Taylor calls on Swifties to vote as Biden, Trump take Super Tuesday
Taylor Swift rallied voters as US President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump each claimed resounding wins on Super Tuesday – now Nikki Haley is out, the rematch is on UPDATED
READING LEVEL: ORANGE
UPDATED: NIKKI HALEY DROPS OUT OF THE RACE
Former US president Donald Trump’s last remaining Republican rival has dropped out of the election race, effectively handing him the party’s nomination for what will be an explosive rematch with President Joe Biden.
Nikki Haley suspended her campaign the morning after she lost 14 of 15 states on Super Tuesday, although she notably refused to endorse Mr Trump as the Republican candidate after he repeatedly attacked her as “Birdbrain” and pressured her to walk away.
While Ms Haley was unable to put a dent in Mr Trump’s stunning march to his third straight Republican nomination, she retained a sizeable minority of support and said it was now up to him to “earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him”.
“Our conservative cause badly needs more people,” she said.
TAY TAY RALLIES SWIFTIES AHEAD OF SUPER TUESDAY
Taylor Swift has made a surprise contribution to the US presidential race, urging her American fans to vote as President Biden and former president Donald Trump all but ended the nomination contest within their own parties, setting up a rematch of the extraordinary 2020 election that was full of Bad Blood.
On the morning of Super Tuesday* local time, when primary* contests to choose candidates* for both parties were happening across almost a third of the US, the pop icon* took time out from her tour in Singapore to post a message on Instagram.
“Today, March 5, is the presidential primary in Tennessee and 16 other states and territories,” Swift said. “I wanted to remind you guys to vote the people who most represent YOU into power. If you haven’t already, make a plan to vote today.”
Swift, who backed US President Joe Biden in his 2020 defeat of Mr Trump, did not endorse* a candidate. But Mr Biden’s team has been actively seeking her support for November’s likely rematch.
Mr Trump has ripped through the primary process despite the unprecedented* legal storm surrounding the former president. Before Super Tuesday, his former United Nations ambassador* Nikki Haley was the only other Republican candidate left in the race.
The overwhelming results of Super Tuesday, the biggest day on the primary calendar, all but deliver Mr Trump the conservative party’s nomination.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
After residents in each state vote, delegates* are awarded to the successful candidate for the Republican convention in July and the Democratic conventions in August, where the presidential nominee is confirmed. Ahead of Super Tuesday, Mr Trump already had 273 of the 1215 delegates required for a majority, and he was on track to hit that mark by the middle of March.
As well as Tennessee, Swift’s home state, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and American Samoa all held nominating contests on Tuesday.
Only Republicans will vote in Alaska, while only Democrats will vote in American Samoa.
Mr Biden has also cruised through the primary process without any serious challengers, but amid mounting concerns about the 81-year-old’s age and performance, he has slumped behind Mr Trump in polls on their expected head-to-head fight come November 5.
Last weekend, the Wall Street Journal found 47 per cent of voters were backing Mr Trump, compared to 45 per cent for Mr Biden as his approval rating remained stuck at 37 per cent.
The New York Times had the President trailing his predecessor* by 43 per cent to 48 per cent.
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GLOSSARY
- Republican: one of the two major political parties in the US and more right-wing or conservative than the Democrats
- Democrats: the other major political party in the US and more liberal than the Republicans
- Super Tuesday: traditionally the biggest day in the US for primary elections and caucuses before the actual election day in November, when 16 different states and one territory choose who they want to run for president
- primary: known collectively as the primaries in the US, these elections allow voters to select candidates to run for public office
- candidates: those competing to get a job or to be elected to a position
- icon: greatly admired person or thing, especially for having great influence or significance
- endorse: to make a public statement of approval or support for something or someone
- unprecedented: unheard of, never having happened or existed in the past
- ambassador: someone who represents, speaks for or advertises a particular country, organisation, group, activity or brand
- delegates: people authorised to vote on behalf of others in an indirect election, such as the Electoral College in the US
- predecessor: someone who had a job or position before someone else, or a thing that comes before another in time or in a series
EXTRA READING
Trump’s golden sneakers sell out
US election: How does it work? What could happen?
QUICK QUIZ
- Who did Taylor Swift endorse in her Instagram post encouraging her American fans to vote?
- Super Tuesday had primaries happening across approximately what proportion of the US?
- How many delegates does Trump need to secure a majority before the Republican convention in July?
- How many delegates did he already have ahead of Super Tuesday?
- Who did Taylor Swift endorse in the 2020 presidential election?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. How is the president elected?
Do you know how a president is elected in the United States? If you don’t, use your research skills to find out. Then, use the information that you have found to create a diagram that would help other kids understand how the process happens.
Time: allow at least 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Civics and Citizenship
2. Extension
In Australia it is compulsory to vote, but not in the United States. Which system do you think is better? Give specific reasons for your answer.
Time: allow at least 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Civics and Citizenship
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.