In today’s hyper-partisan political landscape, no one is safe from the wrath of the MAGA crowd if they dare to step out of line. From politicians to celebrities, anyone who doesn’t march in lockstep with the Trump-loving masses risks becoming a target of their ire.
With President Joe Biden‘s surprise decision to bow out of the 2024 race, the Democratic Party has rallied around Vice President Kamala Harris as their presumptive nominee. Harris is expected to officially clinch the nomination at the party’s national convention in Chicago this August. Since emerging as the frontrunner, Harris has been on a fundraising tear, raking in donations from across the country as she seeks to close the gap with Republican nominee Donald Trump in the polls.
Harris’ campaign has attracted a star-studded cast of supporters, with endorsements rolling in from the likes of Mark Hamill, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Barack Obama, and countless other big names. The enthusiasm for her candidacy reached a fever pitch on Monday night during a “White Dudes for Harris” Zoom call and YouTube livestream that reportedly raised a staggering $4 million.
Almost immediately, social media was set ablaze with rumors that Bengals star Joe Burrow had jumped on the Harris bandwagon by attending the virtual fundraiser. The speculation seemed to originate from a single donation made by someone identified only as “Joe B.” Given Burrow’s high profile and popularity in the key swing state of Ohio, many assumed that the mysterious donor must be the Bengals’ signal-caller himself. Within hours, “Joe Burrow” was trending on Twitter, with partisans weighing in on the potential political implications of his supposed endorsement.
The Bengals quickly issued a statement categorically denying that Burrow had attended the fundraiser or made any donations to the Harris campaign. In fact, the team made it clear that their star quarterback was not involved in any political activities whatsoever.
Where does Joe Burrow actually stand politically?
The truth is, we don’t really know. The young quarterback has largely avoided making any public statements about his personal beliefs or allegiances. He did have his photo taken with then-President Trump at a UFC event back in March, but that hardly constitutes an endorsement. It’s safe to say he’s got more pressing concerns than getting dragged into the political mud. With a surgically-repaired wrist and a Bengals team eager to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season, the last thing he needs is to become a pawn in the never-ending game of partisan one-upmanship.