On Politics and Entertainment

Published in El Heraldo de Mexico
(Mexico) on 26 January 2024
by José Carreño Figueras (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Stephen Routledge. Edited by Mitchelle Lumumba.
Taylor Swift has a history of what could be considered a moderate feminism, and of social liberalism

A recent Newsweek poll found that nearly one-fifth of U.S. voters would consider voting for a candidate recommended by singer Taylor Swift, now one of the most talked about media personalities in the country and the world.

The results of that poll explain what appears to be a sudden Republican political campaign against Swift, who in 2020 endorsed Joe Biden and two Democratic hopefuls for seats in Tennessee. But beyond that, the speculation casts doubt on the certainty of an inevitable Republican Donald Trump victory march to the White House.

Or that Democrats are now grasping at straws to think, or delude themselves, that their candidate can repeat the feat of defeating Trump, as he did four years ago.

It also highlights that world politics is at a peculiar moment when many of the protagonists are originally media figures, like Trump himself.

In the case of Swift, a 34-year-old singer, she does not appear to be in pursuit of a political career. In fact, politics seemed somewhat far from her concerns until this week, when reports emerged that some Democratic strategists believe it would be valuable to ask her for an endorsement to bring Biden closer to young voters.

The paranoid reaction of Republican groups and alleged Trump allies to the mere possibility of such an endorsement seems to belie the notion of an inevitable Trump win in November’s election.

The singer has not spoken out, but Fox commentators and spokespersons for far-right groups have already issued advice, or rather threats, for her to avoid doing so.

Swift is now in the public spotlight: She is in the middle of a lengthy world tour and in the eye of a media storm focused on her private life.

Her public romance with the less popular and wealthy but also famous Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce is the subject of worldwide curiosity and, according to the U.S. press, has translated into a publicity bonanza for the games he plays, which she attends.

According to press reports, there are already claims that Swift’s presence has brought a whole new audience to the NFL and revalued it. Swift’s fans, or at least a large part of the so-called "Swifties," are primarily women, many of whom are not even 18 years old. But many others are: At 34 years of age, the singer has been in the music business for almost 20 years, and a large number of her fans grew up with her.

Swift also has a history of what might be considered moderate feminism and of social liberalism. The noise around Swift is a reflection of the situation in a country where there is less and less public confidence in government institutions and an election between candidates who fail to convince voters.



Taylor Swift tiene una historia de lo que podría considerarse como un feminismo moderado, de liberalismo social

Una reciente encuesta de la revista Newsweek encontró que casi una quinta parte de los votantes estadounidenses considerarían votar por un candidato recomendado por la cantante Taylor Swift, convertida ahora en una de las personalidades más mediáticas de su país y el mundo.

Los resultados de esa encuesta explican lo que parece una súbita campaña política republicana contra Swift, que en 2020 apoyó a Biden y a dos aspirantes demócratas a curules en Tennessee. Pero más allá, la especulación pone en duda la certidumbre de una inevitable marcha triunfal del republicano Donald Trump rumbo a la Casa Blanca.

O que los demócratas se agarran ahora hasta de un clavo ardiente para pensar, o hacerse ilusiones, de que su candidato puede repetir la hazaña de vencer a Trump, como hizo hace cuatro años.

También pone de relieve que la política mundial está en un momento peculiar, cuando muchos de los protagonistas son personajes originalmente mediáticos, como el propio Trump.

En el caso de Swift, una cantante de 34 años, no parece estar en busca de una carrera política. De hecho, la política parecía algo lejos de sus preocupaciones hasta esta semana, cuando se publicaron reportes de que algunos estrategas demócratas creen que sería valioso pedirle un apoyo que acercaría a Biden a votantes jóvenes.

La paranoica reacción de grupos republicanos y presuntos aliados de Trump ante la mera posibilidad de tal endorso parece desmentir la noción de un inevitable triunfo de Trump en las elecciones de noviembre.

La cantante no se ha pronunciado, pero comentaristas de la cadena Fox y voceros de grupos de ultraderecha ya lanzaron consejos, más bien amenazas, para que evite hacerlo.

Swift se encuentra ahora en el centro de atención pública: está en medio de una larga gira mundial de presentaciones y en el ojo de un huracán mediático centrado en su vida privada.

Su público romance con el menos popular y rico, pero también famoso jugador Travis Kelce, del equipo de futbol Chiefs de Kansas, es objeto de curiosidad mundial y de acuerdo con la prensa de EU se ha traducido en una bonanza para la publicidad de los juegos en que participa él y asiste ella.

De acuerdo con reportes de prensa, ya hay quien afirma que la presencia de Swift llevó toda una nueva audiencia a la NFL y la revalorizó. La fanaticada de Swift, o al menos gran parte de los llamados swifties, son mayormente mujeres que en muchos casos ni siquiera llegan a los 18 años. Pero muchos otros sí: a sus 34 años de edad, la cantante lleva casi 20 años de carrera y gran parte de sus seguidores crecieron con ella.

Swift tiene además una historia de lo que podría considerarse como un feminismo moderado, de liberalismo social. El ruido alrededor de Swift es un reflejo de la situación en un país donde hay cada vez menos confianza pública en instituciones gubernamentales y se prepara a una elección entre candidatos que no acaban de convencer a los votantes.
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