Endorsements: Do they matter?

[The Emperor Fabulous]

Its always big news when someone important endorses a candidate. But does it really make a difference to that person's campaign?

Bill Bradley endorsed Howard Dean. Does this mean that Howard Dean will now receive all the votes Bradley did in 2000? Al Gore also endorsed him, which may help him a bit more...but honestly, does anyone really vote depending on endorsements?

Wesley Clark may be endorsed by the Clintons, which will most likely be a huge boost...but then again, will it? And just because the Native American Times endorsed him, will that mean he gets a majority of the Native American vote?

Willie Nelson endorses Dennis Kucinich. Will the aging hippies now vote for the K-meister?

What exactly do endorsements do for a campaign that would be a step back if not endorsed?

[Shi Huangdi]

Well, it's definitely not so great an effect that Dean will recieve all of Bradley's votes, or that Clark is assured the Native American vote. If someone was a strong Bradley supporter in 2000 though, it might make them look more favorably on Dean.

[rah]

Union endorsements are quite valuable, along with other large group endorsements like AARP. Personal endorsements are quite limited in value except or the extra exposure of the actual endorsement. But there are some feeble minds out there that will actually vote for a person soley based on who Madonna said.

[Boris Godunov]

Yes, endorsements matter, if just for the publicity. Dean's stock rose after Gore's endorsement, and people who had never heard of him took notice. Bradley's endorsement will serve to solidify his front-runner status. For the primaries, these are very important. If anything, it just makes his candidacy appear more unstoppable.

On an interesting note, the latest CNN poll had Dean reasonably close to Bush, with a 51%-46% margin in favor of the President. This is significant because the same poll showed the margin of voters likely or unlikely to vote for Bush was exactly the same - 51% likely, 46% unlikely. This means Democrats and the anti-Bush crowd are comfortable coelescing around his nomination. No other Democrats came close to that margin when put against Bush. That means electability, because you have a solid Democrat base instead of the fractures of 2000.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Yes, endorsements matter, if just for the publicity. Dean's stock rose after Gore's endorsement, and people who had never heard of him took notice. Bradley's endorsement will serve to solidify his front-runner status. For the primaries, these are very important. If anything, it just makes his candidacy appear more unstoppable.

On an interesting note, the latest CNN poll had Dean reasonably close to Bush, with a 51%-46% margin in favor of the President. This is significant because the same poll showed the margin of voters likely or unlikely to vote for Bush was exactly the same - 51% likely, 46% unlikely. This means Democrats and the anti-Bush crowd are comfortable coelescing around his nomination. No other Democrats came close to that margin when put against Bush. That means electability, because you have a solid Democrat base instead of the fractures of 2000.

gore didnt have at least 46% in the polls at this point in 2000?

all the prior polls have shown worse Dean numbers head to head versus Bush, and worse than for other Dems. I wouldnt wager too much on this.

[DinoDoc]

Why do endorsements by candidates who lost thier most recent elections matter?

[The Emperor Fabulous]

President Bush endorsed Governor Bush

[DinoDoc]

And?

[MrFun]

. . . . . and the Earth orbits around the Sun.

[The Emperor Fabulous]

He had lost his most recent election...

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


gore didnt have at least 46% in the polls at this point in 2000?

No, in fact. At this point in 2000, Gore was trailing Bush by double-digit margins. It wasn't until the convention that Gore bounced ahead.

all the prior polls have shown worse Dean numbers head to head versus Bush, and worse than for other Dems. I wouldnt wager too much on this.

Prior polls were before the major endorsements, and were reflecting unusual events in the news (Saddam's capture, which boosted Bush). What's significant about the above poll is that it tracked during the holidays, which usually benefits the incumbent, thanks to holiday cheer, but still showed a close race.

I wouldn't wager anything on the margin, either--what was most interesting was that Dean was able to get all 46% of those against Bush, which disproves the notion that he can't appeal to more than just the fringe of the Democrats.

[MrFun]

I endorse Tiamat to be our next moderator!!!!!!!!!

[yavoon]

I hope britney endorses someone.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Funny I thought the Gore endorsement of Dean actually raised Lieberman's stock some if only for the underdog/betrayal factor. Granted he is so far behind that it is a nonfactor.

[The Emperor Fabulous]

Britney endorsed Bush