Daughter of 'The Duke' Backs 'The Donald'

Here's another example of how show business is intersecting with and in some cases consuming politics: Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has been endorsed by the daughter of the late movie actor John Wayne, and the event is being widely covered by the media as a serious campaign development.
"When you think about it, John Wayne represented strength, he represented power, he represented what the people are looking [for] today because we have exactly the opposite of John Wayne right now in this country," Trump said Tuesday in accepting the endorsement from Aissa Wayne in Iowa, which kicks off presidential primary voting with caucuses on Feb. 1. Trump added: "He represented real strength and an inner strength that you don't see very often, and that's why this endorsement, it meant so much to me."

Of course, Wayne rose to fame by playing a symbol of power and strength in the movies, not by being one in real life. Similarly, Trump has taken his own tough-guy persona from his hit TV show, "The Apprentice," and made it his persona on the campaign trail.
Trump also told reporters, according to ABC News, Time and other news outlets, that Aissa Wayne's backing "is very important to me because of John and his whole legacy. I met him one time and it made such an impression. When you talk about bigger than life, there aren't too many people bigger than life."
Aissa Wayne made the endorsement at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset, Iowa. With Trump at her side, she told reporters, "The reason I am here to support Mr. Trump is because America needs help, and we need a strong leader, and we need someone like Mr. Trump with leadership qualities, someone with courage, someone who is strong like John Wayne."

The endorsement is another example of the celebritization of politics and government. As I point out in my book "Celebrity in Chief," Americans are increasingly drawn to leaders who have celebrity qualities and can hold public attention, and part of this dynamic is having celebrities give endorsements and create buzz in popular culture.
President Barack Obama has benefited from such endorsements during his political career, gaining support from stars like television personality Oprah Winfrey.
Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, also has gotten the backing of many celebrities, including Robert DeNiro, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Katy Perry.