What could be more surprising, and brave, than a wealthy celebrity endorsing a mainstream Democratic candidate? For John Legend, fellow pop star Taylor Swift clearly embodies those virtues.
Singer John Legend has praised Taylor Swift for her endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, but he described the move as a “risk.”
“It was always going to be very difficult for Taylor to support a liberal, progressive candidate because the country music fanbase is so conservative,” Legend said in a recent interview. Interview British Independent.
“It was a bigger risk for her than it was for me to start speaking out politically, and I always respected the fact that she was willing to take that risk.”
Legend, who is himself a consistent supporter of ruling Democrats, said he thought Swift's post on social media last week when she announced her endorsement of Kamala Harris was “the perfect statement.”
Supporting an establishment Democrat is actually one of the safest things a celebrity can do, especially if that politician is Kamala Harris, who is unconditionally beloved by Hollywood's most powerful executives.
Harris has long enjoyed special ties with the Hollywood elite who helped her rise through the ranks of California politics, and now they are stepping up their game by pumping billions of dollars into her campaign.
She is backed by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, CAA head Bryan Lord and Dana Walden, a Walt Disney Co. executive who not only oversees ABC News but is also a close friend of the vice president.
These powerful executives have the power to either boost or destroy a celebrity's career, and even a celebrity with supernova-level fame like Taylor Swift would be hesitant to go against their political will.
Swift posted her endorsement on Instagram late Tuesday, clearly timed to come just after the presidential debate, in which she announced she would be voting for Kamala but tempered her enthusiasm by urging her millions of fans to do their own research and vote however they please.
Ms. Harris's muted endorsement comes as she remains unpopular among many young progressive voters because of the Gaza war. Anti-Israel progressives have protested Ms. Kamala's events and last month's Democratic National Convention, many of whom are now flocking to alternative candidates such as the Green Party's Jill Stein.
Many experts had predicted that Swift's endorsement would boost Kamala Harris' prospects, but a new poll casts serious doubt on that.
As Breitbart News reported, YouGov Poll The majority of respondents (66%) said Swift's endorsement had no effect, while only 8% of voters said Swift's endorsement would make them “somewhat” or “a lot” more likely to vote for Kamala Harris.
Conversely, 20 percent said they were “somewhat” or “very likely” to vote for former President Donald Trump.
Follow David Ng on Twitter HelloHave a tip? Let us know at dng@breitbart.com.
