Kamala Harris campaign wary of turning DNC into a Hollywood production; Hillary Clinton's bid leaves behind lesson on…
Sources claim Harris-Walz campaign doesn't want to overdo celebrity involvement at the DNC – something which Hillary Clinton's campaign blew out of proportion.
Despite the recent roaring cries surrounding the “Swifties for Harris” movement, the Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, seems to be going a different way. The present-day US vice president's campaign for the 2024 election bid is not feeling the Hollywood fever for the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
Sources with direct knowledge have come forward with bold claims that the Harris-Walz campaign is limiting celebrity involvement in the forthcoming prestigious Chicago-based event. Spilling details about how the Kamala Harris campaign is anxious about the DNC being portrayed as a “Hollywood liberal elite” episode, sources told TMZ that officials have seemingly learnt a lesson from Hillary Clinton's election bid. At the time, the Democratic Party's 2016 nominee for president of the United States largely relied on celebrities' influence to push her campaign. However, it all ended up working against them.
As a result, the Harris campaign has reportedly put a cap on celebrity appearances to balance out its accessibility to the country's average person.
Celebrities supporting the Kamala Harris campaign
Taylor Swift is already booked and busy with her ongoing Eras Tour, which barely leaves room on her calendar to headline the convention's performances. On the contrary, Beyonce is heavily rumoured to take the lead, having already granted the Harris campaign permission to use her 2016 hit “Freedom” as the theme song for the first Black female presidential nominee. However, TMZ's sources also turned the tables on these speculations, casting doubt on any Queen Bey performance at the DNC closing or a campaign rally.
Nevertheless, it's only inevitable that the event will possibly end up being a star-studded affair, given how many celebrities, including John Legend, Megan Thee Stallion, George Clooney, Charli XCX, Cynthia Nixon and others, have publicly punched in their support for Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The outlet seemingly confirmed Legend's presence at the event. Additionally, the Daily Beast said that Oscar nominees Jeffrey Wright, Octavia Spencer and Boyz II Men, among others, are expected to be in attendance at this year's convention.
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The road to the 2024 DNC, set to begin on August 19 in the Windy City, is going to be tough for the Harris campaign because if these claims hold any truth, they will presumably have to turn down many celebrities hoping to be involved in the convention. This aspect especially takes the cake because insiders reported that Harris' team was flooded with inquiries from prominent A-list artists to join her campaign as soon as Joe Biden pulled out of the presidential race.
What the Harris For President campaign said about celebrity involvement
Contradicting the aforementioned report, Adrienne Elrod, senior spokesperson of the Harris For President campaign, highlighted how celebrities play a consequential role in bringing in new voters: “We are living in the most personalised media environment ever, so it's crucial we are leveraging the unparalleled excitement around this historic ticket by doing everything we can to break through to the voters who will decide this election.”
"Celebrities bring new voters into the fold by speaking authentically to their fan bases about the election and the issues at stake in ways only they can."