Taylor Swift, childless cat lady, endorses Kamala Harris

Not for the first time, Taylor Swift has proved she can hijack a major global event better than anyone. The pop star posted on social media after the US presidential debate between former US president Donald Trump and US vice president Kamala Harris to declare she was endorsing Harris for president.

Swift encouraged her followers (all 283 million of them) to do their own research, but said she was backing Democratic candidate Harris because “she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them”.

Taylor Swift has turned her back previously on US presidential contender Donald Trump.

Swift called Harris a “steady-handed, gifted leader”, while also praising her selection of running mate, Tim Walz, a man who “has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades”.

Swift’s lengthy post was partly inspired by Trump’s decision to share a false Swift endorsement created by AI. “The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth,” she wrote.

Swift included a picture of herself holding one of her three cats, signing off the post, “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady”, a reference to Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance’s criticism of prominent Democrats as “childless cat ladies”.

Swift’s endorsement of Harris is the latest celebrity intervention in a race to the White House that has been increasingly defined by A-listers.

“I think we can overstate the influence of celebrities in politics, but they do have an impact. Let’s not forget a George Clooney op-ed in The New York Times had a significant impact on [US President Joe] Biden’s viability as the candidate,” said Dr Emma Shortis, a senior researcher in international and security affairs at The Australia Institute.

“It is not a surprising endorsement at all, but the timing is important. Swift’s ability to potentially mobilise an enormous base of young women motivated by reproductive rights shouldn’t be underestimated, especially since the polls suggest that it will likely be incredibly close.”

Historically, Swift has been reluctant to become involved in politics but has increasingly gone public with her preferences in the last few years. In 2018, Swift posted a message on Instagram endorsing two Democratic candidates in her home state of Tennessee and urging people to register to vote, causing a spike in registrations.

Taylor Swift voting during the last US election.Credit: Taylor Swift/Instagram

By 2020, a newly engaged Swift found her voice, endorsing Biden’s election bid during an interview with Vogue and accusing Trump of “stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency” in a tweet.

“Swift has always been careful in her political endorsements, which was obviously a marketing decision,” Shortis said. “She is a businesswoman who is conscious of her markets, but she’s also big enough now to weather the storm, which explains why she’s more vocal.”

Following the debate, Harris’ team moved quickly to capitalise on Swift’s endorsement. Quentin Fulks, Harris’ deputy campaign manager, said the endorsement “means a lot to us”.

“It’s Taylor Swift. We respect her endorsement, and she was obviously watching and paying attention tonight,” Fulks said.

The campaign shared her endorsement on its social media accounts and started taking pre-orders for Harris-Walz friendship bracelets, a nod to gifts Swift’s fans exchange at her concerts. In an appearance on MSNBC, Walz said he is “incredibly grateful” for Swift’s support, urging her fervent fan base to join her in supporting the ticket.

“Swifties, KamalaHarris.com. Get on over there. Give us a hand. Get things going,” he said.

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