EDITORS DESK

I was starstruck when Taylor Swift and Beyoncé endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 US presidential election.

Wait, there's more! Other celebrities who lent star power to Harris include Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, the cast of “The Avengers,” Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, Katy Perry, Meryl Streep, Bruce Springsteen, the Obamas, the Clintons, Eminem, and Ariana Grande.

Unfortunately, star power failed to sway the vote. Ultimately, Donald Trump defeated Harris in the presidential race.

In case you're interested, celebrities who endorsed Trump included Elon Musk, Mel Gibson, Zachary Levi, Jim Caviezel, Dean Cain, Scott Baio, Hulk Hogan, John Voight, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, James Woods, Dr. Phil, Kid Rock, Roseanna Barr, Rob Schneider, Amber Rose, and Kanye. They are less impressive than the star lineup for Harris.

Both Trump and Harris leveraged their celebrity status to gain visibility. However, did they genuinely make a significant impact?

A report by The Huffington Post, an American newspaper, said the explanation was complicated.

Many anticipated Swift's timely endorsement of Harris, which drove over 400,000 social media users to vote.gov, generating significant buzz and translating it into votes for the current vice president.

According to a survey conducted by Quinnipiac University between Sept. 19 and 22, 76 percent of likely voters indicated that the announcement did not increase their enthusiasm for Harris’ candidacy.

About nine percent reported that the endorsement motivated them, while another 13 percent stated it diminished their enthusiasm for Harris potentially becoming president, the Huffington Post also said.

An ABC News/Ipsos poll reported by The Hill last month revealed similar results: 81 percent of surveyed voters stated that Swift’s support for Harris would not affect their voting decisions.

Professor Dafydd Townley, who teaches American politics at the University of Portsmouth, addressed the skewed data in an interview with Newsweek. “While Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris — and her backhanded response to JD Vance’s denigration of female cat owners — has caught the headlines, it is unlikely to cause a considerable surge in Harris’ electability. The vast majority of Swifties registered to vote, if not all of them, would have likely voted for Harris before the endorsement.”

Voter enthusiasm for Trump remained unchanged after Musk's endorsement. According to research from Quinnipiac University, 64 percent of likely voters did not feel any difference in their enthusiasm regarding Trump's candidacy following Musk's support.

Although the celebrity status of figures like Swift and Musk may not have directly influenced outcomes, an August study from Harvard University’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation indicated strong evidence that celebrities can be powerful political tools. Their influence can significantly boost civic participation, which is why political candidates often seek out their endorsements.

The study also argued that celebrities’ “normalization” of political engagement can “lead to increased voter turnout and sustained civic involvement, ultimately strengthening democracy.”

“Celebrities draw increased engagement and attention, and they increase conversation. And no matter the political party or the candidate, there is a real hunger to be affiliated with the celebrities that can do that,” according to Ashley Spillane, author of the Harvard study, in an interview with National Public Radio. 

Filipinos observed the 2024 US presidential election unfolding right before their eyes. Interestingly, they compared the US elections to the Philippine presidential elections of 2022, which featured Bongbong Marcos and Leni Robredo.

Robredo's pink campaign was memorable, with many stars supporting it. However, they could not compete with Andrew E, Ai-Ai Delas Alas, and Toni Gonzaga-Soriano, who endorsed Marcos during the elections. Marcos won the presidential election, making him the 17th President of the Philippines.

(Robert R. Requintina is the Entertainment Editor of Manila Bulletin)