"

1. Everyone is entitled to an opinion
2. Chuck Norris is a "respected" actor
3. Chuck Norris' career is largely behind him
4. Politics greatly affect wealthy people
5. It would be a PR kill for Norris to accept any kind of money from a candidate
6. Hollywood is greedy

Norris is simply not going to be paid by a candidate to voice his opinion on him. Norris simply likes the candidate and goes on record saying he does. You can call the opinion of Norris all but useless, but that doesn't mean he has ulterior motives. Saying that's the case is extremely presumptuous.

[Cherubim1324]

So unlike Deity, I'm having a hard time finding anything ethical about them at all.

Oprah does have legitimacy though, and I'm glad Obama has her.

Love that hypocrisy!

As a general rule, I don't post in political threads. However, I feel the need to point out that while celebrity endorsements may have some impact on who votes for who, it really doesn't make much difference in the end because the people's votes don't count! Anyone who has posted in this thread already and lives in the United States SHOULD know that it's the "United States Electoral College" who votes in the person to be President.

The Electoral College System (http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/electcollege.htm)
How does the Electoral College work? (http://people.howstuffworks.com/question472.htm)
Electoral College History (http://www.electoralcollegehistory.co m/)
2008 Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College (http://www.270towin.com/)

As far as your question Zelphiel (http://www.evermoreforums.com/forums/member.php?u=9)...no, I don't think they should "seek" it, but if a celebrity wants to legitimately endorse a candidate (ie is not getting paid and honestly supports the candidate), then I don't see why said candidate shouldn't let them.

[Rainbow Dash]

Cherub... no. Your vote counts, but only for your state. I hate how people seem to think that the Electoral College decides everything. If you live in the United States, you SHOULD know that much.

Deity, there's no way in hell that Chuck Norris would stand up without any provocation. That's what I'm really trying to say. Maybe no money, but I'm sure Huckabee approached him first considering how idolized he is by everyone with an IQ under 90 (the majority of his voters).

There's simply too much wrong with that picture. I've never heard of Chuck Norris giving a damn about politics. Maybe it's because he finally got a comeback now with those stupid jokes being spammed all over the internet, but unlike Oprah, he just doesnt belong there, and even if he does have an interest it's unlikely it's an educated one.

And yes I'm making an exception to Oprah, however hypocritical it is, because she's no stranger to politics. What I find immoral are primarily bands and ditsy celebrities (including Chuck Norris) that have nothing to do with politics taking their opinions to the campaign trail and taking all their uninformed fans with them, many of which arent even looking up the politicians' stances on things.

Again, if the celebrities actually have shown they care, like Bono (unfortunately), or if they have a background in politics, like the director of political science of Harvard or something (as if that would work) then there would be no problem. That's not the case with Chuck Norris. Yes, he has an opinion, but it's likely an uninformed one, unless I'm misjudging him.