Celebrity Spectacle Influence on Young Voters in the 2004 Presidential Campaign: What to Expect in 2008

Media attention to celebrities during the 2004 U.S. presidential campaign was substantial. This article traces some of the more remarkable celebrity roles throughout the campaign. Through an account of journalistic experience, the authors provide evidence of the way celebrity spectacle dominated much of the campaign rhetoric in the 2004 election. Analysis of what to expect in the future suggests only increased attention to the role of celebrities in U.S. politics as the line between information and entertainment is blurred.