September 11, 2024
Jeremy Smith; imageSPACE; Sipa USA/Rick Cinclair; USA TODAY NETWORK
Pop star and Berks County native Taylor Swift wrote in an Instagram post Tuesday night that she would vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election, urging her followers to do their own research and register to vote.
Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris after Tuesday night's presidential debate in Philadelphia drew a range of reactions from political pundits, with one calling it the "most important" celebrity endorsement ever and another dismissing it as predictable.
In an Instagram post, Swift wrote that she watched the debate, "done my research" and will vote for the vice president in the 2024 election "because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them." She noted she was endorsing Harris in part to combat misinformation suggesting she backs former President Donald Trump.
Swift, 34, a Berks County native, also encouraged her 283 million followers to register to vote.
On MSNBC, pundit Lawrence O'Donnell said he has never been impressed by celebrity endorsements, but that Swift's is one that may resonate beyond the Democrats' base supporters.
"This is, I think, the most important celebrity endorsement we've ever seen in a presidential campaign, especially because it is so close, and it can make that kind of difference," O'Donnell said. He added that the timing of Swift's post was well-timed and called the endorsement "perfect and powerful."
Commentator Joy Reid also touted the importance of the endorsement, saying Swift is "not just a celebrity" but someone with a "command" of young, white women – a demographic that Reid said Democrats have failed to attract in the past.
CNN correspondent Abby Phillip acknowledged the significance of having "the most powerful force in pop culture on your side," but she offered another take.
"The one contrarian view I will say is that in this moment, the thing the Harris campaign needs perhaps the most is to figure out how to reach men," Phillip said. "They've got to figure it out here in Pennsylvania. They've got to figure out how to reach Black men. And I'm not sure Taylor Swift helps them with that."
On "Fox and Friends First," FOX News contributor Joe Concha downplayed the endorsement as a predictable move, because Swift has endorsed Democrats in previous election cycles.
"We knew this was coming all along, so when you know something's coming, I don't think it (moves the needle) in any way shape or form, quite frankly," Concha said. "I know she has influence, but most people that I guess listen to Taylor Swift probably knew she was gonna do this anyway. Nonetheless, we'll hear about this for the next three or four days."
Trump called into "Fox and Friends" on Wednesday and was asked about Swift's endorsement, saying he was a fan of Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Swift is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. "She's a big Trump fan," the Republican said of Brittany Mahomes.
"I was not a Taylor Swift fan. It was just a question of time," Trump said. "You couldn't possibly endorse Biden. You look at Biden — you couldn't endorse him. But she's a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat, and she'll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace."
