Can Taylor Swift help Mr. Biden win re-election as president? 0
(Dan Tri) – Experts say that celebrities usually do not have too much influence in American elections, but they can attract voters’ attention to certain issues.
Taylor Swift took photos with fans in Toronto, Canada in September 2022 (Photo: Reuters).
When America is only 9 months away from the 2024 presidential election, candidates are looking for ways to increase their chances of winning.
Despite Mr. Biden’s confusion between Taylor Swift and Britney Spears in November, Democrats still have many reasons to be optimistic: This singer tends to support the Democratic Party and publicly supported Mr. Biden in his election.
With a leading position in the American music industry, Taylor Swift’s influence on American society is not small.
`Some celebrities like Taylor Swift can have a significant impact on fans. Taylor Swift has expressed her political views in the past and is increasingly of interest to fans. However, the decision to vote is often
Motives that make celebrities speak out
Analysts generally assess that Mr. Biden and former President Donald Trump will likely `rematch` next November in the race for the White House.
`Both parties have famous figures supporting their candidates. Usually, the Democratic Party has more very famous individuals publicly supporting it than the Republican Party,` associate professor Mark Harvey at the University
According to Mr. Harvey, celebrities want to speak up because they think this is the candidate that suits their interests as well as America’s.
`Like any American citizen, celebrities can support a candidate. Their motivations are fundamentally similar. If they believe a candidate best represents their interests and prosperity
However, Ms. Nisbett has a different opinion.
`Every celebrity has their own motivation, to reach a certain audience, express an opinion or achieve something. I don’t think there is any particular trend, but they seem to be vocal in their support in a certain way.`
However, famous people are not always willing to express their own opinions.
He pointed out that some people are worried about offending fans with opposing views.
In addition, individuals working in some fields tend to speak up more boldly than others.
Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump in a debate before the 2020 US presidential election (Photo: Reuters).
On the contrary, athletes tend to be cautious because professional sports leagues may discourage them from expressing their opinions, as in the case of Colin Kaepernick, who started the movement to kneel during the US national anthem.
`Many athletes also advertise consumer products. Some companies don’t want customers to boycott their products,` Mr. Harley said.
Change in the digital age
According to Ms. Nisbett, celebrities supporting certain candidates in elections is not new to America.
`There is no shortage of examples in history of politicians taking advantage of celebrity fame to attract attention to a campaign or issue. For example, Frank Sinatra (mid-century American music legend
However, social networks have brought many changes, she said.
According to Mr. Harvey, the popularity of social networks as well as the increasing polarization in society makes Americans more expect idols to express their opinions.
Many Taylor Swift fans were unhappy when the singer did not publicly oppose Mr. Trump before the race for the White House in 2016 or did not participate in the American women’s march in January 2017.
`From a safe, non-political position, she was pushed to a situation where staying silent was harmful to her reputation,` Mr. Harvey said.
According to experts, American political culture respects freedom of opinion expression.
`Most people tend to like what celebrities say, if those statements are similar to what they believe,` Mr. Harvey said.
However, their actual influence on election results is often not much.
`Most people base their decisions on other factors. They look at the economic situation or evaluate whether they think the country is going in the wrong direction. There is almost no evidence of popular support.`
However, it is not without exceptions.
Influence of stars
Oprah Winfrey with former US President Barack Obama and his wife.
Ms. Nisbett believes that the role of celebrities is to attract attention to a certain issue, instead of directly influencing voting decisions.
`Therefore, if a famous figure supports a certain candidate or issue, search volume will increase and this topic will become a top trend on social networks,` she said.
If a celebrity has a history of advocacy or association with a certain issue, he or she will have greater credibility when advocating for that issue.
`Bono (Irish musician, singer and humanitarian campaigner) of the rock group U2 is educated and has experience negotiating in global policy makers, so he has great reputation. Elton John is trusted.
Experts also say that all segments of the population are influenced by celebrities, but young people tend to be influenced a little more, not only by idols but also by other fans.
`Young people are attracted to younger celebrities, or at least people who are important to them. Older people seem to be more attached to those of the same generation,` Mr. Harley said.
For her part, Taylor Swift has not yet officially voiced her support for any candidate.
According to a survey released by consulting firm Redfield & Wilton Strategies at the end of January, 18% of voters said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate supported by Taylor Swift.
`This year, many speculate that President Biden will benefit from Taylor Swift’s support, especially in appealing to young voters who often do not have high voting rates. However, is that true?
