First They Came For The Swifties ... And I Said "What Is Wrong With You?"
Why are conservatives attacking the most famous pop star in the world? It's all about the resentment.
I’m Michael A. Cohen, and this is Truth and Consequences: A no-holds-barred look at the absurdities, hypocrisies, and surreality. If you were sent this email or are a free subscriber and would like to become a paid subscriber, you can sign up here.
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The War On Swifties
Because everything in America has to be a political football … this is happening.
For football fans eager to see a new team in the Super Bowl, the conference championship games on Sunday that sent the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers back to the main event of American sports culture were sorely disappointing.
But one thing is new: Taylor Swift. And she is driving the movement behind Donald Trump bonkers.
The fulminations surrounding the world’s biggest pop icon — and girlfriend of Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ star tight end — reached the stratosphere after Kansas City made it to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years, and the first time since Ms. Swift joined the team’s entourage.
The conspiracy theories coming out of the Make America Great Again contingent were already legion: that Ms. Swift is a secret agent of the Pentagon; that she is bolstering her fan base in preparation for her endorsement of President Biden’s re-election; or that she and Mr. Kelce are a contrived couple, assembled to boost the N.F.L. or Covid vaccines or Democrats or whatever.
“I wonder who’s going to win the Super Bowl next month,” Vivek Ramaswamy, the conspiratorial presidential candidate, turned Trump surrogate, pondered on social media on Monday. “And I wonder if there’s a major presidential endorsement coming from an artificially culturally propped-up couple this fall.”
This story is so idiotic that I’m practically loath to comment on it. But like every crazy MAGA story, there’s some important insight to be gleaned from this stupidity.
On the surface, turning the world’s most famous pop star and an icon to millions of registered voters (and their children) into a cultural bogeyman seems like an odd political strategy.
To be sure, we know that Swift is a Democrat. She endorsed Tennesee Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen in 2018 and then Joe Biden in 2020. Back in September, when she urged her legions of followers to register to vote, Vote.org reported a surge of 35,000 registrations. There’s already mounting speculation that Swift may come out in support of Biden’s re-election, and according to a recent New York Times report, the Biden campaign is pushing hard for Swift to publicly back the president.
The chatter around Ms. Swift and the potential of reaching her 279 million Instagram followers reached such intensity that the Biden team urged applicants in a job posting for a social media position not to describe their Taylor Swift strategy — the campaign had enough suggestions already. One idea that has been tossed around, a bit in jest: sending the president to a stop on Ms. Swift’s Eras Tour.
So perhaps Republicans and conservative media are seeking to undercut what to many political observers seems inevitable. Or maybe there’s a belief that if enough flak is thrown Swift’s way, it will dissuade her from endorsing Biden. But these arguments give far too much credit. There is no grand political strategy at play here. The attacks on Swift are all about fanning the flames of resentment and victimhood.
Resentment — racial, cultural, or economic — is the lifeblood of modern conservatism. There is resentment over blacks, Hispanics, women, gays, and, of course, immigrants getting a hand up over hard-working “real Americans.” There is resentment at liberal values replacing “traditional values” and the prizing of identity and diversity, which allegedly disadvantages white Americans. And, of course, there is resentment toward liberal elites, particularly in the media and Hollywood.
If Taylor Swift were a pop singer merely selling out stadiums and entertaining millions, that would be fine. But once she entered the realm of politics — and even worse, began dating someone who stars in ads promoting COVID vaccines and Bud Light — she was no longer a benign figure. Suddenly, from her perch among the nation’s cultural and political elite, Swift was looking down her nose at conservatives and the values they hold dear. She went from singing about her ex-boyfriends and nasty break-ups to telling Americans how to think and what to believe, or so the argument goes.
On the surface, this all sounds ludicrous — and that’s because it is ludicrous. But this is the conservative resentment mindset in a nutshell. Bud Light was an anodyne alcoholic beverage until it ran ads with a trans influencer. Target was just another big box retailer, and then it started selling clothes with pro-trans messaging. Just like that, both companies hated conservatives and were seeking to undermine their belief systems. Once, LeBron James was a beloved sports icon. Then he spoke positively about Black Lives Matter, and suddenly, he was an enemy to white conservatives everywhere. How is the latest jihad against Swift any different than those earlier conservative freakouts? The resentment infrastructure of modern conservatism always needs fresh punching bags — and Swift is merely the latest.
Yet, up to now, Swift has maintained a relatively positive image among Republicans. But with the full force of conservative media attacking her, one can expect those numbers to fall. However, I’d be surprised if Swift is damaged all that much. After all, she’s an icon for a reason, with a charming and magnetic personality. I find it hard to believe anyone can successfully turn her into a truly hated figure.
But, I suspect there will be a more significant consequence for Republicans. Demonizing Swift is an effective way to keep movement conservatives seething, angry, and resentful … but to the non-MAGA world, it makes them look like a bunch of nutcases. Worse than that, conservatives aren’t just attacking a global icon; they are teeing off on a global female icon. The Taylor Swift freakout will soon pass, but it is yet one more reminder that millions of conservatives live in a bubble of resentment and victimology — and for millions of other Americans, that’s a better reason than a Taylor Swift endorsement to vote for Democrats.
What’s Going On
It appears that House Republicans are going to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. So, who says Congress isn’t doing the people’s business?
Good piece in the New York Times on how Trump destroyed and devoured the GOP establishment.
The United Auto Workers endorsed Joe Biden, and Donald Trump handled it exactly as you would expect.
My friend and colleague Chris Preble says the US needs a new grand strategy that focuses on better setting priorities.
Musical Interlude
My favorite Taylor Swift song.
My daughter’s favorite Taylor Swift song (as of now).
Like your substack articles! Sorry I don't say so more often. Also like your humour in your appearances on MSNBC, but I don't watch TV anymore. I'm SO SICK of the Insurrectionist illegitimate president and mad that everyone gives him air time instead of talking about all that Biden's done, I'm reading books! I have yours but haven't read it yet! I will when he's in jail or out of our Country!!!