Singer Usher and actress Kerry Washington are ardent Obama supporters. In fact, Washington is an Obama surrogate on the campaign trail. (Photo: Getty Images)
Oprah has been a fervent backer of the Obamas for many years. She has personally donated over $110,000. (Photo: Getty Images)
Marcus Samuelsson has held big-ticket fundraisers for the Democrats featuring the president as a personal guest at his famous Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem. (Photo: Getty Images)
Jay-Z and Beyonce held a fundraiser earlier this year for President Obama at the rap mogul’s 40/40 club in New York City. Beyonce also famously sang the Etta James classic “At Last” for the first couple’s first dance during the inauguration. (Photo: Twitter)
Obama endorser will.i.am has famously penned a song in support of the president’s first campaign. The musician’s support continues in the 2012 campaign. (Photo: Getty Images)
Chris Rock has been an Obama endorser since his first presidential campaign. Fellow comic actor Eddie Murphy is also publicly in the Obama camp. (Photo: Getty Images)
Katy Perry expressed her support for Obama by wearing this “voting ballot” dress with her selections from the Democratic ticket clearly marked off for an October rally in Las Vegas. (Photo by John Gurzinski/Getty Images)
Tyler Perry has raised $2 million or more for the 2012 presidential campaign of Barack Obama. (Photo: Getty Images)
Not only are Hollywood actors and big-name entertainers jumping on the Obama bandwagon. Fashion designers like Tracy Reese — who created Michelle Obama’s DNC frock — are also backing the president. Other big names in fashion who are for the Democratic ticket include Tory Burch and Tina Knowles. (Photos: Getty Images)
Superstar actor George Clooney raised $15 million for the Obama campaign at one celebrity gala held earlier this year. They have been associated closely since the president’s days as a senator, pictured here in 2006. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Gabrielle Union has also hit the campaign trail for Obama in key states such as Florida. (Photo by D Dipasupil/Getty Images for BET)
Bruce Springsteen had said he was going to stay out of this year’s election, but in the end had to come out and endorse Obama for president. He has even hit the campaign trail with former president Bill Clinton for campaign events. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Samuel L. Jackson filmed the hilarious “Wake the F*** Up” commercials in honor of the president urging Americans to get serious and support Obama in the election. (Photo by Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images for Soujar)
Sherri Shepherd and Whoopi Goldberg, both endorsers of the president, have interviewed the first couple on “The View” as part of Obama’s campaigning. (Photo by Allan Tannenbaum-Pool/Getty Images)
While at first people believed that the rapper endorsed Romney, it eventually came out that Nicki Minaj was in favor of Obama. (Photo: Getty Images)
Singer Marc Anthony also campaigned with first lady Michelle Obama this week in Florida, a key state in the electoral college. Here he sings the national anthem on the final night of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Obama supporter Morgan Freeman has contributed over $1 million to his campaign. (Photo: Getty Images)
Here Dave Matthews performs at a 2008 performance for the president’s first campaign. He will be performing on Saturday at an event for the president that will also feature Bill Clinton. (Photo by Gary Knapp/Getty Images)
Actor Will Smith has also raised $1 million for President Obama’s campaign. (Photo: Getty Images)
Stevie Wonder is a long-time supporter of President Obama, having performed at his inauguration. Wonder campaigned with first lady Michelle Obama on Thursday in Florida. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“Django Unchained” star Jamie Foxx is also a big supporter and official endorser of the president. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Then-Senator Barack Obama posed with Eva Longoria at the National Hispanic Foundation For The Arts Annual ‘Noche de Gala’ on September 13, 2005 in Washington, DC. Longoria recently campaigned for the president in Las Vegas for the 2012 election. (Photo by Chris Greenberg/Getty Images)
Legendary actress Betty White, who also has said she usually stays out of politics, recently put her star power behind Obama, and publicly praised what he has done for America. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)
Alicia Keys (here with the president in 2011) has raised about $2.5 million for the Obama/Biden ticket. (Photo: Getty Images)
Usher, Kerry Washington and President Obama. (Photo: Getty)
President Barack Obama has received celebrity endorsements from literally dozens of members of America’s creative class. Ranging from fashion designers to rappers — and even chefs — the folks who power the nation’s culture industry have lined up to help ensure the success of the Obama/Biden ticket. Obama supporters such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Will Smith, George Clooney and more have not only helped raise money for the incumbent leader from their fellow artistic elites; they have also stirred the base of voters into action with the same star quality that has attracted millions of fans.
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President Obama’s top celebrity endorsers have generated millions of dollars and raised the social clout of the president by association through social media interactions. But will this be enough to move the needle and help the Democrats secure the White House?
Citing Oprah Winfrey’s magical effect in 2008, when it is estimated that her endorsement of then-Senator Obama inspired 1 million people to choose him at the polls, The Daily Beast is skeptical that luminaries can have the same impact today.
Rather than any one star having the power to make a definitive difference, “Celebrity fundraising—in the form of personal donations, event hosting, and even bundling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a cadre of other well-heeled constituents—is a significant aspect of this year’s campaign,” the online outlet theorizes.
The Obama endorsers listed above have been extremely powerful in this regard. Many have raised at least $1 million for the Obama/Biden campaign, and some, like Nicki Minaj — with massive Twitter followings — have lent their affiliation with younger voters to reduce the typical apathy with this portion of the base.
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From Katy Perry in her “ballot dress” to Obama joking about the many personalities of Nicki Minaj, the A-listers named above have put their considerable power to work on behalf of President Obama’s re-elect campaign while captivating the public. Whether their varying avenues of influence will significantly assist the president remains to be seen until election day.
Follow Alexis Garrett Stodghill on Twitter at @lexisb.
