Taylor Swift says she is “obsessed” with politics and is ready for anti-Trump activism in 2020 despite a backlash against celebrity endorsements in 2016.
The singer recently sat down with Rolling Stone magazine to talk about her new album “Lover” and the trajectory of her career when she revealed her new appetite for anything political.
“I keep trying to learn as much as I can about politics, and it’s become something I’m now obsessed with, whereas before, I was living in this sort of political ambivalence, because the person I voted for had always won,” she said for an interview published Wednesday.
“We were in such an amazing time when Obama was president because foreign nations respected us. We were so excited to have this dignified person in the White House. My first election was voting for him when he made it into office and then voting to re-elect him. I think a lot of people are like me, where they just didn’t really know that this could happen.”
Ms. Swift then said that helping Democrats as the presidential election season heats up is a top priority.
“I’m just focused on the 2020 election. I’m really focused on it. I’m really focused on how I can help and not hinder. Because I also don’t want it to backfire again, because I do feel that the celebrity involvement with Hillary’s campaign was used against her in a lot of ways.”
The entertainer also expressed frustration at strict litmus tests for Democrats before receiving the support of their peers.
“I do think, as a party, we need to be more of a team. With Republicans, if you’re wearing that red hat, you’re one of them. And if we’re going to do anything to change what’s happening, we need to stick together. We need to stop dissecting why someone’s on our side or if they’re on our side in the right way or if they phrased it correctly. We need to not have the right kind of Democrat and the wrong kind of Democrat. We need to just be like, ’You’re a Democrat? Sick. Get in the car. We’re going to the mall.’”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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