La course à la présidence entre Kamala Harris et Donald Trump est actuellement très serrée, entraînant une grande anxiété parmi les démocrates d’Hollywood. Alors que les sondages montrent une égalité juste avant le jour des élections, des figures de l’industrie expriment leur inquiétude face à la montée de Trump. Harris tente de galvaniser le soutien avec des interventions de célébrités, mais beaucoup craignent que cela ne soit pas suffisant. La discussion se concentre aussi sur l’impact potentiel d’un commentaire de George Bush, tandis que les efforts se concentrent sur les courses en aval.
As Election Day approaches and polls show a tight race, many in Hollywood are feeling anxious about the contest between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
“A threat of fascism is looming, and her campaign isn’t robust enough in its response. They aren’t making the necessary breakthroughs,” says a concerned PR executive regarding the vice president’s challenge against the former president backed by Project 2025. “In battleground states, it’s too close, and she needs to secure a sweep to reach 270 electoral votes.”
“This should have been settled weeks ago.”
While Hollywood often looks to dramatic resolutions, insiders reveal that fear of Trump’s potential return to the White House dominates conversations among industry leaders in Los Angeles. Despite Hollywood’s status as one of the Democratic Party’s major financial supporters, discussions shift between cautious optimism and outright frustration.
In reaction to Trump’s recent inflammatory comments, including a remark about positioning former Republican Representative Liz Cheney in front of a firing squad, Harris’s campaign has actively engaged with targeted advertising and notable celebrity appearances. Although Taylor Swift is yet to join, in just the past week, Beyoncé attended a Harris rally in Texas, and other celebrities like Bad Bunny have publicly endorsed her. LeBron James offered his support, and Jennifer Lopez spoke at a rally in Las Vegas addressing offensive comments made by Trump’s supporters about Puerto Rico. Cardi B is also set to appear at a Milwaukee event on Friday.
Despite the presence of prominent figures endorsing Harris, several influential players in Hollywood feel that only a statement from a certain former Republican commander-in-chief could shake up the current status quo.
“Where is George Bush?” questions a filmmaker identifying as a « compassionate conservative. » Trump has disparaged both Bush’s former VP and his daughter, while Bush’s own daughter, Barbara, is campaigning for Harris. “He doesn’t need to say ‘Vote for Kamala’; he just needs to denounce Trump,” the filmmaker argues.
However, according to Matthew Littman, a former top speechwriter for Joe Biden, the value of star endorsements at this late hour is more about increasing voter turnout than changing minds. “I try not to focus on feelings, as I want to ensure we’re doing what needs to be done,” he noted, recalling the 2016 experience when many believed in a Clinton victory.
To some in the industry, the late-stage actions feel insufficient. An Emmy winner remarked, “I hate to say it, but she peaked too early,” reflecting on Harris’s impressive entry into the race about 100 days prior. “There doesn’t seem to be a clear strategy — it feels improvised.” This writer speculated that Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro might have been a stronger running mate than Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in appealing to younger male voters.
“I sincerely hope I’m mistaken,” he added, citing various hesitations regarding the VP selection and more. “It feels reminiscent of 2016. Trump outperforms her, even amid his blunders and racist remarks. His base embraces that sexist, racist rhetoric, and the Biden administration’s struggles didn’t help.”
On the flip side, some question whether the current dynamics might differ if Biden had remained in the race. “Could Biden be ahead at this point?” speculated one long-time Democrat donor regarding the 81-year-old incumbent who exited the race in July after a troubled debate against Trump. “I’m uncertain, but Joe has beaten Trump before; people are familiar with him.”
Chris Stirewalt, who famously called Arizona for Fox News during the 2020 election, emphasizes the need to step back and observe the broader picture of this election rather than focusing solely on details.
After being dismissed from Fox, Stirewalt, now a political editor at NewsNation, recently shared on a podcast: “It’s close. There are similarities to 2012. We thought the race was close, but it wasn’t. What happened was instability that benefited Trump. It seems to have evened out and stayed that way.”
Stirewalt elaborated: “There’s a theory suggesting that there remain many lower-turnout voters, primarily men, who could be mobilized to vote. Trump may outperform Harris, leading pollsters to conclude they missed yet again an important wave of Trump support.” He compared it to 2012, when low-turnout Democratic voters were overlooked, particularly young and Black voters.
“My intuition suggests all this early voting should favor Harris,” stated a seasoned political operative looking at record participation leading up to the election in states like Georgia and Arizona.
Yet the presidential contest is not the only critical race. Many Democratic donors are shifting their focus from supporting Harris to other