‘Swifties for Kamala’ Raises More Than $120,000 in Webinar Featuring Self-Proclaimed ‘Cat Lady’ Carole King

“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” is the tongue-in-cheek message the grassroots group, Swifties for Kamala, is sending after raising more than $120,000 during a quirky, Gen-Z-led kickoff webinar last night.The online event, which received more than 27,000 signups, was rife with Taylor Swift-themed jokes and puns, and even showcased Ms. King delivering an impromptu rendition of Ms. Swift’s hit song, “Shake It Off.” After the organization’s Gen-Z co-founders delivered opening remarks, Senator Warren — who noted that “Karma” is her favorite Taylor Swift song — took the (virtual) stage as the first guest speaker and delivered a speech urging her fellow Swifties to “take on bullies” like “Donald Trump.” “I am looking forward to the era of the first woman president. So please, get in the fight, knock on doors, make phone calls, and let’s elect Kamala Harris the next president of the United States,” Ms. Warren said. “Swifties, you can get this done.” Other politicians in the lineup included Senator Gillibrand, Senator Markey, Representative Chris Deluzio, Representative Becca Balint, and the chairwoman of the North Carolina Democratic Party, Anderson Clayton. The event’s special guest, legendary singer-songwriter and self proclaimed “cat lady,” Ms. King, described Ms. Swift as her “musical and song-writing granddaughter,” adding that the two share “a lovely relationship” and that “I’m so proud of her.” She then offered tips for Swifties to do door-to-door and online political canvassing, disclosing that she, herself “even as a famous person” has been a “volunteer” and a “door knocker.” Ms. King ended her guest appearance singing the chorus of “Shake It Off” — much to the surprise and delight of her hosts. “Oh my gosh. I’m so, um, wow. I really was not expecting Shake It Off, a surprise song segment of this evening, so I’m a little bit thrown,” one of the organization’s co-founders, Irene Kim, said, catching her breath. The organization is supported by a number of staff members — including a political director, campaign manager, social media manager, and yes, even a “friendship bracelet coordinator.” The mostly young and female staff, however, made an effort to emphasize the professional nature of the organization, and thwart any suggestion that “Swifties are just about making little posts and little bracelets.” “We do those things, but you can see with the intentionality of this call that we have put a lot of thought into making sure everyone is included, and we are providing opportunities, and we are giving the resources for people to be involved and civically engaged this cycle,” said the Swifties for Kamala campaign manager, Annie Wu Henry. “Swifties are no one you want to mess with,” she added. At the end of the nearly two-hour long event, the hosts announced a raffle for Swifties to enter to win two Eras Tour Toronto tickets and $3,000 to cover travel and hotel expenses. The catch? You earn raffle entries when your friends check their voter registration status.Notably absent from the rally, however, was the organization’s namesake, Ms. Taylor Swift herself. The pop star has yet to offer a formal presidential endorsement this election cycle — a fact that has not gone unaddressed by the organization’s founders. “We’re not trying to make her do anything — we do not speak for Taylor. Our movement is about the power of our community and how we can mobilize together,” one of the co-founders, Ms. Kim, previously told Cosmopolitan. A similar explanation was offered by the champion of the rival, “Swifties for Trump” movement, Jenna Piwowarczyk, who rose to fame after being featured in a viral post by President Trump on his Truth Social platform. “Listen, I know that Taylor’s a leftist,” she told the Sun. “A lot of people are saying Taylor Swift hates Trump. I know everyone knows that. But this is about Swifties. This is a movement for the fans.” However, it seems that a large portion of Swifties actually do care about whether their pop-icon discloses her personal political views. According to a recent YouGov poll, nearly half of the Swiftie respondents agreed that she should publicly endorse political candidates, while 30 percent said she should not speak publicly about politics and 24 percent noted that they were unsure. Further, 48 percent of Swifties said that they believe Ms. Swift is a Democrat, while 7 percent believe that she is a Republican. That is likely guided by the fact that the pop star offered an endorsement of President Biden back in 2020. While interest in the pop-icon’s political leanings runs high, her political endorsement seems to have little impact on how Swifties plan to vote in November. A whopping 71 percent of fans in the same study said that Ms. Swift’s political nod of approval would “make no difference” in who they decide to vote for.

‘Swifties for Kamala’ Raises More Than $120,000 in Webinar Featuring Self-Proclaimed ‘Cat Lady’ Carole King

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