MS NOW Presents: Clock It with Symone and Eugene

2 min

•Feb 5, 20262 months ago

Summary

Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels launch a new podcast called 'Clock It!' that examines the intersection of politics and culture, analyzing how politicians appropriate music, slang, and aesthetics for political gain. The show aims to decode political messaging hidden in cultural moments across social media, entertainment, and sports.

Insights

Political influence extends beyond traditional media into culture, music, and social platforms where messaging strategies are less obvious to mainstream audiences
There is growing audience demand for analysis that connects cultural appropriation to political strategy and power dynamics
White House communications increasingly rely on cultural signaling and aesthetic choices to shape public perception of political figures
The intersection of politics and pop culture represents an underexplored but significant battleground for political messaging and influence

Trends

Politicians leveraging cultural aesthetics and music to enhance political brand and relevancePolitical messaging migration from traditional news cycles to TikTok and social media platformsGrowing skepticism about government communications and taxpayer-funded political branding effortsIncreased audience interest in decoding hidden political narratives within entertainment and cultural momentsCelebrity and influencer engagement in political discourse and response to political appropriation of culture

Topics

Political messaging and branding strategiesCultural appropriation by politiciansMusic and slang as political toolsWhite House communications tacticsSocial media and TikTok political influenceCelebrity response to political narrativesGovernment spending on political imageryPolitics and entertainment intersectionPolitical aesthetics and visual brandingDecoding political narratives in culture

Companies

Apple Podcasts

Platform hosting MS Now Premium subscription service with ad-free episodes and exclusive VIP bonus content

People

Symone Sanders Townsend

Co-host of Clock It podcast; former strategic advisor to top Democrats and White House staffer for VP Kamala Harris

Eugene Daniels

Co-host of Clock It podcast; former White House reporter covering Vice President Kamala Harris administration

Bernie Sanders

Referenced as political figure whose communications were analyzed by Symone Sanders Townsend during her strategic adv...

Kamala Harris

Former employer of Symone Sanders Townsend when Townsend served as Vice President's strategic advisor

Sabrina Carpenter

Celebrity who publicly criticized political appropriation of culture on social media platforms

Quotes

"We get along so well because we are both fluent in politics and culture."

Symone Sanders Townsend or Eugene Daniels

"The real political games are being played outside on football fields on the runways and on TikTok"

Symone Sanders Townsend or Eugene Daniels

"To fight back in this crazy world, to win the war of ideas and the war for what's right, the people need to know exactly what's going on. They gotta clock it."

Symone Sanders Townsend or Eugene Daniels

"We're positioning ourselves at the intersection of culture and politics so we can report back to you who's hijacking what, for what reason, and precisely how much any of it matters."

Symone Sanders Townsend or Eugene Daniels

Full Transcript

Simone Sanders Townsend and I have known each other for more than a decade since she was the strategic mind behind the country's top Democrats. Y'all want to hear from Bernie Sanders? Back in the day, Eugene Daniels and I sometimes disagreed. He was, after all, reporting on my then boss, Vice President Kamala Harris. And honestly, when you talk to people in the White House, people are starting to feel a little bit more pessimistic. And now, instead of being at odds as White House reporter and White House staffer, We're friends and colleagues, dissecting what comes across our feed just like everybody else. This is people who are getting paid with taxpayer dollars. He's all the taxpayer dollars. It's corny. It's corny. It's trolling and it's not funny. Yeah. And we'll continue to stay on top of political news, but we'll cover much more in a new show. MS Now presents Clock It. We get along so well because we are both fluent in politics. And culture. When we're not mic'd up for TV, we're talking about how politicians are stealing music and slang and aesthetics to make themselves seem powerful and relevant. Putting out where he looks very superhero-esque, child. Very Tony Stark. It's giving Tony Stark. He's hopping out of the government vehicles. Because while most political coverage is focused on the White House or the Hill the real political games are being played outside on football fields on the runways and on TikTok Okay, Sabrina Carpenter saw this, tweeted, This video is evil and disgusting. And to fight back in this crazy world, to win the war of ideas and the war for what's right, the people need to know exactly what's going on. They gotta clock it. Come on. On our new podcast, MS Now Presents Clock It!, we're positioning ourselves at the intersection of culture and politics. So we can report back to you who's hijacking what, for what reason, and precisely how much any of it matters. Clock It! is where we talk about what we see and hear in the news, so you can start to clock it, too. New episodes drop every Thursday starting February 12th. And sign up for MS Now Premium on Apple Podcasts so you can listen to all the good stuff without ads. We'll even be dropping some VIP bonus content just for subscribers. Now clock that. Exactly.