Doug Emhoff was assigned to get Taylor Swift to campaign for his wife, Kamala Harris, in the 2024 presidential race, a new book revealed.Rumors spread that Swift might perform or appear at Harris’s final rally in Philadelphia, near Swift’s hometown, but she only agreed to endorse Harris, as per New York Post.“Swift proved to be a special challenge,” the authors of the new book, due out Tuesday, explained. “Staffers who worked on celebrity appearances were instructed not to make any outreach to her universe; Doug Emhoff was handling it.”Emhoff, a former Los Angeles entertainment lawyer, had a prior relationship with Swift’s attorney, Doug Baldridge, and had reached out to him “to convey that the campaign would appreciate any efforts the pop star could make to help Harris” before Swift’s surprise post debate endorsement, the book claimed. Taylor Swift was expected to publicly endorse Kamala Harris, but her support ultimately stopped at a social media post — falling short of the Harris camp’s hopes. In response to the disappointment, Swift’s lawyer defended her stance, stating, “Swift would do what Swift thought was best.”“Nothing more than the endorsement ever materialized,” the authors noted.Harris’s rally featured stars like Lady Gaga and Oprah instead, with other concerts by Katy Perry, Bruce Springsteen, and Megan Thee Stallion before the election.These events cost about $20 million and took place in swing states that voted for Trump. Some staff doubted the rallies helped boost turnout.“Privately, some campaign staff raised concerns that the major rallies may not be worth the millions of dollars they cost to stage or the staff investment,” the authors stated, noting that “There was scant evidence that the rallies were persuading voters or necessarily boosting turnout.”
