A new book set to be released, "2024: How Trump Won Back the White House, and How the Democrats Lost America," has brought out one of the most attention-grabbing cultural political revelations in the 2024 election cycle — pop star Taylor Swift never truly built a working relationship with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, and there was even "behind-the-scenes discord."
The book reveals in detail that throughout the campaign, although Democratic leaders once enthusiastically wanted to push Swift onto the "star stage" of the campaign, creating an unprecedented feast of pop culture and politics, she ultimately kept her distance and refused to appear in any form at Harris's campaign events.
This decision not only disappointed the Democratic internal, but also sparked widespread speculation: why did a superstar who could rally millions on social media and actively supported Biden in 2020 choose silence in 2024?
Swift Never Showed Up, and Harris's Team Was Always Turned Away
According to the three authors of the book, Josh Doss, Taylor Pegge, and Isaac Arnsdorf, Swift's refusal was not due to time or security issues, but rather a cold private rejection.
Harris's husband, Doug Emhoff, who used to work as an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, had a good personal relationship with Swift's representative team. He tried to contact Swift through the old connections of his law firm, hoping for a public appearance or joint statement. However, Swift's lawyer Doug Bodrick gave an unusually brief response: "She would do what she thought was best." (Swift would do what Swift thought best.)
These seven words became Swift's "final reply" to the Harris team.
The authors point out that the campaign staff responsible for mobilizing celebrities were even explicitly told "not to contact" Swift again. Throughout the entire 2024 campaign season, she never appeared at any Democratic rally.
Swift vs. Trump: A Five-Year Public Feud
It is worth noting that Swift is not politically insensitive. On the contrary, she is one of the most direct voices in the entertainment industry opposing Trump in recent years.
In 2018, she first entered the political arena, publicly supporting a Democratic candidate in Tennessee, and posted on Instagram criticizing the Republican conservative policies towards women, LGBTQ communities, and minorities. This post led to a surge of 65,000 registered voters in the state.
In 2020, she not only campaigned for Biden multiple times on social media, but also expressed her "regret" for not openly opposing Trump in 2016 in the documentary "Taylor Swift: Miss Americana."
She once tweeted: "We will get you out, voting is the answer." — directly targeting the sitting Trump president.
She also candidly stated in an interview: "If you want to be seen as a hero, you can't always stay silent." This statement was both her first political declaration and a call for her fans to take action.
From this perspective, Swift was not unwilling to intervene in politics, but rather chose to support someone other than Harris in 2024 — someone she had previously openly supported, Biden.
Harris's Star Gamble: Big on Momentum, But Lacking Impact
Different from Biden's 2020 campaign, which was low-key and restrained against the backdrop of the pandemic, Harris in 2024 took the opposite route — building a "star coalition" in an attempt to boost polls, especially among young voters and minority groups.
Stars like Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen appeared at campaign events in Michigan, Georgia, and Wisconsin. There were even rumors that Beyoncé would perform with Harris at the Democratic National Convention, though she ultimately only appeared at a abortion rights rally in Houston, Texas, in October.
Swift's name appeared in every celebrity mobilization plan, yet she never fulfilled it.
On the night of the September debate, the Harris team hoped that a supportive post from Swift would create a public frenzy. She did post a photo with the caption "No kids, cat lady," a joke about the gender remarks of the Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance. The Democrats were overjoyed, and the Harris campaign even temporarily changed her exit song to Swift's "The Man."
But this spark of support failed to become a real flame.
Missed the Reading Night: The Last Possible Meeting That Never Happened
In the final week before the election, the Democrats focused on Pennsylvania and arranged for Harris to visit the area near Swift's hometown of Reading. Rumors spread, and many believed this would be Swift's "closing moment" of supporting Harris.
But the guests that night were Jon Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera, and 2 Chainz — no Swift. The authors wrote: "The atmosphere was lively, and it seemed that Swift appearing next to Harris was just a matter of time. But ultimately, that moment never arrived."
According to reports, the Democratic campaign headquarters did not take any measures to quell the rumors of "Swift showing up." Perhaps, they were also gambling, even if it was the last second miracle.
Behind-the-Scenes Fractures: Political Differences or Discontent with Strategy?
What hidden political judgment or emotional rift lies behind the failure of Harris and Swift to collaborate? This remains a mystery.
One view suggests that Swift does not trust Harris's campaign strategy itself. She had publicly supported Joe Biden and encouraged young voters to vote in the 2022 midterms. In contrast, Harris's campaign relied more on entertainment and emotional mobilization, lacking depth in policy issues.
Another possibility is that Swift does not want to be "co-opted" by a political figure again. After experiencing public attacks in 2018 and 2020 due to taking sides, her team is now more cautious in evaluating the consequences of each public statement.
And the Harris team themselves had disagreements about the star strategy. The book reveals that some staff members worried that the million-dollar concerts did not actually increase vote conversion. For example, sending Bruce Springsteen, who mainly appeals to white audiences, to a town in Georgia where 70% of the population are black and immigrants, caused internal controversy.
Silence, a More Bold Statement?
The 2024 U.S. election is a new game of identity, power, and mobilization. In this game, Taylor Swift missed the most dazzling position, but left the loudest silence.
She did not publicly criticize Harris, nor did she turn to other candidates. But she expressed her judgment through actions — not being used, not being symbolized, and not standing for anyone, simply because her name was useful. When the Harris team repeatedly tried to bring her closer to the political world, she chose to quietly retreat, leaving the right to speak to herself.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7524423991806427658/
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