We Should All Respect A Political Endorsement

Backed by Beyonce, well, we must vote for them so, right? Crazy as it seems, this kind of endorsement can be pretty convincing. Obama, back in 2008 had a slew of well-known celebrity endorsers and for many in the political field this didn’t hold much sway but for engaging a certain demographic, it was the clincher!

When people think of a political endorsement, it offers some sort of reassurance, a confirmation, that there are others out there who share your political allegiance. As cliche as it sounds, there is support in numbers. As we look forward to the 2016 US Presidential Election, we must understand and recognise the power of the political endorsement.

For months now, Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Senator, and Harvard Law Professor has avoided endorsing any Democratic candidate, much to the annoyance of the media. An endorsement from someone such as Warren could catapult a candidate in the polls. Her anti-big-bank stance would have aligned her with Bernie Sanders but as yet she has declined to enter the political fracas.

While Hillary Clinton stands way out in front, in terms of racking up Government Representatives and Senatorial endorsements, she has also successfully infiltrated Hollywood's inner sanctum, boasting Beyonce and Shonda Rhimes as some of her fans. Some of Hollywood's leading ladies even did an ad - approved of course by Hillary.

Getting well-known faces to endorse you is Campaigning 101, choosing the right time to roll them out is what takes smarts. Sarah Silverman, the comedian, who has wasted no time in advocating for Bernie Sanders and what he stands for, recently released a video showing support for the Democrat. The YouTube clip has garnered much attention as it comes in the wake of what was a great weekend for Sanders after he claimed victory in Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. Not the clean cut heroine from ABC television shows, Silverman came with authenticity and a rawness, delivering reasons why she would be voting for the Vermont Senator.

On the flip side, Republican candidates also rely on endorsements. Gov. Chris Christie suspended his campaign after a disappointing showing in New Hampshire but he wasn't satisfied with being a nearly-man. The Republican candidate opted instead to come out and publicly support Donald Trump, a man he had held in contempt for much of his own campaign, why you ask? Simple, to stay relevant. Christie’s options were limited, faced with returning to Governor a state which didn’t hold him in high esteem, the New Jersey native hitched his horse to what he saw as the eventual winner.

Ben Carson, another who once rivalled Trump has also come out in support of the retail mogul in recent weeks. Praising the Republican Party's front-runner as a "the voice of the people to be heard", Carson told the media that the two had "buried the hatchet" and this backing gave Trump a welcome boost coming into the final hurdle of his campaign, especially at a time when the majority have their knives out for him.

Ironically, Hillary Clinton seems to be picking up a lot of Barack Obama's supporters from '08. Choosing to publically declare their support for her, this time around in hopes that it will spring her to victory. The current President knows just how important public backing is and can attribute one such endorsement for helping him enter the Oval office. The late Ted Kennedy's endorsement came at a critical time for Obama back in 2008; he had won the South Carolina primary by almost 30 points over Clinton two days earlier. It had begun to dawn on everyone that he just might be the nominee. Kennedy's endorsement codified that sense, fueling momentum and energy that helped Obama virtually sweep the caucuses that populated the calendar that February and, in so doing, build an unassailable delegate lead.

So have your deck fully stacked candidates because make no mistake, a positive political endorsement can bring you votes and after all, votes win elections.