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Prepare For Pop Culture To Shove Cool Kamala Down Your Throat
The Federalist ^ | August 14, 2020 | Emily Jashinsky

Posted on 08/14/2020 12:30:59 PM PDT by Kaslin

It took Debra Messing 18 exclamation points to express her excitement about Kamala Harris. Chrissy Teigen used a comparatively mild two, but the point still stands: an army of celebrities leapt to lend Harris their support this week. Hollywood loves her. (Just like Wall Street!)

The star-studded industry’s embrace of Harris means the Democratic ticket will benefit from extra elite enthusiasm—Biden may not excite liberal celebrities like Barack Obama, but adding Harris as a running mate will amp up Hollywood’s enthusiasm for the ticket. That, in turn, means the Democratic Party’s narrative will be reinforced through the power of celebrity megaphones—on social media feeds, in glossy magazines, during talk show interviews.

In 2020, Hollywood’s moral authority is eroded to the point that celebrity support will backfire with an increasing number of voters. The industry has been tainted by the revelations of Me Too complicity, and suffers more broadly from declining institutional confidence. Liberal Hollywood is a trope, but the populist moment has more and more voters rightfully convinced the powerful industry’s reflexive Democratic politics are a joke, and even evidence of a particular politician’s corruption.

On the anti-establishment left, it smacks of collusion with self-interested millionaires. On the anti-establishment right, it smacks of collusion with self-interested millionaires who also happen to run an exploitive and increasingly unpatriotic industry.

Consider how freshman Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) campaigned in 2018, casting incumbent Claire McCaskill as an “eager ally” of “Hollywood and Wall Street and the D.C. political establishment” who sought to “rig a system that favors them, the wealthy and well-connected, while ignoring the rest of us.” Hawley rightfully harped on the trifecta of “Hollywood, Washington, and Wall Street” throughout his candidacy, ultimately defeating McCaskill and going onto become one of the GOP’s most influential new voices.

“Saturday Night Live” literally cast Harris as “your cool aunt” during the primaries, tapping the show’s popular and talented Maya Rudolph to play the role. On “SNL,” Harris was depicted as competent and eager, but also relatable. Their image of Harris is almost certainly a window into how she’ll be treated by Hollywood from now until November (and maybe beyond).

Depictions like Rudolph’s, and celebrity support in general, can humanize and soften candidates. Let’s not forget Harris crashed and burned in the primary, failing to convert establishment hype into a candidacy that could even make it to Iowa. She’s beautiful and talented, but her attempted coolness is often contrived, like a jean-wearing teacher straining to relate to her students. It’s not that convincing. But Hollywood will boost this burgeoning narrative of Harris as “the picture of vigor,” already emergent in the corporate media.

The elite establishment is a powerful machine, from the media to the entertainment industry to Wall Street. Hollywood plays a key role in the machine’s ability to craft and reinforce narratives that suit its ideological purposes.

People are increasingly primed to see through the spin, but it’s still a force to be reckoned with. Biden’s decision to add a celebrity favorite to the ticket ensures Harris will get the Broad City treatment throughout their bid to unseat President Trump. How useful that will be in this political climate is yet to be determined.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: California; US: Delaware; US: Missouri; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 2020election; biden2020; bidenharris; california; camelfaceharris; celebrities; celebrityactivism; clairemccaskill; clowncar; cnbc; delaware; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; election2020; entertainment; hollywood; india; industry; jamaica; joebiden; joeclowncarbiden; joshhawley; kamalaharris; mediawingofthednc; missouri; msnbc; nbc; newyork; newyorkcity; newyorkslimes; newyorktimes; nobrainscollectively; partisanmediashills; presstitutes; saturdaynightlive; saturdaynightvile; smearmachine; snl
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1 posted on 08/14/2020 12:30:59 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Don’t discount Harris, based on the reaction she will probably be able to deliver Hollywood and California as a whole to Biden.


2 posted on 08/14/2020 12:33:26 PM PDT by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: Kaslin

The study was conducted by Cheech and Chong


3 posted on 08/14/2020 12:33:41 PM PDT by Mouton (The media is the enemy of the people.)
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To: Kaslin

Willie’s ho can go out and twerk at BLM rallies for all I care. Notice that the two women that the dems nominated (Kamala and Hillary) rode men’s coat tails to the top. Democrats are such hypocrites.


4 posted on 08/14/2020 12:36:17 PM PDT by pnut22
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To: Kaslin

I am scratching my head here. Biden is running for President, right?

Why are we having a VP candidate shoved down our throats?


5 posted on 08/14/2020 12:36:20 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: Kaslin

Sound and fury signifying nothing.

People that can be swayed by Debra and Chrisy were already going to vote Biden/Harris, so no big deal.

Pro Trump folks are still pro Trump and nothing said by the two ladies above will change that.

Independents, in my opinion, will be more swayed by the riots and looting, as well as the COVID 19 overreach, than by the liberal elites.


6 posted on 08/14/2020 12:37:26 PM PDT by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: Kaslin

It is documented by Willie Brown (D) that in order to advance her career kamela had things “shoved down her throat”. What a woman!


7 posted on 08/14/2020 12:38:23 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp???)
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To: pepsi_junkie

They would have gone for Biden regardless. But they are trying to turn her into the female version of Obama.


8 posted on 08/14/2020 12:39:31 PM PDT by funfan
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To: Kaslin

If we are not in favor of heels up Harris we will be racists.


9 posted on 08/14/2020 12:40:18 PM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: funfan
But they are trying to turn her into the female version of Obama.

Which one, Barrack or Michelle?

10 posted on 08/14/2020 12:40:54 PM PDT by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: pepsi_junkie

Oh she will deliver Hollyweird for sure. There is no doubt in my mind, but what about the east side of California? Please note that I have never been to California and have no intention to ever visit, besides I am elderly and handycapped


11 posted on 08/14/2020 12:42:18 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: pepsi_junkie; funfan

I get the humor. Others may not.


12 posted on 08/14/2020 12:42:41 PM PDT by Mr. N. Wolfe
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

13 posted on 08/14/2020 12:43:16 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: Kaslin

East side of California... elderly... There’s a place for you here. It’s called the Palm Springs area. :)


14 posted on 08/14/2020 12:44:38 PM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: Kaslin

15 posted on 08/14/2020 12:44:50 PM PDT by Travis McGee (EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Kaslin

Heels Harris will have to open for SNL at their next show.


16 posted on 08/14/2020 12:45:44 PM PDT by treetopsandroofs
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To: pepsi_junkie
Don’t discount Harris, based on the reaction she will probably be able to deliver Hollywood and California as a whole to Biden.

It pains me to say this but I think California is lost to Trump this go-around. Those Californians certainly love their Kamala!


17 posted on 08/14/2020 12:45:46 PM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: Kaslin
California and Hollywood were going for Biden no matter who he picked. Usually you pick a running mate who can help you deliver a state that otherwise might have been in play. California is not in play Harris never won a primary or even came close so she sure can't do that.

Fun fact: Bernie Sanders won the California democrat primary, beating Biden handily. Doesn't matter, California will never go GOP in a presidential election again, at least not in the near term.

18 posted on 08/14/2020 12:47:38 PM PDT by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: Mr. N. Wolfe

You are clearly a sophisticated and witty individual!


19 posted on 08/14/2020 12:49:50 PM PDT by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: pepsi_junkie
Kamala can do a remake of WAP with Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.

There'll be a ho in the Whitehouse
A ho in the whitehouse…
A ho in the whitehouse…
etc.

20 posted on 08/14/2020 12:50:05 PM PDT by who_would_fardels_bear
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