Taylor Swift, endorsement for Kamala Harris: 'I am a cat lady without children'
The pop star sides with Democrats, attacking Trump and Vance. A stance that moves votes among young people, women and the LGBTQ+ world
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Taylor Swift announced her support for Kamala Harris on Tuesday evening, 10 September, just minutes before the conclusion of the first debate against Republican past president Donald Trump.
The move aligns the record-breaking pop star with the orientation of much of US show-biz, boosting the Democratic candidate's popularity among younger voters, women, as well as the LGBTQ+ world. Aware of Taylor Swift's potential to mobilise voters, Democrats have been speculating for months that she might offer an endorsement. And in the end, it's safe to say it came at the most opportune time.
The 'childless catwoman'
.Calling herself a Childless Cat Lady, an expression used by Trump's vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance to denigrate women who do not have children, Swift made an endorsement with a lengthy Instagram post depicting her posing with a cat in her arms. The singer declared her choice to vote for Harris 'because she stands up for rights and causes that I believe need a warrior to defend them. I believe she is a leader with a steady hand and I believe we can achieve so much more in this country if we are guided by calm and not chaos,' she added.
Harris's team shares
.The singer also praised the choice of Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate, saying she was "heartened and impressed" by a candidate "who has been fighting for decades for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF and women's right to their own bodies". Harris's team moved quickly to capitalise on Swift's support. Quentin Fulks, deputy campaign manager, said the endorsement 'means a lot to us. This is about Taylor Swift. We respect her endorsement and obviously she was watching and paying attention tonight,' Fulks said. Kamala shared the endorsement on social media, counting among the campaign's gadgets the famous friendship bracelets that appear at Swift's concerts, in the specific circumstance branded Harris-Walz. Taylor Swift's post with the endorsement of Kamala Harris garnered more than 9 million likes on Instagram in less than 24 hours.
Walz said she was "incredibly grateful" for Swift's support in an appearance on Msnbc, urging her fervent fans to join her in supporting Harris. Superfans of the global popstar have been scouring the singer's social accounts and public appearances, looking for signs of her Democratic allegiance. Swift, for example, endorsed President Joe Biden and Harris herself in 2020 and has made a handful of other pro-Dem public statements throughout her career. The 'soft power' she wields in 2024, on the strength of her Eras Tour record and the title of most influential person in the world attributed to her by Time, is, however, considerably greater than it was four years ago.
