Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris after US presidential debate

Taylor Swift, one of pop music's most influential figures, has publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president following her debate against Donald Trump. Swift shared the announcement on Instagram, stating that her decision came after thorough research.

"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election," Swift posted on Tuesday night. "I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them."

Swift praised Harris as a "steady-handed, gifted leader," emphasising the importance of calm leadership. "I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos," she added.

In the same post, Swift addressed a comment made by JD Vance, Trump's vice-presidential pick, who in 2021 referred to prominent Democrats, including Harris, as "a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives." With a playful jab, Swift signed off her post as "Childless Cat Lady," along with a photo of her and her cat.

The Grammy-winning artiste also commended Harris's running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, for his long-standing advocacy on LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive health, and women's rights.

Swift felt compelled to reveal her voting decision after an AI-generated image falsely endorsing Trump appeared on his campaign website. "It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation," Swift said. "It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter."

While Swift joins a growing list of celebrities backing Harris, including John Legend, Olivia Rodrigo, and George Clooney, Trump has also attracted endorsements from figures like Elon Musk and Hulk Hogan.

Lauren Rosewarne, a media and politics expert from the University of Melbourne, downplayed the potential impact of Swift's endorsement. She noted that Swift's fan base, which is predominantly young and female, already leans toward Harris. "No surprise at all, she endorsed Biden and Harris in 2020, so we already knew her politics," Rosewarne said in an interview with the BBC.

However, Swift's influence on voter registration, especially among young voters, could be significant. With over 283 million Instagram followers, Swift's post garnered more than two million likes within half an hour.

In her Instagram post, Swift urged her fans to conduct their own research and emphasised the importance of first-time voters registering to vote. "I've done my research, and I've made my choice," she said. "Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make."

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The debate between Harris and Trump, which lasted 90 minutes, saw the candidates clash over key issues like abortion rights, the economy, and immigration. Swift's endorsement echoes her previous stance in the 2020 election when she supported Joe Biden and Kamala Harris against Trump.

Swift has been an outspoken critic of Trump in the past, especially during the height of the protests over George Floyd's murder. In a fiery tweet, she condemned Trump for fueling "white supremacy and racism," adding, "We will vote you out in November."