A large issue with modern United States politics is the idolization of politicians, especially presidential candidates and elects. Some view their favorite politicians as akin to celebrities instead of recognizing them as public servants. This encourages the spread of misinformation and undermines informed decision making. The cult-like following behind president elect Donald Trump and the more recent pop culture glamorization of presidential candidate Kamala Harris are examples of idolization that caused voters to avoid critical thinking in favor of blind support.
Trump is the most prevalent example of this in the US right now. He became the 45th president in 2016 and is projected to be the 47th president of the US.
Trump has created a loyal following that views any criticism of him as misinformation or a calculated attack, not allowing any room for facts proving otherwise. From claiming the 2020 election was stolen to suggesting that hydroxychloroquine would protect against COVID-19 to recent allegations that people in Springfield, Ohio are eating pets, Trump has spread misinformation many times throughout his first term as president and during his time rerunning for office. He even has a publicly-known record of 34 felony convictions, which include fraud, election subversion, and sexual assault.
Trump is a former reality television star, meaning his personality can easily captivate those listening. His simple answers, offensive remarks, and ability to speak his mind have helped him become the large political figure he is today, according to The Washington Post. His followers see him as an entertainer, a category of people easily idolized, instead of someone meant to represent and support the people.
This is part of why he managed to become president for a second time — his personality allowed him to win over voters who prioritized someone likable over someone with policies they aligned with.
Harris is also guilty of encouraging idolization of herself as a presidential candidate. However, her idolization has mainly come from young people who view her as humorous, counterculture, or “one of them.”
This summer, Charli xcx posted on X that Harris was “brat,” a phrase that became a compliment alongside the rising popularity of her album “brat.” This public endorsement was followed by Harris rebranding her X account to mimic the lime green aesthetic of the album. Additionally, her supporters began posting memes about coconut trees after a video of her mentioning a coconut tree went viral, further solidifying her image as appealing and relevant to young people.
Idolizing Harris as a pop culture icon led people to ignore parts of her campaign that didn’t align with this appealing image. An example of this is her stance on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. The Health Cluster and World Health Organization reported that 43,603 Palestinians have been killed and 102,929 Palestinians have been injured as of Nov. 9. They have been denied food as well, which is a violation of basic human needs. While many have argued that this treatment of Palestinians is consistent with genocide, this hasn’t stopped Harris from supporting Israel. Many leftists ignored this fact despite claiming to support Palestine, continuing to defend Harris even though she was acting unethically in their eyes.
"Let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself," Harris said, according to NPR.
A public figure who spoke up about this issue is singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. On her TikTok platform, she said that she can’t endorse Harris due to Harris’ support of Israel and lack of vocal defense for transgender rights. However, Roan still stated that she would be voting for Harris despite her lack of public endorsement.
“I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote — vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city,” Roan said to The Guardian.
Many of Roan’s fanbase called her out for this statement, sparking controversy. She faced accusations of supporting Trump or being a centrist despite the basis for her stance coming from strong beliefs in queer and marginalized rights.
Supporters of Harris weren’t able to rationalize someone speaking against her, as they saw it as a direct attack to Harris and her campaign. Instead of acknowledging the criticism and making a well-rounded decision on who to vote for, they took to directing their anger onto Roan.
Emotional connection to politicians undermines the process of critical thinking, favoring idolization over nuance. Instead of viewing presidential candidates as celebrities, they should be seen as policymakers there to serve the public. When voters don’t prioritize voting with a critical lens, politicians can spread misinformation to their supporters without consequence. Every politician should be held accountable in order to ensure a healthy democracy.
Although the presidential election has passed, it is important to vote with critical thinking in future elections.
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