Whom Celebrities are Endorsing in the 2008 Presidential Race

Celebrity endorsements should not affect who Americans vote for, and in recent poll most individuals report that celebrity endorsements don't affect who they vote for. But somehow their endorsements manage to make the news and drag candidates out of obscurity and into the limelight.

It's no secret that Oprah Winfrey has supported Barak Obama's bid for the Democratic nomination for quite some time now. Oprah is considered one of the most influential people in America and her televised support has catapulted many individuals into nationwide popularity, including Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz. Does her support extend into the political realm enough to send Obama to the White House? After all, she has already made Obama a household name. In the upcoming weeks she will be hitting the campaign trail with Obama, lending her support in Iowa and several other key states. Obama is also supported in Hollywood by Jennifer Aniston, Will Smith, and George Clooney.

Chuck Norris has recently cast his support for Republican Mike Huckabee, turning a relatively little known candidate into a contender for front runner. Yahoo reports that in the week since Norris announced his support, searches for Huckabee have risen 457%. Ric Flair, of professional wrestling fame, has also announced his support for Huckabee.

Barbara Streisand has cast her support for Hillary Clinton (though interestingly she has also donated financially to Obama's campaign). She joins fellow singers Madonna, Janet Jackson, Barry Manilow, and Merle Haggard in her support for the former first lady. A whole group of actors also have given her their support. Clinton is not without her support in the talk show realm; Rosie O'Donnel and Jerry Springer have both cast their support for Clinton. Of course, Clinton has the support of her husband, former president Bill Clinton.

Republican Candidate Rudy Giuliani is supported by Steve Forbes CEO of Forbes and editor in chief of Forbes Magazine. He is also supported by Pat Robertson, founder of Christian Broadcasting Network. Actor Kelsey Grammer has donated to his campaign.