Harmful or helpful?

By Liz Tjaden

The LA Times endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president on Thursday Oct. 16. This announcement comes as the first Democratic endorsement from the newspaper and the first endorsement of any presidential candidate since 1972.

The real question is whether this “celebrity” support has any influence on the actual voters come election day.

People want to be associated with a “winner” and to be comforted by their decision. Endorsements from these stars or companies help voters feel at ease with their choice of candidate, and therefore can be very helpful.

The idea of endorsement can be compared to parodies from Saturday Night Live and shows like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Some argue that this form of media has no influential power whatsoever, while others feel that they actually help people define their own perceptions of reality. When they see, for instance, Sarah Palin’s actions being exaggerated by Tina Fey, it helps point out her actual flaws through comic relief and gets the viewer interested in finding out more about her.

Ultimately it depends on the individual and whether they allow these endorsements and programs to affect their choice in the voting booth come November.