The Election Gets D-Listed

When Oprah Winfrey stumped for Barack Obama earlier this month, political wonks and book clubbers alike began speculating about the "Oprah effect." What kind of bounce, they wondered, could Obama expect from the Queen of Talk's endorsement? Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, meanwhile, was said to benefit from the backing of tough-guy actor Chuck Norris. Backing from high-profile celebs can help a candidate; at the very least they inspire fans to take a second look at the chosen politician. But a public endorsement from an adult-film star is a whole other kettle of fish. Check out some of the wacky D-lister endorsements of 2008 so far:

Hillary Clinton  

Marla Maples, former Mrs. Donald Trump, TV host
In addition to donating $2,000 to Clinton's campaign, the one-time Miss Hawaiian Tropic and, perhaps more memorably, former Mrs. Donald Trump, has urged others to jump on the Hillary bandwagon. In a mass e-mail to friends, Maples called Hillary "very clear, very focused, and I feel we will at last have a voice and be received with a welcoming and open ear."

Jenna Jameson, porn star
The adult-film actress and best-selling author of "How to Make Love Like a Porn Star" reminisced wistfully in a May interview about Bill Clinton's White House years: "The Clinton administration was the best years for the adult industry, and I wish that Clinton would run again." Mr. Clinton may be term-limited, but Jameson is equally happy to support his wife.

Jerry Springer, talk show host
In the 2004 presidential elections the King of Sleaze TV supported fellow former Ohio mayor Dennis Kucinich (Springer served two terms as mayor of Cincinnati, while Kucinich spent two years as mayor of Cleveland). This time around Springer is backing Clinton. In March he made the maximum $4,600 donation to her campaign and told the Chicago Sun-Times in early November that "she is smart. I don't just mean clever. I mean smart."

John Edwards

Harry Belafonte, singer/performer
While campaigns typically tout celebrity endorsements, Edwards was not overeager to publicize that of Harry Belafonte (who admittedly isn't exactly D-list; Belafonte won several Grammys and an Emmy). Instead of sending out a media advisory, the Edwards camp quietly posted an item on its campaign blog. Perhaps Edwards wanted to distance himself from Belafonte (known for singing the "Banana Boat Song"), who in January 2006 called President Bush "the greatest terrorist in the world."

James Denton, actor
The hunky "Desperate Housewives" star didn't pick his candidate on primary platforms alone. A native of Tennessee, Denton says Edwards is the only candidate who can win over Southern good ol' boys like himself. "We're all rednecks," Denton said after November's Democratic debate in Las Vegas. "Nobody I know would vote for anybody but Edwards."