There was a time when celebrities who got involved in politics captivated the nation.
Al
Jolson sang on the stump for Warren Harding during his 1920 bid. The
impossibly chic Rat Pack backed John F. Kennedy in 1960. And in the 2008
contest, Oprah Winfrey’s support of Barack Obama helped legitimize the
first-term senator and lift him above the competition.
But as the 2016 presidential campaigns roll out their VIP backers,
with press releases suggesting that voters should be swayed by the
endorsements of Anchorman, the Incredible Hulk, and a guy on a show
called “Pawn Stars,” it’s growing clearer that the punch these
announcements once packed is diminished.
“It’s really difficult to
get people to do something they otherwise wouldn’t do or to switch
teams,” says Michael Cobb, an associate professor of political science
at North Carolina State University who studies political behavior.
“Celebrities are really good at getting attention. They can create a
celebrity-like environment in which people get pumped up.”
But Cobb adds, “Not every celebrity is credible. In fact, very few celebrities are seen as credible.”
So far this cycle, celebrity influence on the political narrative has
proved fleeting, experts suggest. Maybe that’s because nearly everyone
has a brand these days, thanks to social media. The public zone is
flooded with scene stealers, famous and not so.
 |
| Kimberly Jessy Bowles |
So when actors
Will Ferrell and Mark Ruffalo (Anchorman and The Hulk, respectively)
endorse Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Rick Harrison of the
History Channel’s “Pawn Stars” supports Senator Marco Rubio of Florida,
and Beyoncé and Carole King pledge their votes to Hillary Clinton, and
former quarterback Brady Quinn stumps for Jeb Bush, does it matter? And
how?
The impact of these public figures, researchers say, is — or
can be — threefold. They can draw more people to events and rallies,
help with fund-raising appeals, and, as Cobb suggests, create a buzz in
the media. The latter can be especially important for younger voters who
might not be plugged into the day-to-day scraps among the candidates
about policy but might care who rapper Ja Rule likes for the nation’s
top job.
Some researchers
see value in endorsements during primary contests, in particular, as
voters weigh the sometimes narrow policy differences among the
candidates seeking their party’s nomination. That proved true when
Winfrey campaigned for Obama. Her endorsement was meaningful because
Obama and his chief Democratic 2008 rival, Clinton, weren’t far apart in
their beliefs and values. Also, of course, Winfrey told the public it
was OK for a woman to choose the history-making candidacy of an
African-American over the history-making candidacy of a woman.
“No one celebrity right now has the
power Oprah had at her peak,” said Craig Garthwaite of Northwestern
University’s Kellogg School of Management, who studied the effect of her
endorsement.
Garthwaite and colleagues concluded that Winfrey —
who had sway with educated white women who were more likely to be
Clinton supporters — brought a million votes to Obama that he wouldn’t
otherwise have had.
A surprise endorsement might be the only
other type that could really move votes — though experts were
hard-pressed to name one. That would be like if Bono endorsed Bush,
Garthwaite suggests. Improbable to believe, perhaps, but such a move
might make U2 fans pause, at the very least, to consider the Republican.
Celebrities can also say things about other candidates for
office or their big money donors that the candidate would never.
Meanwhile, it doesn’t appear that
sheer volume of celebrity support conveys meaning in the political
marketplace, according to researchers. So when Sanders, a Democrat,
released a list last month of 100 or so artists supporting his bid —
from Danny DeVito and Belinda Carlisle to musicians from Phish and the
Red Hot Chili Peppers — what was he hoping to accomplish?
“Bernie
has talked about a grass-roots movement and a political revolution and
the diversity of the people you see on this list is an example of that,”
says Michael Briggs, a Sanders campaign spokesman. Could it also be in some sense counter to Sanders’ populist appeal to have a bunch of wealthy stars singing his praises?
“I
think that the message is the same no matter where you are from on the
income scale,” Briggs says. “Somebody who is a little bit better off
than you and I can care about some of the same issues.”
Quinn, the
former NFL quarterback supporting Bush, is a Florida resident who says
he has witnessed Bush’s leadership firsthand. Though he is helping the
campaign at events targeted to younger voters, Quinn says celebrities
can only add their voices to the process. Voters should rely on friends
and family members and co-workers to help them shape their beliefs and
ultimately decide on their candidate. “I think people should pay
attention to the policies; people should pay attention to the track
record of the individuals they are possibility voting for,” he said. “Be
informed on the issues that you feel passionate about. We all have one
vote. We all have an opportunity to have an impact.”
It’s worth
noting that for the celebrity-endorsement-starved this cycle, among
Republicans especially, many believe it’s too early to hear from some of
the big names. Clint Eastwood has been awfully quiet. Same for actors
Gary Sinise and Patricia Heaton, two politically active conservatives. “People
want to hold their endorsements usually until they can have an impact,”
says Rick Tyler, a national spokesman for Senator Ted Cruz, the Texas
Republican. “It doesn’t help to endorse someone and have them drop out. I
think the field isn’t exactly settled yet.”
In fact, the current
Republican front-runner illustrates how the nation’s celebrity-fixated
culture has not just interceded in the White House contest but begun to
hijack it altogether. Donald Trump’s rise in the polls and virtual
takeover of the cable media are flummoxing experienced establishment
candidates with money and institutional support. It’s worth
remembering that Trump, the reality television star and businessman,
would not be the first performer to find his way to the White House.
Ronald Reagan blazed that trail, of course, though not before holding
elected office as the governor of California. Trump has never won
office. Still, his deft manipulation of the media and undeniable name
recognition have been boosts to his unlikely bid.
When contacted, his campaign wasn’t all that interested in peddling celebrity backers. And perhaps with one good reason.
“He’s like a self-endorsed candidate in that way,” Garthwaite said.
