Celebrity Endorsements: Madonna vs. Oprah

As the 2008 Presidential election gears up for the first caucus -- in Iowa on January 3 -- influential individuals are starting to come forward with their endorsements. Celebrities are no stranger to political endorsements but this year two celebrities are causing a rush of media coverage: Madonna and Oprah. These two women, both popularly known on a first-name basis, have put their official seal of approval on two democratic Presidential candidates. Madonna has stepped forward in support of New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Oprah has hit the campaign trail with Senator Barack Obama.

While both of these celebrities are widely known, Oprah is clearly the more effective endorsement. Oprah is a self-made mogul and has a huge fan base that crosses racial, political, and socio-economic lines. For many, her word is the ultimate word; what she says goes. She has an almost cult-like following among her fans and many will hear her words and put their support behind Senator Obama. Oprah's endorsement also has the likelihood of bringing new voters to the polls. If she is half as successful with her campaigning for Obama as she has been with her support of forgotten books (Oprah's Book Club) then Obama will likely see a surge in the polls. The downside to this endorsement is there is a population that abhors Oprah just as much as her fans love her. This could potentially turn off previous Obama supporters.