Right-wing wraith Laura Ingraham took some time away from attacking teachers to beg pop star Taylor Swift to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“Call Trump and offer to perform at the inauguration,” Ingraham said during her Fox News show Thursday night, in “advice” directed toward Swift. “It'd be smart for Taylor Swift—and another great moment of unity for the country.”
Ingraham didn’t elaborate on what she meant by “smart.” It could be read either as a threat or as a smart business move for Swift, whose Eras Tour just completed its historically successful run.
Ingraham, who has mocked Swift’s political affiliations in the past, seems thirsty to have an inaugural performer more exciting than GOP mainstay and overpriced-Bible salesman Lee Greenwood or post-grunge afterthought 3 Doors Down.
Trump’s anemic 2017 inaugural lineup was … lackluster, to say the least. But maybe Ingraham has forgotten those big acts, like Utah’s The Piano Guys and ‘90s country group The Frontmen of Country. Toby Keith, who also performed at the 2017 inauguration, died earlier this year.
Ingraham’s sweaty plea to Swift isn’t surprising. The pop megastar has been an obsession of Trump and the right for some time. They have weaved conspiracy theories such as Swift being a “deep-state” psychological operation meant to destroy Trump. When Swift endorsed Harris in this year’s presidential election, the right freaked out about it.
For all of their culture-war BS, it seems very clear that the right wishes that any of the most popular cultural music icons of the past 60 years were willing to be paid off to like them. From Fleetwood Mac to Beyoncé, from Springsteen to Bad Bunny, megastars past and present have almost never backed Republicans. And Trump has made that distinction all the clearer.
But don’t worry, Laura, you always have Kid Rock and Ted Nugent!
