presidential election
HipHopWired Featured Video
As the presidential election comes to a close, the contrast between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s campaigns is sharper and revealing.
In the final days before Election Day this Tuesday (November 5), the presidential campaigns for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their cases to go to the White House – but the styles and messages couldn’t be more sharply contrasted. For Trump, his campaign has become one that is playing to the grievances and reactions of his base in a loose manner.
One key example was seen at a rally outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania over the weekend where he referenced the attempt on his life there over the summer while observing the bulletproof glass at the podium. “To get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news,” he said. “And I don’t mind that so much.” His campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, would defend the remark as Trump’s concern for the media, “looking out for their welfare, far more than his own!”
For Vice President Harris, her message has been cautious and steady but tinged with joy and inclusiveness. A highlight of her whirlwind ground game was her appearance on Saturday Night Live in the show’s opening segment with Emmy Award-winning actress Maya Rudolph, who’s been portraying her on the show.
While the segment got rave reviews, it is also a brief detour from her strict schedule thus far with key appearances in the battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. “We’re doing everything we need to do,” one Harris staffer said to the press. “We’re doing literally everything we can possibly do to reach voters.”
Observers have noted the difference between the two. “I never heard her say nothing on TV that seems crazy,” Philadelphia native Deshaun Hall said in an interview with NBC News.“But the side effect to that is you don’t feel like you know who she is.”
As for Trump, strategists have noted that his style of being more aggressive in campaigning might’ve backfired, particularly with the controversial rally held at Madison Square Garden a week ago.
That and other comments have offended many, which Republican strategist Rob Godfrey says benefits Harris: “Those things are a less-disciplined opponent, who has reminded people of some of what they remember less fondly about him, and an all-star lineup of surrogates who carry her message better, in some cases, than she does.”
—
Photo: Getty
During the Sept. 10 debate against Kamala Harris, Donald Trump stunned viewers with the baseless claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were “eating the dogs and cats” of local residents, referencing a viral Facebook post that circulated in the area.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs,” Trump said. “The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country and it’s a shame.”
Trending on Billboard
Debate moderator David Muir swiftly debunked the claim, saying that the city manager of Springfield, Ohio, said there were “no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
Trump replied, “People on television say my dog was taken and used as food.” Muir reiterated, “Again the Springfield city manager says there’s no evidence of that.”
Understandably, the wild allegation quickly became the most talked-about moment of the night.
Flavor Flav wasted no time jumping into the conversation, quipping on X: “Pet Shop Boys better stay inside and lock the doors. You too, Snoop Dogg. And Pitbull.”
Other celebrities reacted with disbelief. Bette Midler called out the claim directly, tweeting, “Now he’s spreading that lie about eating cats,” while noting debate moderator David Muir had disproven Trump’s statement.
Pet Shop Boys better stay inside and lock the doors. You too Snoop Dogg. And Pitbull.— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) September 11, 2024
“People don’t leave my rallies.” Hahahahahaha. Now he’s spreading that lie about eating cats. Muir says NO PETS have been harmed.— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) September 11, 2024
Trump’s vice-presidential running mate J.D. Vance, who shared the viral post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sept. 9, later doubled down on the pet-eating story in the post-debate spin room.
“We just heard a 911 call from a citizen in Springfield earlier today that some of the immigrants were capturing geese at the local pond, slaughtering them and killing them,” Vance told reporters. When pressed about the claim that migrants were eating pets, he responded, “I don’t know what are the full spate of animals being consumed there, but I know the geese are certainly among them.”
In a statement, Springfield police further clarified, “There have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
Reuters also fact-checked the claim, confirming there was no evidence to support widespread incidents of pet theft or harm by Haitian migrants.
The outlandish claim about pet-eating dominated social media, with many left shocked by the absurdity of the situation. Check out some of the best reactions below.
taylor swift heard people were eating cats & she stood tf up— bella (@a90strend) September 11, 2024
Wow, cats have had a hell of an election season huh?— Jasmine Wright (@JasJWright) September 11, 2024
Kamala Harris kicked off the first official day of her 2024 presidential run in epic fashion on Monday (July 22), raising more than $81 million in the first 24 hours after the nation’s current Vice President was endorsed by President Biden following the commander-in-chief’s announcement ending his bid for a second term.
The historic fundraising haul — which was boosted by 62% of donors making their first contribution to a campaign — was matched by an equally gaudy number of sign-ups for new volunteers in key swing states topping more than 28,000 as enthusiasm for Harris re-energized a democratic base that had grown pensive about Biden’s chances of defeating former President Donald Trump.
But perhaps the biggest bump of approval of all came from an unlikely source: Beyoncé. According to CNN, when Harris walked into her campaign headquarters on Monday night (July 22) night for her first official visit she did it to Bey’s 2016 Lemonade track “Freedom.” A source told CNN that Harris’ team got approval from the singer’s reps to use the song throughout her surprise second presidential bid.
Trending on Billboard
At press time spokespeople for Harris and Beyoncé had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment.
The Grammy-nominated song featuring Kendrick Lamar became the soundtrack for many of the street demonstrations around the nation following the May 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. “Freedom, Freedom/ Where are you?/ ‘Cause I need freedom, too/ I break chains all by myself/ Won’t let my freedom rot in hell/ Hey! I’ma keep running/ ‘Cause a winner don’t quit on themselves,” Beyoncé sings on the track’s soaring chorus.
The network noted the Bey is notorious for being very guarded about licensing her music, but that she gave “quick approval” to the Harris campaign when they reached out to ask for permission to use “Freedom” on Monday, just a few hours before the campaign HQ entrance. At press time Beyoncé had not officially endorsed Harris, though CNN speculated that the permission to use “Freedom” suggested that the fledgling campaign has the singer’s support. Though Bey has not given Harris her official thumbs up, her mother, Tina Knowles, joined a group of stars giving the veep’s run their stamp of approval.
“New, Youthful, Sharp , , energy !!!!” Knowles wrote on Instagram alongside a pic of her with Harris. “Putting personal Ego , power and fame aside . That is the definition of a great leader, . Thank you, President Biden for your service and your leadership . Go Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Let’s Go”
Beyoncé has been a supporter of democratic candidates in the past, singing the National Anthem at Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2013, headlining a pre-election show for Hillary Clinton along with husband Jay-Z in 2016 and endorsing the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020.
Former prosecutor Harris wasted no time during her first public appearance in taking it to twice-impeached convicted felon Trump, who is making his third run at the White House after Biden sent him packing in 2020 after a single term; Trump continues to falsely claim that Biden did not win the election.
“I took on perpetrators of all kinds: Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own game,” Harris told the crowd at her Wilmington, DE campaign HQ. “So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type. And in this campaign, I will proudly put my record against his.” Once her 20-minute speech ended, Harris walked off stage to “Freedom” again.
The reported Beyoncé approval is in stark contrast to the long list of musicians who have repeatedly asked Trump to cease and desist from using their music during his campaign events. Similarly, a long list of A-list musicians have quickly leapt to support Harris’ bid — including Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Katy Perry, Lil Nas X and many more — while the Trump-topped Republican National Convention last weekend featured appearances from a mixture of stars such as Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, Lee Greenwood and Chris Janson, as well as former wrestler Hulk Hogan, fired Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Russell Brand and Amber Rose.
Alice Cooper‘s next presidential campaign has begun, and this time he’s… well, not entirely serious, but a bit more on point than he’s been previously.
Since releasing “Elected” on 1972’s Billion Dollar Babies album (a revision of the track “Reflected,” the first single from the band’s 1969 debut, Pretties For You), the largely apolitical Cooper has used the song as fodder for his act, staging mock rallies at the end of his shows, stumping for his Wild Party and branding himself “a troubled man for troubled times.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
It’s been part of the climax of his latest show, which debuted during April 2023, but now he’s adding verbiage that “I have absolutely no idea what to do — so I should fit right in.” He’s also launched the website aliceforpresident.com, which promises “ongoing virtual rallies and Q&A sessions,” and urges fans to “Stay informed. Join the Conversation. Be Part of the Movement.
Trending on Billboard
If elected he will not serve, of course, but Cooper seems more vested in being part of the discussion as the election season intensifies.
“It’s the same joke over and over. It was funny when I started doing it, now I’m really tired of it,” the Arizona resident tells Billboard from his current tour in Europe. “I just can’t’ believe these two (candidates) are the best we can do. Y’know what they really are? These two are the best that money can buy. What they should do is just pick up a phone book and put a finger on somebody; whoever it is, if it’s a guy who owns a gas station in Iowa, he should be president… It seems like anybody out there can be better than these two guys.”
Cooper adds that touring overseas has also given him additional perspective about the situation. “Everyone here’s terrified with what’s happening with our presidential race,” the artist says. “Everybody that I talk to in Europe goes, ‘Really? Is that the best you can do is these two guys?’ and I go, ‘I have no idea.’”
He’s been adding to the political commentary, too, by keeping the straitjacket that he wears during “Ballad of Dwight Fry” on when he mounts the tall, bunting-adorned podium to deliver “Elected.”
“That’s the funniest bit of it. Here’s this maniac in a straitjacket going, ‘You could do better! I’m your man!’ Alice in the straitjacket makes the point, y’know? ‘Let insanity reign!’”
Electoral satire aside, Cooper’s own campaign trail will be a busy one for the rest of the year. He and his band are in Europe through mid-July, returning to North America starting July 30 in Niagara Falls, Canada, and including another run of the Freaks On Parade Tour with Rob Zombie, Ministry and Filter during the late summer. Another European run, meanwhile, takes place in October.
Cooper has also finished work on “a surprise album” to follow last year’s Road. He isn’t offering any details, including a title or release date, other than “it turned out to be very unique.” He’s also enjoying new life on syndicated radio with Alice’s Attic, the successor to Nights With Alice Cooper. He’s expanded his presentation with the five-hour program, introducing a variety of characters and more aural theatricality.
“I actually am having more fun with it now, because I can go to different places with it,” Cooper says. “It’s basically the same kind of show except now I put it into a form where I can have characters, ’cause once you’re in Alice’s Attic there’s broken dolls, a butler, Madeline the Mannequin — things you would normally find in an attic are now characters in the show. I’ve gotten to make it a little creepier, a little funnier.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: KENA BETANCUR / Getty / Donald Trump
The 2024 Presidential Election is just months away, and the orange menace, aka Donald Trump, is on a mission to pry away Black and Latino voters from President Biden, but his plan is still the purest of jigs.
The Associated Press reports that former disgraced president Donald Trump wants to hold some sort of big campaign event at Madison Square Garden featuring Black hip-hop artists (probably Afroman) and athletes.
Trump also wants to visit places like Chicago, Detroit, and Atlanta and meet with local leaders of color, according to his aides, in hopes of flipping Democratic constituents.
Five months from what will be one of the most consequential Presidential elections of our lifetime, Trump and his sorry a** team have not done any outreach to the Black and Latino voters.
They also made some decisions that indicate the Trump campaign could care less about connecting with Black and Brown voters.
Per the Associated Press:
The Trump campaign removed its point person for coalitions and hasn’t announced a replacement. The Republican Party’s minority outreach offices across the country have been shuttered and replaced by businesses that include a check-cashing store, an ice cream shop and a sex-toy store. And campaign officials concede they are weeks away from rolling out any targeted programs.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has struggled to navigate a messy transition into the general election plagued by staffing issues, his personal legal troubles and the “Make America Great Again” movement’s disdain for so-called “identity politics.” There are signs of frustration on the ground, where Republicans believe Trump has a real opportunity to shift the election by cutting into President Joe Biden’s advantages with voters of color.
Longtime Trump ally and Black pastor Darrell Scott spoke on the Trump campaign’s lack of outreach to voters of color, adding, “To be quite honest, the Republican Party does not have a cohesive engagement plan for Black communities.”
He continued, “What it has are conservatives in communities of color who have taken it upon themselves to head our own initiatives.”
Now, if you ask Trump, he might argue his Atlanta Chick-fil-A stunt, a staged appearance at a bodega in Harlem, his limited edition wack gold sneakers, or his claiming Blacks relate to him because of his indictments is his attempt at making inroads with Black voters.
If that is the case, he needs to rework his strategy because we don’t believe him; he needs more people.
With performances by Lizzo, Queen Latifah, Ben Platt and Cynthia Erivo, plus appearances by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, a fundraiser for Joe Biden at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday (Mar. 28) in New York could jump-start the incumbent’s so-far minimal public support from Democratic-leaning music stars for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
“You’ll see more of that in the next couple of months,” predicts Hilary Rosen, former head of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and a longtime Democratic-leaning political analyst, referring to support from artists for the Biden campaign.
Trending on Billboard
It’s still early in the presidential campaign, but at this point, Biden’s endorsements from top music stars are a shadow of those he received in 2020, including from Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Madonna, Ariana Grande, Cher and Melissa Etheridge. James Taylor and Lenny Kravitz performed at late-2023 fundraisers for the incumbent president, but beyond that, artists have mostly been silent.
That’s partially by design. Campaign representatives say the most impactful time for celebrity endorsements is late summer and fall, when more voters are paying attention to the election. A prime example of this timing was Bruce Springsteen‘s narration of an ad about Biden’s hometown, Scranton, Pa., that came out on Halloween 2020. “When it comes to celebrities, as you get closer to the election, more [of them] get engaged,” says Chris Korge, national finance chairman for the Biden Victory Fund. “Some help us with fundraising, others help us with grassroots and campaign events.”
But several Democratic supporters in the music business say they’re concerned about the lack of stars’ involvement in the election thus far. Part of that has to do with an uneventful primary season, with little rivalry within the candidates’ parties — President Obama drew early support from artists and celebrities when he was battling Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination in 2008, but not as much in 2012 when he was an incumbent running essentially unopposed. “I would not be surprised [by] a very high level of engagement as time goes on,” says Cliff Chenfeld, who founded Razor & Tie Records and created Kidz Bop and hosts events for Democratic candidates. “But I’ve seen two or three shows a week this year and I have yet to hear one artist mention one word about anything political or topical. I’ve heard somebody say, ‘Wow, we could be in for a tough year,’ but I haven’t really heard anything beyond that.”
In 2020, as was the case with Obama in 2008, Biden was the “change” candidate — an alternative to a Republican president after years of policies that were largely unpopular among young voters, on topics ranging from climate change to LGBTQ rights. Due to a primary battle that year with a more progressive rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Biden had to wait a few months for artists to support his candidacy. As late as August of that year, John Legend, Andra Day and Dave Matthews were among his few prominent music-star supporters.
Eventually, artists lined up to support Biden in 2020, but the president faces stronger headwinds among progressive artists and young voters in 2024, due in part to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. “I understand the frustration. He’s older, he hasn’t gotten any more inspiring and the idea that [he’ll be] a transitional candidate to bridge the gap from one generation to the next, that’s obviously not ringing true,” says Jordan Kurland, manager for Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service who has organized top artists on behalf of Democratic candidates. “But I’m voting for him because he’s our candidate, and obviously I’m going to choose democracy over what comes next under Trump. And I do think [Biden] has done a good job.”
Some Democrats in the music business say both of Biden’s campaigns, unlike Obama’s in 2008 and 2012, haven’t spent much time on outreach to music stars and their representatives. But they encourage the campaign to deploy artists with dependable fan bases in swing states from Pennsylvania to Arizona as quickly as possible. A music-business source who worked with the Biden campaign in 2020 on planning events and generating artist support came away frustrated: Biden campaign reps, he says, were “not enthusiastic four years ago, I can tell you that much. I have no reason to think they’re going to be more enthusiastic now.” The source adds that he wishes this year’s Biden campaign was “further ahead” in working with politically engaged artists.
Biden’s campaign plans to employ a celebrity-heavy “surrogate” program to oversee its artist outreach, as it did in 2020 when Olympic figure-skating champion Michelle Kwan served as director. Although that program has yet to kick in, many in the music business are confident the campaign won’t need to take elaborate measures to garner artist support. “You always hear about malaise and unenthusiasm,” says Peter Shapiro, a New York concert promoter and 20-year board member for Headcount, a nonpartisan group that has registered 1 million voters since 2004. “We always see it ramp up. People will realize the choices in front of them are significant.”
Several Biden supporters in the music business say that even if Democratic-leaning artists are hesitant to wholeheartedly endorse the president, they can speak in favor of down-ballot candidates or issues like abortion or climate change. Or they can criticize former President Donald Trump, who has artist supporters of his own, including conservative musicians Kid Rock and Jason Aldean.
Will any of it matter? In 2016, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Springsteen, Katy Perry and other music stars performed at Hillary Clinton rallies days before the election, and she lost. “Will Taylor Swift save Joe Biden? Will she be that magic bullet that will save him from being six points down from Donald Trump?” Rosen asks facetiously.
“Let’s be realistic — most artists are not going to change a single person’s vote,” Rosen adds. “What they do is draw a crowd for voter registration and raising money. That’s what all campaigns want them for.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Kristen Welker, now some months into her hosting duties for political talk show Meet The Press, sparked the wrath of X users after making a statement about Donald Trump. Welker stated during the broadcast that Trump allegedly tried to overturn the November 2020 elections, causing the reporter’s name to trend on X with loads of commentary.
Kristen Welker was on Meet The Press on Sunday (March 3), with Republican Party presidential hopeful Nikki Haley and Democratic Party congresswoman Rep. Debbie Dingell as guests. During one segment, Welker explained that Trump allegedly attempted to overthrow the November 2020 election results, which the business mogul lost to President Joe Biden.
Almost immediately, Kristen Welker saw her name trending with users highlighting instances in which Trump denied the results and essentially egged on his supporters to express the same sentiment via the so-called “Stop The Steal” movement, which helped spark the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that left five dead, more than 170 people injured, and lead to several arrests.
Of course, Welker’s use of the phrase is proper in the legal context but the pushback largely stems from Trump’s history and his brash public stance about what took place on that fated day on Jan. 6, 2021. As one X user noted, Welker’s use of the word “allegedly” is properly used thus the outrage is somewhat misplaced.
Several of the replies on X, formerly Twitter, directly speak to the events around the insurrection as evidence that Donald Trump was attempting to switch the election results in his favor.
We’ve got all the reactions listed below.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: JEFF KOWALSKY / Getty
A new report says Donald Trump was caught on tape personally pressuring electors in Michigan to not certify the 2020 presidential election.
A new recording of Donald Trump speaking to Michigan electors to get them not to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election was revealed to the public on Thursday (December 21). The call was made by then-President Trump and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on November 17, 2020, to Monica Palmer and William Hartmann, two Republican canvassers for Wayne County. Trump and McDaniel led off the conversation by saying the two would look “terrible” if they voted to certify the results after voicing opposition to the results in an earlier meeting.
“We’ve got to fight for our country,” Trump can be heard saying on the call. “We can’t let these people take our country away from us.” Later on in that same call, McDaniel implored Hartmann and Palmer to go home.”If you can go home tonight, do not sign it. … We will get you attorneys,” McDaniel said. Trump added, “We’ll take care of that,” also stating “Everyone knows Detroit is crooked as hell.”Palmer and Hartmann would go home without signing the official statement of votes for Wayne County and tried to rescind their votes in favor of certification claiming to have been pressured. Hartmann passed away in 2021, and Palmer has not returned any requests for comment.
The recording revelation comes as Trump is now facing four counts of criminal conspiracy for his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election which led to Joe Biden becoming Commander-In-Chief, with the events in Michigan a core part of the case brought against him in federal court. Trump is also facing twelve counts of attempting to overturn election results in Georgia. It also becomes more damning for McDaniel, who resides in Wayne County. Marshall Cohen, a reporter for CNN, stated that the tape could be a boon to Special Counsel Jack Smith. “If he doesn’t have it, he definitely wants to get it,” Cohen said Thursday night. “It could be a huge piece of additional evidence.”
We’re still more than a year out from the 2024 U.S. presidential election, but one particularly unlikely name seems to have The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin’s vote. During a heated Wednesday morning (Sept. 20) roundtable discussion about the imminent government shutdown, Griffin controversially claimed that Taylor Swift is doing more for the economy than […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Rudy Giuliani made strong accusations against a pair of Georgia election workers connected to the state swinging in favor of President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election against former president Donald Trump. In a court filing earlier this week, Rudy Giuliani conceded to making false statements against the workers that he accused of tampering with ballots.
Rudy Giuliani, 79, stated his admission in a court filing this past Tuesday (July 25) in connection to a defamation lawsuit brought by the two Georgia election workers that the former New York mayor accused of fixing the ballots in favor of President Biden. Back in 2021, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss filed a defamation lawsuit in Washington, D.C.
In the statement filed by Giuliani, he is no longer contesting the statements he made against Freeman and Moss, which could essentially be seen as an admission that he falsified the claims. Politico adds in its reporting that this isn’t a signal Giuliani is allowing the lawsuit to move ahead unchallenged but instead moves the case to the legal arguments stage in order to determine if he will be held responsible for the damages requested in the lawsuit from the mother and daughter.
“Mayor Rudy Giuliani did not acknowledge that the statements were false but did not contest it in order to move on to the portion of the case that will permit a motion to dismiss,” aide Ted Goodman said. “This is a legal issue, not a factual issue. Those out to smear the mayor are ignoring the fact that this stipulation is designed to get to the legal issues of the case.”
While Giuliani’s side maintains that his statement falls just short of an admission of making the charges against the workers, the legal team for Freeman and Moss are seeing this as a favorable outcome for their clients.
“Giuliani’s stipulation concedes what we have always known to be true — Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss honorably performed their civic duties in the 2020 presidential election in full compliance with the law, and the allegations of election fraud he and former-President Trump made against them have been false since day one,” Michael J. Gottlieb, partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, offered in a statement. “While certain issues, including damages, remain to be decided by the court, our clients are pleased with this major milestone in their fight for justice, and look forward to presenting what remains of this case at trial.”
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
-
Pages