The rumor mill was in full gear Thursday afternoon on social media, over reports that a mystery guest would be making an appearance at the Democratic National Convention Thursday evening.
🚨 #BREAKINGNEWS There is a scheduled gap in tonight's DNC schedule that the special guest is only known by a handful of people. 🚨
— Ford News (@FordJohnathan5) August 22, 2024
Speculation quickly centered around Taylor Swift. On X/Twitter, fans have been monitoring Swift's plane's travels (which is beyond creepy) to see if she's going to be in the area.
Disgraced former CNN host Don Lemon even weighed in on the speculation, insisting that it's either George W. Bush, Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift.
BREAKING🚨: Former CNN host Don Lemon says sources have told him George Bush could be speaking at the DNC. pic.twitter.com/UpjHq5uFxb
— Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) August 22, 2024
One thing that is clear from Lemon's post is that he has no clue. He claims he's hearing from sources, but all three of those names had been speculated on well before he chimed in.
For what it's worth, I can't imagine George W. Bush would do such a thing. He may not be a fan of Trump, but endorsing Kamala Harris would destroy any remaining good faith he has among conservatives. I should know. I actively campaigned for the man in 2004, and still like him. If he endorsed Kamala Harris, I'd have to disavow all support I ever had for him.
Some have suggested that Liz Cheney could be the mystery speaker. Others believe it could be Satan. But, the most popular theory is that it is going to be Taylor Swift.
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Many have been wondering if Swift would come out and endorse Kamala Harris (she endorsed Joe Biden in 2020), but while I don't doubt she will endorse Kamala Harris, I'm skeptical that Taylor Swift would speak or perform at the Democratic National Convention.
It wouldn't surprise me if Kamala relies on a celebrity guest for the final night of the convention, if for no other reason than to boost ratings. However, a DNC insider says it's not Taylor Swift.
“Everybody loves Taylor, but having her here would overshadow everything,” the insider told Deadline. “Think about it, no one would remember a word the Vice President said in her acceptance speech. All the headlines would be about Swift.”
“That doesn’t help us right now,” the source concluded.
That sounds about right. There's a reason the Obamas spoke Tuesday, not Wednesday or even Thursday. They're the party royalty right now, and Kamala doesn't want to be in their shadow.
Along with Beyoncé, who has allowed the VP to use her 2016 tune “Freedom” as theme music, Swift is seen as the celebrity earthquake that could shift the electoral landscape in favor of the poll-leading Harris over Donald Trump. To that end and with some performers at the DNC being kept under wraps, rumors have been circulating for weeks that the Blue state and Red state popular Swift could jet into Chicago to offer an endorsement of the Vice President.
Swift has not issued an endorsement of any presidential candidate this election so far.
Still, the DNC rumor mill had been grinding hard, given a seeming opening is [sic] Swift’s calendar.
One popular X/Twitter account suggests that Beyoncé will be performing her song "Freedom" during Thursday night's festivities, which sounds a bit more accurate. Not only has Kamala Harris been using the song on the campaign trail, but the song was used in a Trump campaign video, prompting Beyoncé to issue a cease-and-desist notice to the campaign.
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