Kamala Harris’ candidacy is over And so is Hollywood celebrity endorsement.
He officially killed him too.
His failed bid for the presidency was turned into a carefully staged three-month variety show with spectacular performances, boldface speakers, and the support of La La Land’s most polite citizens.
Why not? This worked very well for Hillary Clinton and her 2016 “fight song.”
When a majority of voters say the country is headed in the wrong direction and they are being crushed economically by inflation, don’t worry about policy. Offer them a song.
Sung by a rich man. preferably a very rich person with a mansion – who can also lecture them on how to vote.
On the eve of Election Day, Oprah introduced Harris at a massive Philly rally, where Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga performed, while Christina Aguilera and Katy Perry took the stage in other cities.
working man busker bruce springsteen Sung on the track like Megan Thee Stallion. Beyonce? She appeared in Houston. Cardi B, Jennifer Lopez and Fat Joe all spoke at Harris rallies. Taylor Swift supported him.
Marvel actors “The Avengers stage Zoom to ‘save democracy’Jon Bon Jovi also released a vanity song with the support of Harris. (Enough reason to vote against him!)
Lizzo, for her part, spoke at Harris’ Detroit rally and then posted a very relatable video of herself boarding a private jet.
Then came the Al Smith Dinner, a traditional stop for presidential candidates to share a moment of bipartisanship and self-deprecating humor.
Instead of showing, Harris sent a pathetic video with Molly Shannon Like her SNL character Mary Katherine Gallagher flying.
It was a perfect summary of his campaign: He said a few words and then let the celebrity do the heavy lifting. And it landed flat.
Yes, everyone who attended the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party came out for her. They were shocked, they knocked on doors and they posted about it on social media for virtue points.
And voters saw right through it.
Even though Harris’s slogan was “We’re not going back” the campaign backfired strongly, taking DeLorean into 2008.
Back when Hollywood A-listers meant something here. Obama was at the helm, and bringing in Julia Roberts or George Clooney for a campaign meant dazzling an important constituency – People magazine readers in Middle America.
Before this the Democratic Party had completely abandoned the working class. Talked to him below. They were told they were racist or bigoted for not putting their pronouns in their bio.
But this is 2024 and post-Covid, cultural change has come into focus. The power of glossy magazines, movie studios and other institutions has collapsed under the weight of the Internet that democratized the flow of entertainment and information.
The influence is in the hands of people like Joe Rogan and the other streamers and podcasters who came after him. The so-called “manosphere”.
At Trump’s victory party last night, UFC head Dana White took the stage to express his gratitude to the podcasters who interviewed Trump and Vance.
“I want to thank the NELK Boys, Adin Ross, Theo Vaughn, Bussin’ with the Boys. And last but not least, the mighty and powerful Joe Rogan,” he said of himself. friend who supported republican,
Not that Trump — himself a celebrity — is without his small group of boldfacers. However, they are more drawn from another era and slightly less elitist.
People like Hulk Hogan and “God Bless the USA” singer Lee Greenwood add more embellishment to their carefully crafted MAGA universe, the purpose of which is not to reassure voters but to create an image.
And other powerful backers, like White and Elon Musk, are businessmen who became iconic cultural figures not for reciting lines, but for creating a meaningful product.
Team Trump has managed to see and exploit this shift, speaking to regular voters and addressing their real needs.
In the meantime, Harris will always remember the fall of 2024, when he got to see some great concerts.
