Endorsement 101 for Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senatorial and Local candidates

I wonder if there’s a text, document, research or book that would show the trends, how-to’s and other pertinent information on strategizing on endorsers for your own electoral campaign, or for people to know how to effectively, efficiently and, of course, economically endorse your own candidates, both for local and national positions. That sure will be one hit piece of reading for your politicos, or wannabe politician.

In a report by Jing Castañeda of ABS-CBN, released yesterday night by TV Patrol World, the latest surveys show that people would not vote for a candidate who will be endorsed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and former President Fidel V. Ramos. It has no positive effect, instead, it will prove to be unpalatable for the voters if certain personalities endorse who they will vote for this coming May 2010 elections.

According to that report, 51% of the voters will surely not vote for a candidate who will be endorsed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. This surely backs up what was rumored as a “kiss of death,” for a politician who identifies or brands himself or herself with the President. Mon Casiple, a political analyst, said that, “it worsened when she decided to run again for Congress, and perpetuate herself in power.”

On the other hand, 41% of the voters will surely not vote for a candidate who will be endorsed by former President Fidel V. Ramos, according to the same survey report.

It was also made clear that those endorsed by religious leaders, or those claiming to be one, such as Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and Brother Mike Velarde, will have negative effects on the voters. 44% of the voters will surely not for a candidate who will be endorsed by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, while 41% of the voters said that they will surely not vote for candidates endorsed by El Shaddai’s Brother Mike Velarde.

In the same report, celebrity endorsers also prove to have negative effects on their endorsements. 41% of the voters will surely not vote for candidates endorsed by People’s Champ Manny Pacquiao, 35% said that they will surely not vote for candidates endorsed by Wowowee’s Willie Revillame, while 31% of the voters said they will surely not vote candidates who will be endorsed by veteran comedian-actor Dolphy.

Instead, only the candidates endorsed by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who was supposedly running for the presidency this 2010 elections but later backed out, and actress and talk-show host Kris Aquino, have the possibility to be voted for by the voters. 39% of the voters said that they would probably vote for candidates endorsed by Sen. Chiz Escudero, while 31% said that they would probably vote for candidates endorsed by Kris Aquino.

Still the largest positive rating at 40%, voters said that they would probably vote for candidates endorsed by the church that they belong in.

It was also noted that political advertisements and endorsements aren’t enough to sway or convince voters to vote for a particular candidate. They say that the voters now are more mature and they make their choices after careful selection from the candidates’ pool.

Personally, I do not believe in surveys because they only offer a snapshot of a certain group of people at a particular time, when the survey was taken. The real survey, as people have already said, will still be on the Election Day on May 10.

Surveys, admit it or not, just frame the mindsets of people, and would favor the leading candidate or “the lesser of the two evils,” as one candidate who is also running for President has retorted in a recent statement.

In fact, in my opinion, it should be reviewed and studied if COMELEC, in the future, can ban the release of these surveys in the public, to level the playing field and so that it would not influence, intentionally or unintentionally, the choice of the people; instead, they should focus more on the platform, and other pertinent characteristics one is looking for in the leader of this nation.

For now, both Kris Aquino and Senator Chiz Escudero are in Senator Noynoy Aquino’s camp, and more or less the other endorsers namely Manny Pacquiao, Willie Revillame and Dolphy are in Senator Manny Villar’s camp. Does this show that the odds are in favor of the LP candidate?

One thing’s for sure; I personally know that there are talks inside the camp of Senator Chiz Escudero of a possibility of a release of an ad in support for or endorsement of Senator Noynoy Aquino. As to when it will be released or if it will be released at all, let’s just wait and see.

----------------
Endorsement 101 for Presidential, Vice-Presidential, Senatorial and Local candidates is written and published for Blogwatch - The Philippine Online Chronicles