OPINION| In a surprising turn of events, supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris walked out of her campaign rally in Atlanta after she began speaking. The rally, which featured a performance by rapper Megan Thee Stallion, was intended to rally support for Harris’ presidential campaign. However, it seems that many attendees were only there to see Megan Thee Stallion and had little interest in hearing Harris speak.
The rally, held at the Georgia State Convocation Center, drew a crowd of over 10,000 people, according to the Harris campaign. Megan Thee Stallion opened the rally with a high-energy performance that included a dance ensemble, wearing a bright blue pantsuit outfit, including a blue tie. The performance lasted less than 10 minutes and included her hit songs “Girls in the Hood,” “Mamushi,” “Body,” and “Savage.”
However, once Harris took the stage, many attendees began to leave. Some even booed the Vice President as they made their way out of the venue. The scene was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media, with many commenters expressing shock and disappointment at the behavior of the attendees.
WOW! Massive crowd turns out to hear Kamala Harris speak in Atlanta.
Just kidding. They’re there to see a performance from Megan Thee Stallion and Quavo. pic.twitter.com/ZLP6rrFQPx
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 30, 2024
“I’m a big fan of Megan Thee Stallion, but I came to this rally to support Kamala Harris,” said one attendee. “It’s disappointing to see so many people leave when she starts speaking. She’s our Vice President, and she deserves our respect.”
Others defended the attendees, arguing that they were simply there to enjoy the music and were not obligated to stay for the political speeches.
“People are allowed to enjoy a concert without being forced to listen to political speeches,” said one commenter. “If they want to leave after the music is over, that’s their right.”
Let’s check in on Kamala Harris’ campaign rally in Atlanta…. pic.twitter.com/WA2lb8CG3W
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 30, 2024
The incident has sparked a debate about the role of celebrity endorsements in politics. Some argue that celebrities can help bring attention to important issues and encourage young people to get involved in the political process. Others, however, worry that celebrity endorsements can overshadow the actual political candidates and distract from the issues at hand.
“I think it’s great that Megan Thee Stallion is using her platform to support Kamala Harris,” said one supporter. “But at the end of the day, it’s the candidate and their policies that matter. We can’t let celebrity endorsements distract us from the real issues.”
Shortly after Kamala began her speech attendees of her rally began to leave.
She hadn’t even been talking 15 minutes before people started exiting | @TPAction_ pic.twitter.com/fpooA4oxmK
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) July 30, 2024
The incident also raises questions about the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements in swaying voters. While celebrities can help bring attention to a candidate, it remains to be seen whether they can actually influence the outcome of an election.
“It’s one thing to get people to show up to a rally, but it’s another thing to get them to actually vote,” said one political analyst. “We’ll have to wait and see whether these celebrity endorsements actually translate into votes on Election Day.”
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, it remains to be seen how much of an impact celebrity endorsements will have on the outcome.
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