Robert Gamer: Author & Activist

What do Taylor Swift and Babe Ruth have in common besides celebrity? The King of Swat, Babe Ruth, and the most popular chanteuse in creation, Taylor Swift, used their superstardom to wield significant influence in the political arena through their endorsements.

In the case of Babe Ruth, he gave his blessing to Al Smith in his run against Herbert Hoover. Although his endorsement didn’t pan out in this case, Babe Ruth’s nod to Smith is noteworthy because Smith, a fellow Catholic, grew up modestly in a similar background. Babe Ruth said in his public statement regarding the endorsement: “There is a chance for every boy to get to the top in America, whether he wants to be president or a ball player.”

Of course, today, he probably would have substituted “every child” for “boy.” At any rate, Babe Ruth, who was a Democrat, tapped into the pulse of what makes our country great, which is equal opportunity for all.

Taylor Swift just announced her support for Kamala Harris in the presidential race and called on her fans to vote in the election. Her post on Instagram included a link to Vote.gov.  The result? According to the General Services Administration, over 400,000 people clicked on this link 24 hours after Taylor Swift posted it. In a tight race, where the margin of victory may very well be a couple hundred thousand votes, Taylor Swift’s action could potentially be the deciding factor in the election, underscoring the significant impact of celebrity endorsements on politics.

Taylor Swift and Babe Ruth are by no means the exceptions to celebrities giving political endorsements. Since the 1920s, stars have been lending their names to political campaigns, establishing a long-standing tradition of celebrity influence in politics. Al Jolson, for example, started off the bandwagon by throwing his support to Warren G. Harding. There are many names, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Humphrey Bogart, Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles, Judy Garland, and Barbara Streisand. These endorsements come with risks, especially today, when there are people out there who will resort to violence to silence someone who is spreading a message to the public that is not in keeping with their beliefs.

There is, to be sure, a greater risk, though, of silence.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer proclaimed, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.”

When you have the ear of countless millions and say nothing regarding the presence in our body politic of an actual pernicious threat to the survival of our system of government,  aren’t you, in a sense, failing ethically and morally? There is an icon in the folk-rock world, for example, the Nobel Prize for Literature winner, the writer of acclaimed masterpieces, the balladeer of protest songs, who hasn’t uttered a peep about the upcoming presidential election. Has he caught the train to the Coast, as the lyrics go? When you have made untold riches in your careers, are household names, and fail to take a stand one way or the other, there is no other way to put it other than moral cowardice. You fall flat ethically. It becomes a matter of gaining the world and losing your soul.

In the fifth inning of Game Three of the 1932 World Series in Chicago, Babe Ruth made a pointing gesture before blasting a home run to deep center field. This iconic moment, often called ‘calling his shot, ‘ is a powerful metaphor for the influence of celebrity endorsements on politics. By taking their respective stands and giving their support to political candidates, Taylor Swift and Babe Ruth smashed home runs on behalf of society.

A standing ovation to them both!