Washington: In a boost to Democratic candidate Kamala Harris' campaign, global popstar Taylor Swift has endorsed the Vice President and her running mate Tim Walz for the upcoming election after the presidential debate concluded between Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump. Swift made the endorsement to her 283 million followers on Instagram and said she will vote for Harris in the November 5 elections.
Swift's post included an image of the singer with a cat and her statement was signed off as "childless cat lady" in an apparent dig at remarks previously made by Trump's running mate JD Vance. "Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most," she said. The post had been liked nearly 2 million times within 25 minutes.
With this endorsement, Swift put at rest earlier rumours claiming that she would be supporting Donald Trump in the elections. These rumours came after Trump had earlier reposted an image of Taylor Swift in an Uncle Sam outfit and accepted her endorsement for his campaign, which she had never given.
"Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth," she said on her Instagram post.
"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades," she added.
How will Swift's endorsement impact the elections?
Swift is a popular figure across the United States, but especially among Democrats. An October 2023 Fox News poll found that 55 per cent of voters overall, including 68 per cent of Democrats, said they had a favourable view of Swift. Republicans were divided, with 43 per cent having a favourable opinion and 45 per cent an unfavourable one.
The endorsement is the biggest for Harris from the entertainment industry. Many Hollywood actors, producers and filmmakers have said they viewed Harris, a native Californian, as their hometown candidate. Swift has supported Democrats in the past, including President Joe Biden in 2020.
Harris' running mate Tim Walz, who was on air on MSNBC when the endorsement was announced, said he was "incredibly grateful." He appealed "Swifties" to "get things going" when asked about the endorsement.
US Presidential Debate: Trump vs Harris
The first US presidential debate between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump concluded in a fiery exchange in Philadelphia on Wednesday (Indian time), with both launching a series of personal attacks on each other as they sought a campaign-altering moment in their closely fought election. Kamala Harris managed to put Donald Trump on the defensive on several issues, prompting the latter to retort angrily with a series of dubious claims.
The candidates clashed over issues such as immigration, foreign policy and healthcare, but the debate was light on specific policy details. Harris went on the offensive, succeeding in putting the focus on Trump. The former President initially avoided insults during the early moments but became increasingly agitated under Harris' offensive. Most analysts agreed that Harris had the upper hand in the debate, while Trump's supporters criticised ABC News for a biased debate.
(with agency input)
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