Oprah's endorsements can effect book sales but not voters

[SykkBoy]

The endorsement of stars like Oprah Winfrey, Jon Stewart or even Tiger Woods would not translate to any more votes and -- somewhat curiously in the case of Stewart, Woods and several others -- could actually hurt their chances.

That's according to a telephone survey of more than 1,000 people by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

Respondents said Oprah's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) -- she has stumped and raised funds for him -- will have essentially no effect on getting their vote, but they still think it could help his run for the White House.

more
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6480357.html

[Tom_PM]

1000 people, representing 300 million? Statistically insignificant comes to mind, but what the hell it's interesting.

If someone is actually swayed by a celeb. endorsement, I hope they stay home on election day.

[SykkBoy]

1000 people, representing 300 million? Statistically insignificant comes to mind, but what the hell it's interesting.

If someone is actually swayed by a celeb. endorsement, I hope they stay home on election day.

yeah, very interesting

personally, I give a celebs endorsement the same weight I do a plumber, electirician or meter maid...no more, no less....I like to see what people think regardless of job title and then kind of form my own opinion...

[D]

1000 people, representing 300 million? Statistically insignificant comes to mind, but what the hell it's interesting.

Depends on how the 1000 people were chosen.

Professional pollsters have been doing this kind of thing for awhile, and know the permutations and characteristics involved in determining representation of the masses.

And the Pew Research Center is one of those professional pollster-type groups. I'd take their results as scientifically-based.

And, aside from that... yeah, it is interesting.

[eroswebmaster]

yeah, very interesting

personally, I give a celebs endorsement the same weight I do a plumber, electirician or meter maid...no more, no less....I like to see what people think regardless of job title and then kind of form my own opinion...

I don't know...it depends upon the celebrity. Just because someone decides to act for a living, or forms a band, it does not suddenly make them unintelligent, and it certainly doesn't mean they are MORE intelligent.

But I would tend to listen more to some celebrity who has a real interest in various issues, than some plumber who can't think past next Sunday's NFL game.

Do they sway my own opinion. No. But I love this arrogance that we "real" citizens have towards celebrities.

We sit back and love to think that we're smarter than someone who was either talented enough or smart enough to work their way through the machinery that is Hollywood / LA Music scene.

[GAMEFINEST]

oprahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[baddog]

I recently heard someone at WYPD suggest that Oprah would be a deciding factor.

I think I refrained from LOL'ing.

[BradM]

1000 people, representing 300 million? Statistically insignificant comes to mind, but what the hell it's interesting.

If someone is actually swayed by a celeb. endorsement, I hope they stay home on election day.

You'd hope 95% of americans stay home? Me too. People in this country care more about britney spears and driving around in their SUV than the war. It's SICK. If people cared as much about celebs as they did about this country and the world they would be blowing down the whitehouse door and storming the oval office.

[gornyhuy]

Bullshit - Oprah commands armies of millions of women. She has never promoted any candidate before. She will have an effect whether the people surveyed thing so or not.

[Snake Doctor]

In this particular instance I disagree.

Oprah's opinion matters to millions of women, and the fact that she's endorsing Obama instead of the first woman to have a legitimate shot at the presidency will have an impact on the female vote.

How much of an impact remains to be seen, but if nothing else it will make alot of women take a hard look at Obama instead of just blindly throwing their support behind the "woman candidate"

[SykkBoy]

Bullshit - Oprah commands armies of millions of women. She has never promoted any candidate before. She will have an effect whether the people surveyed thing so or not.

I wonder if it will be a measureable amount though?

will she not only motivate currently registered/active voters, but will she also bring out people who might not have voted before?

If she can bring out fresh, new voters or those who haven't voted in awhile, she could make some headway...

[Snake Doctor]

If she can bring out fresh, new voters or those who haven't voted in awhile, she could make some headway...

That's another reason I don't read too much into the polls for Obama.

The polls sample likely voters, when a guy like Obama gets elected president it will be by unlikely voters.

[uno]

You'd hope 95% of americans stay home? Me too. People in this country care more about britney spears and driving around in their SUV than the war. It's SICK. If people cared as much about celebs as they did about this country and the world they would be blowing down the whitehouse door and storming the oval office.

Didn't you move back to canada?

[tenletters]

they let black people vote?!?! WTF

[kane]

I really don't think she will have an effect. Not because of who she is but because of who she is backing. Most of her audience is made of middle class housewives that have nothing better to do during the day than watch her. These women are mostly conservative and they will vote for he republican candidate.

[gideongallery]

didn't they say the same thing about the rock the vote campaign when it started

voter turn out 18-24 was an all time high because of that campaign

i am not an oprah watcher but if her audience is mainly non voting women should could have a similar swing effect.

[nAtuRaLbEautY]

Oprah and the company, can have their opinions and ideas about the vote but it doesn't really mean that many people believe and agree with them. We had free will, so we can say and do anything whatever you want as long as it's on the law.