"Head...Shoulders...Knees and...SOCKS!"

Tom Cruise has announced that he will keep his vote in the upcoming U.S. Presidential election to himself.

Cruise Says He's Keeping Vote Private

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Tom Cruise says he respects the right of entertainers to participate in political campaigning, but his vote in the upcoming presidential election will remain private.

During a news conference in Mexico's capital Monday to promote the local release of "Collateral," Cruise was asked his preference when it comes to President Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry.

"Politics is something that is very personal to me," Cruise said. "I am not going to comment publicly (about) who I'm going to vote for. ... I don't want what I say to become a political football."

But when asked how he feels about other performers lobbying for their favorite candidate, Cruise signaled his approval.

"It's their right to do that and I respect that," said Cruise, appearing next to posters of the gray and grizzled hit man he plays in "Collateral."

"But I do believe and I encourage people to go out and study the issues, get beyond the propaganda," he said.

Now I'm torn here. On the one hand I say "Yay Tom Cruise!" You go encouraging people to look past the propaganda and make an informed decision.

On the other hand - don't you think (and maybe I'm reading too much into this because of my not-so-liking of Tom Cruise) but isn't it a bit arrogant to think that others will blindly follow his lead?

Sadly, he's probably right. My not-liking of Tom Cruise comes from a college roommate. She was obsessed with him. In addition to all the movie posters, every soundtrack, and VHS available, she had two HUGE THICK binders of clippings and photos. And let me remind you she was a junior in college. She had me helping her fill out hundreds of postcards so that she could mail them to MTV and win a trip to Ireland for the premiere of "Far and Away." We came home one night to find her watching the Golden Globes - and then Tom Cruise came out on stage introduced as the star of Top Gun - and it was 1993 already.

So sadly, I would say that people like her (although now I like to think that she has changed over the past ten years) would probably vote just like him because Tom Cruise was doing it.

Celebrities have an interesting effect on voters. I wonder how many people voted for Arnold Schwarzenegger because of his celebrity vs. his politics. It should be interesting to see what effect Bruce Springsteen and all his friends and their little tour of the swing states has, if any. I mean Alec Baldwin didn't exactly inspire a mass exodus to Canada after W was declared the winner four years ago.

Me...I shall also be keeping my vote a secret. Known only to me, Spouse, and Child who will come with. Because heaven forbid I influence American voters within the online blog community of Mindsay!