Taylor Swift’s New Documentary Prompted A Response From A Republican Senator She Criticized

In 2018, Taylor Swift threw her support behind Democratic political candidate Phil Bredesen, who was running for a Senate seat in Tennessee. He ultimately lost to Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn, about whom Swift is not laudatory in her new documentary, Miss Americana. Ahead of the film’s Netflix debut today, Blackburn seemingly caught wind of her unflattering mentions in the movie, as she issued a statement about Swift.

Hours before the film premiered, Blackburn shared a statement that doesn’t directly mention the movie or the issues she and Swift disagree on. Instead, Blackburn tried to find common ground, speaking about “legislation protecting songwriters, musicians, and artists from censorship, copyright theft, and profiteering.”

Blackburne said in a statement (via Variety):

“Taylor is an exceptionally gifted artist and songwriter, and Nashville is fortunate to be the center of her creative universe. While there are policy issues on which we may always disagree, we do agree on the need to throw the entertainment community’s collective influence behind legislation protecting songwriters, musicians, and artists from censorship, copyright theft, and profiteering. The Music Modernization Act was a huge win for creators, and the BOTS Act for fans. Growing support behind the AM-FM Act will close loopholes blocking compensation for radio play. I welcome any further opportunities to work with Tennessee’s and the nation’s creative communities to protect intellectual property and ensure appropriate compensation for their creations. On that note, I wish Taylor the best — she’s earned it.”

In the film, Swift says of Blackburn, “She votes against the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which is just basically protecting us from domestic abuse and stalking. Stalking. She thinks that if you’re a gay couple, or even if you look like a gay couple, you should be allowed to be kicked out of a restaurant. It’s really basic human rights, and it’s right and wrong at this point, and I can’t see another commercial and see her disguising these policies behind the words ‘Tennessee Christian values.’ Those aren’t Tennessee Christian values. I live in Tennessee. I am Christian. That’s not what we stand for.”

Following Blackburn’s win in the election, Swift also said of her, “She’s Trump in a wig. […] She won by being a female, [representing] the kind of female males want us to be in a horrendous 1950s world.”

Blackburn was also part of the inspiration behind Swift’s new song, “Only The Young.” Swift said in a recent interview, “I was really upset about Tennessee going the way that it did, obviously. And so I just wanted to write a song about it.”

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