John Legend explains why Kamala Harris is his presidential pick: "We all have a stake in what happens"
John Legend admits most people may "see the glamour and celebrity" when they look at him, but he's the same person who grew up in a blue-collar town in Ohio with what he described as a UAW family. His upbringing, and now raising a family of his own, are among the many reasons he's passionate about taking a political stand.
In an exclusive TV interview, Legend told "CBS Mornings" co-anchor Tony Dokoupil that he doesn't want to "sit out" of elections because they impact everyone.
"Politics affects all of our lives, and we're all citizens, we all have a stake in what happens in this country. We pay taxes here. Our kids are growing up here, going to schools here," Legend told Dokoupil on Tuesday in Chicago.
Legend on endorsing Harris for president
As a California resident, Legend has had a front-row seat to Harris' career trajectory through the years – as district attorney, state attorney general, senator and now vice president. He says her political experience is one of the many reasons she's qualified for the role of commander-in-chief.
Legend said she has seen how "smart and charismatic and empathetic" Harris is.
"She is eminently qualified to be president. And then she also has the right character traits I think to be a great president, which means she cares about people's lives, wants government to work for people and improve their lives," he said.
The EGOT winner said he's already spent a lot of time traveling around the country, listening to voters' concerns and talking about the issues that are their top priorities.
"I don't wanna sit out. I wanna make sure that my voice is heard, but also that I lift up other voices and make sure they're heard too," Legend said.
Impact of celebrity endorsements
A growing number of celebrities have been backing Harris for president since President Biden withdrew from the 2024 race against former President Donald Trump in July. British singer Charli XCX even kickstarted a "kamala IS brat" social media trend inspired by her album.
A Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll released in May found celebrity endorsements don't necessarily sway voters, though former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have more pull than most. The Obamas delivered speeches supporting Harris Tuesday night at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
But Legend said that people often see the fame associated with him now, but his background is rooted in a blue-collar family from Springfield, Ohio.
"From my experience through the years, the Democratic party has cared more about those types of families, making sure life is better for workers, people who are struggling to stay in the middle class, struggling to get into the middle class," Legend said, drawing a stark contrast between him and Trump who he said "grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth" in New York City.
While he acknowledges celebrities may not always have a big political influence, Legend said the most important thing is that the Harris-Walz campaign continues to "press the flesh" and focus on the voters. Legend said Harris needs to keep addressing some of the top issues such as lowering the cost of groceries, helping first-time home buyers, providing a tax credit for parents of newborns and more.
"I think it's important for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to focus on the people. Don't focus on us. Go out there, talk to the people, listen to their concerns. And you can tell from the policy pronouncements that Vice President Harris put out last week talking about the economy; she's not doing that for me. She's doing that for everyday Americans. And that's what she needs to keep her eye on and keep her ear to, is the concerns of everyday Americans," said Legend.
