AVB, you have it right.
But I don't think anybody who is smart enough to actually go out and vote has ever said to themselves: "Well, if Kerry is good enough for Babs, then he's good enough for me".
The problem is more of a long term, constant barrage of negativity towards one candidate versus the other. When a bevy of uninformed schmucks call President Bush "dumb" or call the Iraq war an "Oil war", they usually don't know WHY they accept these to be true. But Ben Affleck said it, and it was confirmed by Michael Moore. They're both successful, so they must know something.
True it goes both ways. But if I want opinions on a candidate, I'll read it or watch television shows with hosts who state their position firmly.
It should never come from non-political, unsolicited sources who have gained the public adoration through their highly visible occupations.
Truth be told, I was happy when Schilling made his statement. But I'm even more happy that he appologized.