
 |
|
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
|
| |
Jewish World Review
Dec 14, 2007
/ 5 Teves 5768
Who endorses the endorsers?
By
Lloyd Garver
| 
|
|
|
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Unless you've been living in a cave, you know that Oprah Winfrey campaigned for Barack Obama last week. Because of her, tens of thousands of people heard the candidate speak. This whole celebrity endorsement thing got me thinking. I don't believe many people are going to vote for somebody just because someone who is on television or in the movies says they should. But as with Oprah, voters may come to see the celebrity, but they also end up hearing the candidate. Obviously, this can backfire if they don't like what they hear. Also many people resent celebrity endorsers and have the attitude, "Just because they're famous doesn't mean they know anything about politics." So, there is considerable debate about whether celebrities actually help. However, I think I have a sure-fire way for celebrity endorsements to help get a candidate elected.
Because of the season, the competition for celebrities reminds me of the competition among neighbors for the most ostentatious Christmas and other holiday decorations. When it was announced that Oprah was supporting Obama, Hillary Clinton's people quickly announced that Barbra Streisand was supporting her. It's just like that neighbor of yours who puts up a hundred lights and a ten-foot Santa Claus in front of his house, and then another neighbor quickly decorates his house with 200 lights and an even bigger Santa. Now that wrestler Ric Flair (aka "The Nature Boy") is supporting Mike Huckabee, does that mean there will be a scramble to get the endorsement of "Undertaker" or "Rey Mysterio?"
Nobody knows which celebrities will be helpful to them. So we have Rudy Giuliani endorsed by Robert Duvall, Sean Penn rooting for Dennis Kucinich, and Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling campaigning for John McCain. Martin Sheen, who played the president on television, endorses Bill Richardson, and acclaimed actor Harry Belafonte, who also gained fame singing "The Banana Boat Song," is for John Edwards. Sometime actor Fred Thompson is being endorsed by sometime actor Fred Thompson.
In a way, candidates even try to get certain dead people to endorse them. All of the Republican candidates have evoked Ronald Reagan's name, and of course, many of those running quote Abraham Lincoln or the Founding Fathers. I wouldn't be surprised if digital technology were used to put a candidate in a television commercial with somebody from the past. It would be like those macabre commercials that put famous dead actors in a modern home using some new appliance. I'm sure there's a way that we could end up seeing and hearing, "This is Alexander Hamilton for Ron Paul."
But again, nobody seems to know how much an endorsement really helps a candidate. So I have a way to take all of the doubt out of the celebrity endorsement sweepstakes. Instead of candidates and political parties seeking endorsements of famous people, I think they should secretly get inappropriately famous people to represent their opponents. It would work like this: Let's say Mike Huckabee ends up being the Republican nominee. The next day, Madonna comes out for him. The day after that, people like Democrat activist/actor Tim Robbins endorses Huckabee. If they really want to play hardball, the Democrats can always try to get atheist Dr. Michael Newdow to say he's for former minister Huckabee. Suddenly, the nominee's base will start asking themselves if Huckabee really represents their point of view.
Similarly, think what an endorsement from jailed polygamist Warren Jeffs would do to Mitt Romney's campaign. I believe we could say "bye-bye to Biden" if Rush Limbaugh came out for him. And could Rudy Giuliani get elected if disgraced athlete Michael Vick endorsed him?
If Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee, the Republicans could get John C. Sigler, the president of the NRA, to say wonderful things about Obama while Trent Lott applauds the gun guy's speech. It would be interesting to watch anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly campaign for Hillary Clinton. And if the Republicans really want to destroy John Edwards' campaign, the person they should get to endorse him is George W. Bush.
Maybe I shouldn't be suggesting all this, because some political operatives might be tempted to take my suggestion seriously. Actually, considering how dirty politics always becomes, I'm surprised that they haven't already used this technique. Wait a minute! How do we know that they haven't? I mean, will we ever know the true political philosophy of Ric "The Nature Boy" Flair?
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame
Street" to "Family Ties" to "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of
them in hardcover. Comment by clicking here. Visit his website by clicking here.
Archives
© 2007, Lloyd Garver
|
|

Arnold Ahlert
Mitch Albom
Jay Ambrose
Michael Barone
Barrywood
Tony Blankley
Lori Borgman
Stratfor Briefing
Mona Charen
Linda Chavez
Richard Z. Chesnoff
Ann Coulter
Greg Crosby
Alan Douglas
Larry Elder
Suzanne Fields
Frank J. Gaffney
Bernie Goldberg
Jonah Goldberg
Julia Gorin
Jonathan Gurwitz
Paul Greenberg
Argus Hamilton
Victor Davis Hanson
Betsy Hart
Ron Hart
Nat Hentoff
Marybeth Hicks
David Horowitz
Jeff Jacoby
Renee James
Paul Johnson
Jack Kelly
Ed Koch
Ch. Krauthammer
Michael Ledeen
John Leo
David Limbaugh
Kathryn Lopez
Rich Lowry
Michelle Malkin
Jackie Mason
Ann McFeatters
Dale McFeatters
Dana Milbank
Jeanne Moos
Dick Morris
Jim Mullen
Deroy Murdock
Judge A. Napolitano
Bill O'Reilly
Kathleen Parker
Star Parker
Dennis Prager
Wesley Pruden
Tom Purcell
Sharon Randall
Robert Robb
Cokie & Steve Roberts
Heather Robinson
Pat Sajak
Debra J. Saunders
Martin Schram
Culture Shlock
David Shribman
Roger Simon
Michael Smerconish
Thomas Sowell
Ben Stein
Mark Steyn
John Stossel
Cal Thomas
Dan Thomasson
Bob Tyrrell
Ben Wattenberg
Diana West
Dave Weinbaum
George Will
Walter Williams
Byron York
ZeitGeist
Mort Zuckerman

Robert Arial
Chuck Asay
Baloo
Chip Bok
Dry Bones
Lisa Benson
John Branch
John Cole
J. D. Crowe
John Deering
Brian Duffy
Everything's Relative
Mallard Fillmore
Glenn Foden
Jake Fuller
Bob Gorrel
Joe Heller
David Hitch
Jerry Holbert
Lee Judge
Steve Kelley
Jeff Koterba
Dick Locher
Jimmy Margulies
Rick McKee
Michael Ramirez
Kevin Siers
Jeff Stahler
Ed Stein
Danna Summers
John Trever
Gary Varvel
Kirk Walters

Mr. Know-It-All
Dr. Peter Gott
GET A JOB! by Marty Nemko
Richard Lederer
Frugal Living
Tech Maven
On Nutrition
Bookmark These
Bruce Williams
|