Mike Bloomberg just released a new campaign ad featuring the most trusted jurist in America. It’s not the Chief Justice, but — for a billionaire candidate who needs to connect with working class voters — someone much better: Judith Sheindlin, known in most homes as TV’s “Judge Judy.”
Celebrity endorsements are a well-worn part of politics, of course, but they typically deliver less than candidates hope for: A quick rush of headlines, maybe, but most voters don’t ultimately make choices based on their favorite television characters.
Sheindlin could be different.
That has a lot to do with her brand of television and how her massive audience — nearly ten million people a day — views her.
The 30-second commercial, titled “Judge Him,” shows Sheindlin sitting in what looks like judicial chambers, advocating for Bloomberg’s “steady leadership” in “very challenging times.” The setting and the atmosphere capitalize on what the former New York family court judge has spent nearly 25 television seasons building: credibility.
Audience studies conducted during my years as a CBS executive working with the “Judge Judy” show consistently ranked her as tough, fair, honest and direct — attributes any politician would die for. Her standing in our wider popular culture runs high: According to a 2013 poll, more Americans trust Judge Judy than any of the Supreme Court justices. A 2016 survey revealed 10 percent of college graduates believe she actually already serves on the highest court in the land.
