How Zoom and Identity Politics Are Propelling the Harris Campaign

As someone who has spent countless hours on Zoom meetings during this pandemic, I can attest to its transformative power in bringing people together, even when physically apart. The recent surge of political groups using Zoom for their meetings is a testament to its potential as a powerful campaigning tool.

When the U.S. political scene underwent a significant transformation following President Joe Biden’s decision not to run for re-election, his successor’s election efforts quickly gained momentum. Traditional aspects like door-to-door canvassing and constant emails or text messages were present, but a unique development occurred during a Zoom meeting on July 29th. This gathering, as one prominent figure described it, introduced an unexpected element to the presidential campaign trail by assembling a diverse group of over a dozen well-known celebrities and influential politicians, often referred to as a “rainbow of beige” men, to support Vice President Kamala Harris’ emerging campaign.

A Zoom gathering titled “White Men for Harris” was a heartening, self-reflective discussion featuring notable men from Los Angeles and Washington D.C., expressing fervent support for Kamala Harris. Sean Astin delivered an impassioned speech that particularly caught attention. Jeff Bridges, famously known as “The Dude,” openly expressed his support as just another white man. They discussed the potential danger of a second Trump term, and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker joked about the gathering being unusual for him but emphasized its importance.

I, a passionate gamer, managed to gather over 200,000 fellow enthusiasts in an impromptu Zoom event within just a few days. The buzz around this gathering was so intense that it attracted some big names from the entertainment world. Ross Morales Rocketto, our organizer, cleverly referred to this as a “virtuous cycle,” as news of the event spread like wildfire.

A customized fundraising event, targeted at specific segments of American voters, underscores the significant role identity politics will play during this election season. Despite its negative use by some politicians like Republican nominee Donald Trump in reference to Kamala Harris’ ethnicity, identity has become a potent tool in politics that can be both derogatory and disrespectful. However, as demonstrated by this event and numerous other Zoom meetings, the power of identity is being leveraged alongside advanced communication technology to mobilize and energize voters.

In discussions centered around a group of self-identified “white males,” this organizational strategy could potentially make some people uneasy – even considered somewhat inappropriate, as per Rocketto’s comments to The Hollywood Reporter. However, it is pivotal for the Democrats in 2024, given Trump’s significant support among white male voters. In both 2016 and 2020, over 60% of white males voted for the MAGA movement, based on exit polling data from Edison Research. Notably, Rocketto, who also hosted a “White Dudes For Harris” online event, highlighted that the Democrats have dedicated less effort towards addressing white male concerns in the last 25 to 30 years.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed a gradual shift in our gaming community, and it boils down to this: we tend to categorize issues in black-and-white terms, often focusing on either white male gamers or underrepresented groups like women, people of color, and Black women. But here’s the deal, we need to address both sides simultaneously to create a truly inclusive gaming environment for everyone.

For decades, Democrats have consistently built a diverse coalition to secure victories in elections. “White Dudes for Harris” was inspired by the success of “Win With Black Women,” which has been conducting weekly Zoom meetings for four years. The group emerged from the frustration that many Black women felt in 2020 about the way Biden’s potential running mates were being treated. These Sunday Zoom calls, which can last for hours, serve as a platform for strategizing and offering support. On July 20, when Biden’s campaign ended, “Win With Black Women” raised around $1.6 million for Harris during their Zoom meeting.

Building upon the camaraderie displayed in the “Win with Black Women” event, a large gathering of White men, also known as the White Dudes, achieved tremendous success, raising over $4 million. This event marked the beginning of the Zoom movement, which has since expanded. For instance, on July 31, there was the “Latino Men for Harris” gathering hosted by George Lopez, followed by “Comics for Kamala” on Aug. 5, which saw numerous popular comedians come together virtually to support Harris. One of the most memorable moments was Nick Offerman’s satirical song “Proud to be a Kamala Man,” sung to the tune of “God Bless the USA.”

In the last few years, Zoom has risen in significance as a key communication tool, much like Twitter did for Trump a decade ago during his political ascendancy. Since being adept at using the latest platforms is crucial to winning campaigns, it’s evident that we’re now referring to the upcoming 2024 election as the “Zoom Election.” In the span of just a week, Zoom has become what some are calling “appointment television,” due to its role in bringing people together during the pandemic (though it may also cause fatigue).

“Nowadays, unlike in 2020, people have grown accustomed to using Zoom. Back then, remote meetings were unfamiliar territory due to the pandemic. However, now the concept of participating in a virtual meeting without leaving home doesn’t seem strange anymore. This is because people have adapted and become comfortable with this technology. Despite this familiarity, there are still situations where it’s appropriate for Zoom calls. Intriguingly, when large numbers of individuals simultaneously join such meetings, they can experience a sense of community, even though they can’t physically see each other.”

So far, Team Trump hasn’t shifted its campaign to Zoom, but they managed to live-stream on Kick on August 5 when the candidate spoke with popular internet personality Adin Ross. This 23-year-old, who has interviewed controversial figures like Nick Fuentes (a white supremacist) and often streams himself playing video games on his Kick page, helped garner over 580,000 views for Trump during the live stream. It’s unclear if this will prompt their campaign to adopt this platform and format in the future.

To cater to the increasing public interest in attending meetings, Zoom should stay responsive. Last week, the company’s engineers increased the meeting capacity to a record-breaking 200,000 participants for the first time due to the overwhelming turnout at the “White Women: Answer the Call 2024” event, which exceeded the largest corporate package available. In a similar scenario, Rocketto managed the high demand for his “White Dudes” call by live-streaming it on YouTube, pushing viewership over 200,000; he revealed to THR that an additional 450,000 have since viewed the Zoom stream.

If consistently held, the strong feeling of camaraderie from these Zoom gatherings as described by Rocketto could potentially propel the Harris campaign towards victory. These Zoom sessions for Harris might serve a similar role to Trump’s MAGA rallies in 2024. Although the Harris campaign won’t get the free media attention that Trump’s rallies received during his 2016 campaign, they will reap the funds raised from these meetings – it is worth noting that this fundraising occurs independently of her team.

The financial enhancement in her campaign is evident: Three Zoom fundraisers titled “White Dudes for Harris,” “Win with Black Women,” and “White Women: Answer the Call” generated $16 million, contributing to a July total of $310 million, surpassing Trump’s $138.7 million for the same period. Moreover, as per a poll released on Tuesday by NPR/PBS News/Marist, Harris currently leads Trump by 51% to 48%.

2024-08-07 18:55

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