Posted on 10/30/2004 4:56:19 AM PDT by Ginifer
NEW YORK - Madison Avenue had unwelcome news for John Kerry's campaign yesterday as advertising executives said Bruce Springsteen, who is campaigning with the Democratic presidential hopeful, turns away more votes than he attracts.
The campaign trails have begun to look like Hollywood Boulevard as both presidential candidates inject star power into their campaigns, with Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger appearing with George W. Bush in Columbus, Ohio, yesterday.
While many stars have spoken out about their presidential preference, with most opting for Mr. Kerry, a major ad industry study shows most voters prefer candidates who keep their distance from Hollywood. The exception is the celebrities who do not ram their political opinions down voters' throats.
Known to fans as The Boss, Mr. Springsteen is so outspoken he drives twice as many people to Mr. Bush as he keeps for Mr. Kerry, says the poll by Pere Partners, a New York ad agency that specializes in the entertainment industry.
But even though he's a movie star, Mr. Schwarzenegger is more easily accepted when he pushes his views because he has already moved into politics, being elected Governor of California.
"The results tell us if you go to a concert and pay $100 for a ticket, you want to see The Boss sing because he is an American icon and tremendously talented," said Glenn Pere, the agency's president.
"You also want to hear the lyrics. You don't want a lecture."
The survey names Michael Moore, director of Fahrenheit 9/11, as another high-profile celebrity whose campaigning is doing more harm than good to Mr. Kerry.
Not all the irritating celebrities are on the Democratic side. Actor Charlton Heston, who backs gun rights, and Bill O'Reilly, a leading Fox News host, are doing their best to annoy liberal Republican voters into the Kerry camp.
Mr. Peres says the survey shows people want to know only the superficial things about celebrities -- such as where they eat, what diet they are on, what car they drive and where they vacation
"Americans don't want to know a celebrity's point of view when it comes to politics," he said.
Nonetheless, there are a few celebrities with genuine clout, such as talk-show host Winfrey Oprah, former Army General Norman Schwarzkopf, comedian Jon Stewart and basketball player Charles Barley.
"Oprah is a Democrat, but comes across differently from other celebrities," said Mr. Pere.
"She doesn't preach, and you feel she understands both sides. Being well informed also makes her extremely credible."
For his part, Mr. Bush has simultaneously tried to capitalize on celebrities and criticize his opponent for being star struck.
"You might remember that my opponent said the heart and soul of America can be found in Hollywood," he said in Michigan this week, adding, "I understand most American families do not look to Hollywood as a source of values."
Yesterday, he took pains to refer to Mr. Schwarzenegger as "Governor" and did not mention his movie career.
But the U.S. President was unable to distance himself completely from the celebrity world.
The musician who co-wrote and sang the 1970s hit Still the One said Mr. Bush should stop playing the tune at his campaign events. John Hall, who recorded the song in 1976 after writing it with his then-wife, Joanna D. Hall, said he has told his lawyers to write a formal letter of complaint to the Bush campaign because he does not support his re-election bid.
Hehehehe......way, way funny. Go sKerry, Go! (Far away.)
....you don't want a lecture ........ from a moron!
actually hasn't heston retired from the public eye? How can he be annoying voters?
Bruce dumped ["annulled"] his first wife, too.
Birds of a feather and all that.
LOL!!! And he's very annoying on the phone.
;-)
I find it hard to believe that Charlton Heston has driven "liberal Republicans" away. There are no liberal Republicans, only RINOs. And due to his illness, I have not seen Heston in a couple of years. As for O'Reilly, he loudly proclaims himself an Independent and is only doing his schtick to feather his own nest, so he offends everyone. I gave up watching his boring show long ago and wish Fox would replace him.
Springsteen looks like he needs a bath:0(
The group was Orleans. And their other hit was??
I hope the boss reads this news. Haha!
I don't get it. Since when did they put Hollywood stars and musicians in one category as BO'R ? Did he play a movie or record a song?
If the author wants to compare BO'R, he should use Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Chris Matthews, and so on... Not compare him with the Boss...
The dif is that Arnold, swartzkoff, etc. speak only at political events, not paid concerts. OReilly gets paid to opine, you can turn him off if you don't like him. Heston I haven't heard anything from in a long time. These writers have to appear balanced, but this article's message is a one-way street. And delightfully so. Dear Lord, bring down our idiotic Left.
Dance with me,
I want to be your partner,
Can't you see...
Bruce's support of Kerry has invalidated his image as an American.
My collection of his CDs will follow Eminem's into the trash.
The Boss ought to get out of the way and let real celebrities like Rhoda Morgenstern and the Meathead loose on the camapign trail.
It just shows you that Kerry runs a smarter campaign just like he would run a smarter war.
Allies are not always what one needs/
Bruce was never a very optomistic songwriter, he tends to be fatalistic, kinda like if Phil Ochs were still alive and touring for Kerry. Leftie musicians (the exception being Jimmy Buffet) are more down-in-the-dumps than the Alan Jacksons and the Martina McBrides...
As kristinn said of "the Boss" recently, you'll not find one song in his book that says anything positive about America or that he's glad that he's an American.
I saw an interview on TV (Fox) where the guy said that Michael Moore alienated voters at the same rate that Charleton Heston did when he held up the rifle and said, "From my cold, dead hands!"
Long time ago and in a time when many people still thought that the Million Moms actually had a million and when PC goobers were afraid to admit they had a gun and didn't hate the NRA.
I remember when mentioning the NRA in certain groups was the equivalent of saying something racist. The MSM, academia, etc. had demonized the NRA to the point where a lot of people were intimidated from supporting it and/or simply fooled about what it was.
It tells me plenty that this guy has to go back that far in time and that he has to name a non-conservative, non-Republican (BOR) as his only examples of Republicans turning people off in same way that mouth frothing, brain dead, Nazi thug Rats do.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.