Former White House Legislative Director Marc Short told Newsmax on Wednesday that entertainers would do themselves a favor if they avoided political topics during their performances.
Short, who served from 2017-18 in the legislative role before becoming former Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, said on "Ed Henry: The Big Take" that Americans don't find entertainers and politics to be a good mix. "Most people who go [to concerts] don't want to be talking politics, and particularly they don't want their entertainers to be lecturing to them on politics."
Short was responding to Bruce Springsteen and his barbs aimed at President Donald Trump. He said, "There's so many entertainers I wish would just stay out of [politics], particularly, often musicians."
Short told Henry, "I think probably Bruce Springsteen has a lot of Trump supporters among his fans, and for the president, he does a great job of picking out these celebrities and making them foils."
The former legislative director said entertainers should not try to mix it up with Trump. "I certainly remember the first administration's back-and-forth with Rosie O'Donnell," he said. "And so for the president, he loves elevating these folks and making them kind of look buffoonish."
On a separate note, Short analyzed that Democratic Socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will have as much luck keeping businesses in the city as Springsteen may have with his audience. "You're going to see more and more businesses who are not safe in New York," he said, "and are getting taxed to the hilt who are going to leave ... flee New York City."
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Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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