How Taylor Swift and the Childless Cat Ladies will be Donald Trump’s downfall

The televised debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump saw her come out on top, on account of what he said and she didn’t. With microphones muted while the opponents spoke, to avoid interruptions, all Harris had to do was let him talk while her facial expressions said it all. 

Immigrants are “eating cats and dogs in Ohio, they’re eating the pets of the people that live there”, Trump bellowed like a bladder on a stick, while Harris’s features ran the gamut of incredulous to amusement to ‘see, we told you he was weird and every time he opens his mouth he gets weirder’. This was backed up by the broadcaster’s fact-checker who confirmed no instances had been recorded of kitty casserole and pooch pie on the menu. 

Harris’s sucker punches were delivered by her facial expressions. Never was so much said with such devastating effect in so few words. Trump’s equivalent responses, all face like a chewed toffee topped with a parmesan crust hairdo gurning were no match. 

Harris a ‘warrior’

When the cameras stopped rolling Taylor Swift took to Instagram to endorse Harris and declare her victory over the Scottish golf course owner, saying: “I’m voting for Kamala Harris because she fights for rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-headed, gifted leader and believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”

Donald Trump and US Vice-President Kamala Harris shake hands ahead of the presidential election debate (Picture: Win McNamee) | Getty Images

With 283 million Instagram followers – a hefty chunk being US Generation Zedders – could Taylor Swift’s intervention be decisive for Harris? With all but seven states already set to vote Republican or Democrat, in the battle for the swing states, the Swifties’ vote can make a difference. 

Medieval misogyny

Swift signed off as ‘Childless Cat Lady’ with a picture of her and one of her cats, a reference to Trump’s vice-presidential pick JD Vance’s ‘joke’ about leading Democrats being “a bunch of childless cat ladies”, which was a sideways dig at Harris who became a stepmother through marriage. Swift deflects the misogyny by claiming the slur. Yeah, she doesn’t have children and she owns cats. Like millions of other not weird people. Get over it.

As if things weren’t bad enough for Trump, Elon Musk breenged in, taking on Swift with his own post: “Fine Taylor… you win... I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life.”

This is also weird, and creepy, and further helps Harris. It may be an offer by the father of 12 to impregnate Swift, although when he says ‘give’ the world’s richest man might be planning a sweep down the back of the sofa to buy her one. As for guarding her cats, she has staff.

It’s 2024. Millions of women don’t have children, whether by choice or circumstance. To try and use that as a measure of a woman’s success is medieval and misogynistic. As for cat ownership, ditto. 

Swift’s three adored cats, Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button, have not commented so far, but no doubt Meredith and Olivia, as Scottish fold cats, will follow the tradition of their historic homeland by distancing themselves from any association with the former president, and, like Harris let their faces do the talking. A cold, hard, cat stare says it all.