Actor Jeff Bridges participated in a virtual fundraising event called ‘White Dudes for Harris,’ aimed at white men supporting Kamala Harris in presidential bid.
The call, which took place on Monday night, saw over 123,000 participants and raised more than $3.3 million. This event is part of a series of Zoom meetings designed to raise funds and rally support for vice president Harris.President Biden had previously announced he was leaving the presidential race and endorsing Harris.
The event featured appearances from actors Mark Ruffalo, Mark Hamill, and Bradley Whitford. Democratic officials such as transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Illinois governor JB Pritzker also participated. The virtual gatherings have been organised by supporters’ backgrounds, including Black women, Hispanic women, Black men, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Jeff Bridges praised Harris and humorously channeled his role as ‘The Dude’ from the 1998 film ‘The Big Lebowski,’ saying, “As the Dude might say, ‘That’s just my opinion, man.'”
Organisers noted that the call was another example of how Democrats, including Biden, have historically relied on diverse voter groups to build coalitions of support. Biden’s 2020 victory, for example, relied on organised labor and conservative suburban women disillusioned with Donald Trump.
‘White dudes’ Zoom events have become a part of this trend, also featuring comments from participants like Bradley Whitford, who dryly remarked on the event’s numerous white male speakers as ‘a rainbow of beige.’ JB Pritzker joked about his initial hesitation to attend an event called ‘White Dudes for’ something, while Pete Buttigieg expressed his honor in sharing a virtual platform with Jeff Bridges and emphasised the importance of men’s freedom in a country with access to abortion rights.
“Men are also more free in a country where we have a president who stands up for things like access to abortion rights.”
Gov. Walz pointed out that Trump supporters aren’t inherently bad people and urged: “Don’t ever shy away from our progressive values. One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.”
Ross Morales Rocketto, the progressive operative who founded the ‘dudes’ group, highlighted that not all white men are supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. “We know that the silent majority of white men aren’t MAGA supporters,” he said.
Although Harris’ team has not organised these Zoom calls, they welcome the support and fundraising efforts. “Winning campaigns are powered by real, organic support,” said Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler.
Harris’ calls often feature celebrities who have previously supported Biden’s campaign. For example, the political networking group ‘Win With Black Women’ saw its participants swell to over 44,000 on the same night that Biden dropped out. This event featured celebratory speeches from activists, business leaders, and members of Congress.
Following that, a ‘Win With Black Men’ virtual fundraising event attracted more than 53,000 attendees, including Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock. A Zoom event for ‘White Women for Harris’ also drew over 164,000 participants and featured personalities such as singer Pink, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, and actor Connie Britton.
The efforts to organize supporters by their distinct backgrounds are not unique to Harris’ campaign. Trump’s campaign has also organised events aimed at different groups, such as Black voters in battleground states like Pennsylvania and Georgia, as well as ‘Latino Americans for Trump.’
Some Republicans have criticised Harris for her ‘diversity, equality and inclusion politics,’ arguing that her political career has been aided by Democratic efforts to promote diversity. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders have discouraged lines of criticism they consider racist and sexist, urging party members to focus their criticisms on her political record.
The call, which took place on Monday night, saw over 123,000 participants and raised more than $3.3 million. This event is part of a series of Zoom meetings designed to raise funds and rally support for vice president Harris.President Biden had previously announced he was leaving the presidential race and endorsing Harris.
The event featured appearances from actors Mark Ruffalo, Mark Hamill, and Bradley Whitford. Democratic officials such as transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Illinois governor JB Pritzker also participated. The virtual gatherings have been organised by supporters’ backgrounds, including Black women, Hispanic women, Black men, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Jeff Bridges praised Harris and humorously channeled his role as ‘The Dude’ from the 1998 film ‘The Big Lebowski,’ saying, “As the Dude might say, ‘That’s just my opinion, man.'”
Organisers noted that the call was another example of how Democrats, including Biden, have historically relied on diverse voter groups to build coalitions of support. Biden’s 2020 victory, for example, relied on organised labor and conservative suburban women disillusioned with Donald Trump.
‘White dudes’ Zoom events have become a part of this trend, also featuring comments from participants like Bradley Whitford, who dryly remarked on the event’s numerous white male speakers as ‘a rainbow of beige.’ JB Pritzker joked about his initial hesitation to attend an event called ‘White Dudes for’ something, while Pete Buttigieg expressed his honor in sharing a virtual platform with Jeff Bridges and emphasised the importance of men’s freedom in a country with access to abortion rights.
“Men are also more free in a country where we have a president who stands up for things like access to abortion rights.”
Gov. Walz pointed out that Trump supporters aren’t inherently bad people and urged: “Don’t ever shy away from our progressive values. One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.”
Ross Morales Rocketto, the progressive operative who founded the ‘dudes’ group, highlighted that not all white men are supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. “We know that the silent majority of white men aren’t MAGA supporters,” he said.
Although Harris’ team has not organised these Zoom calls, they welcome the support and fundraising efforts. “Winning campaigns are powered by real, organic support,” said Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler.
Harris’ calls often feature celebrities who have previously supported Biden’s campaign. For example, the political networking group ‘Win With Black Women’ saw its participants swell to over 44,000 on the same night that Biden dropped out. This event featured celebratory speeches from activists, business leaders, and members of Congress.
Following that, a ‘Win With Black Men’ virtual fundraising event attracted more than 53,000 attendees, including Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock. A Zoom event for ‘White Women for Harris’ also drew over 164,000 participants and featured personalities such as singer Pink, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, and actor Connie Britton.
The efforts to organize supporters by their distinct backgrounds are not unique to Harris’ campaign. Trump’s campaign has also organised events aimed at different groups, such as Black voters in battleground states like Pennsylvania and Georgia, as well as ‘Latino Americans for Trump.’
Some Republicans have criticised Harris for her ‘diversity, equality and inclusion politics,’ arguing that her political career has been aided by Democratic efforts to promote diversity. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders have discouraged lines of criticism they consider racist and sexist, urging party members to focus their criticisms on her political record.
Source : Times of India
