MS NOW Presents: Clock It with Symone and Eugene

2 min

•Feb 5, 20262 months ago

Summary

Simone 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 through cultural trends on social media, runways, and sports.

Insights

Politicians are strategically using cultural appropriation of music, slang, and aesthetics as a political tool to appear relevant and powerful to younger audiences
Real political influence increasingly happens outside traditional venues like the White House and Capitol Hill, manifesting on social media platforms like TikTok, sports fields, and fashion runways
Understanding the intersection of culture and politics is essential for decoding modern political messaging and identifying who is 'hijacking' cultural moments for political purposes
Media professionals with dual expertise in both politics and culture are uniquely positioned to analyze and report on these emerging political tactics

Trends

Politicians leveraging TikTok and social media for cultural relevance and political messagingStrategic appropriation of music, slang, and aesthetic trends by political figures to connect with younger demographicsShift of political influence from traditional institutional spaces to cultural and entertainment platformsCelebrity and influencer response to political appropriation of cultural momentsGrowing importance of cultural literacy in political analysis and reporting

Topics

Politics and culture intersectionPolitical messaging through social mediaCelebrity response to political appropriationTikTok as political platformMusic and slang appropriation by politiciansWhite House communication strategyPolitical influence on fashion and aestheticsGenerational political engagement through culture

Companies

Apple Podcasts

Distribution platform for MS Now Premium subscription service offering ad-free listening and VIP bonus content

People

Simone Sanders Townsend

Co-host of Clock It; former strategic advisor to top Democrats and White House staffer under Vice President Kamala Ha...

Eugene Daniels

Co-host of Clock It; former White House reporter covering Vice President Kamala Harris and current political analyst

Bernie Sanders

Referenced as example of politician whose coverage Simone Sanders Townsend worked on during her time as strategic adv...

Kamala Harris

Former boss of Simone Sanders Townsend when she served as White House staffer; subject of Eugene Daniels' reporting

Sabrina Carpenter

Celebrity who publicly called out political appropriation, tweeting criticism of a video as 'evil and disgusting'

Quotes

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

Hosts

"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."

Hosts

"This is people who are getting paid with taxpayer dollars."

Eugene Daniels

"Clock It! is where we talk about what we see and hear in the news. so you can start to clock it too."

Hosts

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 right the people need to know exactly what 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. Exactly. We'll see you next time. For an order, subscribe to MS Now Premium on Apple Podcasts.