US pop superstar Taylor Swift endorsed Democratic vice-president Kamala Harris for president on Tuesday in a message posted on Instagram immediately after the first presidential debate between Harris and former president Donald Trump ended.
Swift had been largely silent on the subject of the November presidential election, but said that she had been inspired to speak up after discovering AI-generated images of herself falsely endorsing Trump, which “conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation”.
The global megastar broke her silence on the current state of US politics on Tuesday, voicing support for Harris over Trump for the White House, and calling the Democratic candidate a “steady-handed, gifted leader.”
“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election,” she posted on Instagram in the minutes following a televised presidential debate that saw the candidates face off for the first time, which Swift said she had watched.
“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” Swift wrote. “I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”
She signed off her Instagram post by dubbing herself a “childless cat lady,” a swipe at a much-mocked sentiment expressed by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance which he had wielded in a bid to insult Democrati women.
Until Tuesday, Swift had been conspicuously quiet on the subject, even as many of her fans began organizing under the banner “Swifties for Kamala” and raising tens of thousands of dollars for the Democratic hopeful.
But the 34-year-old said that discovering that AI-generated images of her falsely endorsing Trump, which “conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” had inspired her to speak up.
“It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter,” she said. “The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth. She encouraged her legions of loyal fans to “do your research.”
Swift, fresh off the European leg of her blockbuster “Eras” tour, balked at explicitly telling her ardent supporters to vote Harris, instead saying “I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make.
Source: People
In other news – Malia Obama attends Deauville American Film Festival
Malia Obama, daughter of former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, has made a notable mark on the film industry.
At the recent Deauville American Film Festival, held in Deauville, France, Malia received the prestigious Young Spirit Award, according to Just Jared. Read more
