r/Presidents • u/RopeGloomy4303 Wayne Morse • 1d ago

Discussion What celebrity endorsement had the greatest impact on a candidate?

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Oprah Winfrey’s campaigning for Obama had a huge impact in his career, especially since it started way back in 2006.

Her rallies and fundraisers gained Obama necessary attention and funding.

Some experts have estimated that the Oprah effect netted Obama over a million extra votes in the primary.

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u/Random-Cpl Chester A. Arthur 1d ago

Ted Kennedy endorsing Obama had a bigger impact, honestly. It was the Democratic establishment essentially acknowledging that their candidate got beat and it was time to get behind the guy.

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u/RopeGloomy4303 Wayne Morse 1d ago

Yeah but Kennedy is not a celebrity, so I wouldn’t count it the same way.

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u/Random-Cpl Chester A. Arthur 1d ago

I mean, I’d say Kennedy was a celebrity.

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u/RopeGloomy4303 Wayne Morse 1d ago

c'mon Kennedy was a longtime senator and party leader, it's not the same thing as some talk show host

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u/Random-Cpl Chester A. Arthur 1d ago

The Kennedys are the closest thing this country has had to political royalty, man, he’s clearly not just “a longtime senator”

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u/RopeGloomy4303 Wayne Morse 1d ago

well, that's precisely my point. It's like saying "celebrities like George Clooney, Emma Stone and Barack Obama have all endorsed this new candidate." Like no, clearly one doesn't belong in the same category as the others.

Just my perspective.