From Conspiracy Theories to Celebrity Endorsements: How Social Media Reacted to the First 2024 Debate

The first presidential debate of the 2024 elections between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris sparked a whirlwind of online activity, with users on X (formerly Twitter) discussing the event in real time. From fact-checking to conspiracy theories, social media became a battleground for political commentary.

PeakMetrics, a narrative intelligence platform, analyzed the online conversation surrounding the debate and uncovered key insights, including how the debate moderators, conspiracy theories, and celebrity endorsements impacted the broader online discussion. This blog post delves into some of the standout narratives that shaped the digital landscape during and after the debate.

Moderation & Fact-Checking:

During the debate, from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM ET, PeakMetrics detected about 5.8 million posts related to the event on X. Among these, approximately 16% of the posts specifically referenced the ABC News debate’s moderation or fact-checking. There were 950,000 posts that highlighted moderators and their active role in enforcing the debate rules, a significant increase compared to the previous debates moderated by CNN. The heightened focus on fact-checking and rule enforcement drew praise from several users, indicating a growing demand for transparency and accountability in these high-stakes political events.

The "Haitians Eating Pets" Conspiracy Theory:

PeakMetrics found that the conspiracy theory, amplified by VP candidate JD Vance, that Haitian migrants were eating pets in Ohio was mentioned in a sustained number of X (Twitter) posts in the lead-up to the debate — hovering between 40,000 and 20,000 posts per hour from September 9th into the hour the debate began on September 10th. 

While this theory gained momentum online in the lead-up to the debate, former President Trump’s reference to the theory during the debate appeared to flip the script and opened the theory to online mockery. The number of posts mentioning the language specifically used by former President Trump to reference this theory during the debate — including “they’re eating the pets” — was 83% higher than the number of posts more specifically describing the conspiracy and mentioning Haitians, immigrants, and migrants. Posts quoting former President Trump were largely mocking his reference to the theory using his own language.

During the debate, there were approximately 121,000 posts referencing the conspiracy theory in the language that had previously gained traction online — mentioning pets and animals being eaten by Haitians, migrants, or immigrants. In response to a question about immigration, former President Trump referenced the theory saying, "They're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats.” During the debate, X (Twitter) posts using Trump’s language — “they’re eating the pets/dogs/cats” — soared to approximately 223,000 posts. 

Taylor Swift Endorsement:

Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris added a cultural twist to the political conversation. After Swift endorsed Harris with the phrase “childless cat lady,” posts referencing "childless cat ladies" skyrocketed by 17,000% within the hour following her endorsement. The number of posts jumped from just 300 to over 53,000 between 10:00 PM and 12:00 AM EST. 

Meanwhile, PeakMetrics found the number of X (Twitter) posts mentioning variations of “Swifties for Trump” were on the decline in the lead-up to Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris late on September 10th. Posts peaked on August 19th — when former President Trump posted AI generated images of Taylor Swift and Swifties — falsely suggesting her support for his campaign. Compared to this peak 81,000 posts), the number of posts mentioning “Swifties for Trump” on September 9th were 96% percent lower (2,800 posts). 

In the hour following Taylor Swift’s endorsement of the Harris-Walz campaign post-debate, posts mentioning “Swifties for Kamala/Harris” were ~370% higher than posts mentioning “Swifties for Trump”. 

Conclusion:

The first 2024 presidential debate proved to be more than just a platform for policy discussion—it became a catalyst for viral conversations across social media. From moderators being praised or scrutinized for their role to conspiracy theories being both amplified and ridiculed, the online narrative had far-reaching implications. Celebrity endorsements, like Taylor Swift’s backing of Kamala Harris, added an extra layer of complexity to the discourse. As the election season unfolds, it’s clear that social media will continue to shape and spread political narratives, and platforms like PeakMetrics will be key in tracking and understanding the impact of these digital conversations on public perception.