Oprah didn't matter. Maria Shriver didn't matter. Ted Kennedy didn't matter.

[Horse with no Name]

All of these people have been in and out of the public eye for a long time and frankly, the fact that they chose to endorse someone didn't really matter to me.
However, Caroline Kennedy matters. I just saw the commercial for Obama and it brought tears to my eyes. The fact that such a PRIVATE person was willing to come forward and not only endorse, but campaign for, a candidate matters.
I will tell you. I have MAJOR reservations about Obama and wish dearly that I was able to vote for John Edwards...but I was swayed to cast my vote for Obama by Caroline Kennedy.
I oft wonder if I am too biased and too partisan to see what might be there...and I am willing to concede that.
I am not an "Obamite" and I am not going to not criticize him for what I feel is wrong.
However, I have to vote for someone and if he is good enough for Caroline, he is good enough for me.

[DURHAM D]

1. Did you forget her inspirational and memorable speech for John Kerry

at the last convention.

Oops - pretty much everyone forgot it.

[AX10]

2. Endorsements don't sway me.

I chose Hillary because I prefer her. Not because some told me to do so.

[busymom]

9. I agree. me too.

[MonkeyFunk]

3. I agree her endorsement

had an emotional impact the others didn't. She's led a life of such quiet dignity, that seeing her out there for a candidate is jarring.

It's probably his best endorsement to date.

[DJ13]

4. De Niro matters too

He was the introductory speaker this morning at Obamas NJ rally.

[WinkyDink]

11. You talkin' to ME?

[Saturday]

5. I'm going to vote for the candidate that I think will do the best job.

Not because I am nostalgic over an endorsement.

[Horse with no Name]

6. Actually I don't see much difference in Obama and Clinton

and I felt that at least beat flipping a coin.:shrug:

[Barack_America]

7. I agree. And the fact that she gets up there to speak for him, though...

...she is obviously painfully shy means a lot. Her endorsement is very compelling.

[grantcart]

8. none of them matter but the cumulative effect will have an

impact in that it will change the subtle perception in how someone is percieved. In Obama's case it is a subtle but powerful counter argument regarding his depth of experience that will have an unconscious impact after repeated stories.

[Oskie]

10. Endorsements matter...or do they?

I respect Caroline Kennedy. But is she really an insider aware of the smoke and mirros going on at the highest levels of power in DC? Joe Wilson has a better grasp of the ugliness and reality of getting anything done when the cleverly hidden, cleverly worded special interests of both parties are ready to stifle whatever is meaningful to us, the people. Joe Wilson endorsed Hillary today.

[VolcanoJen]

Not really the point of endorsements.

Leave the smoky back rooms to the superdelegates, who in all likelihood are going to decide for us when this Democratic nomination process is over.

Maybe Caroline was never an operative. She was an almost-six year old who captured the heart of the world, clutching her mother's hand and walking behind her father's casket. Take that for what it's worth, but I certainly don't find it meaningless.

[sandnsea]

14. Joe Wilson endorsed Hillary eons ago

Why he is endorsing people who said to give Bush a pass on the yellowcake is beyond me. Yes there are insider smoke and mirrors going on and I don't trust anybody, in a position the Wilsons were in, who continue to say they believed there were WMD in Iraq in 2002. It's a lie.

[ErnestoG]

16. It's weird to me too. Wilson was swifted by people now giving Hillary advice.

[calico1]

12. I like Caroline Kennedy a lot.

She is a little older than I am and I have followed her life since I was a little girl. I think she is an intelligent, classy woman and respect her greatly. However, her endorsement of Obama did absolutely nothing to change my mind from voting for Hillary to instead vote for Obama. I respect her decision to support him and don't admire her any less. But endorsements mean nothing to me, not even those from people that I deeply admire.

[Egnever]

13. I agree Caroline matters

and even more so since she is doing live events. She has clearly stepped outside of her comfort zone for this and it touches me as well.

[Andromeda]

15. Caroline could sit in my lap

and ask me to vote for Obama and I would still vote for Hillary. I don't need anybody to tell me how to vote.

[EffieBlack]

17. Caroline wasn't talking to you . . .

I think she is directing her endorsement to those who are on the fence, who feel really good about Obama but are almost scared about it - those who think they may be feeling about him the way our parents felt about JFK, but are afraid that it may be too good to be true.

Caroline has stepped forward and validated their feelings - she's telling them, "I feel that way, too."

You might not fall into that category. If not, she's not talking to you.