White Dudes Rally Behind Harris, Urge Resistance Against 'Make America Great Again' Movement

In a virtual gathering, prominent white men expressed their support for Vice President Kamala Harris and called for resistance against the "Make America Great Again" movement, which they argue has co-opted masculinity and undermined traditional values. The event, dubbed "White Dudes for Harris," raised millions of dollars for the vice president's campaign.

On Monday, a group of prominent white men gathered virtually to express their support for Vice President Kamala Harris and to urge their fellow white men to push back against the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement, which they believe has co-opted masculinity and undermined traditional American values.

White Dudes Rally Behind Harris, Urge Resistance Against 'Make America Great Again' Movement

The "White Dudes for Harris" event, organized by Ross Morales Rocketto, raised millions of dollars for the vice president's campaign. Rocketto argued that white men have historically played a pivotal role in organizing for social change, but that their voices have often been marginalized in recent years.

"Throughout American history, when White men organized, it was often with pointy hats on," said Rocketto, referring to the Ku Klux Klan. "The way that our economy has charged over the years had left a lot of hardworking folks who are trying to do right by their families behind."

White Dudes Rally Behind Harris, Urge Resistance Against 'Make America Great Again' Movement

Rocketto added that many white men feel they are no longer able to provide for their families as they once could, which has led to a sense of alienation and frustration that the MAGA movement has exploited.

"That happens at the same time that as the myths around America that we grew up with that we as men are expected to be protectors and providers are going out into an economy that does really allow for that," he said.

White Dudes Rally Behind Harris, Urge Resistance Against 'Make America Great Again' Movement

Several celebrities were among the supporters who spoke at the event, including Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges.

"I'm White. I'm a dude, and I'm for Harris," said Bridges. "It's not so much a fight. It's a surrender to our higher thoughts. How we want this future to turn out. So I'm kind of surrendering to it… but that's just my approach."

White Dudes Rally Behind Harris, Urge Resistance Against 'Make America Great Again' Movement

Other guests included actor Bradley Whitford, who said he was happy to see a "variety of whiteness" that was like a "rainbow of beige," Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mark Hamill, as well as labor leaders and other elected officials like Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joked that he would be joining another call called "Couches Against Trump, better known as CATS," which refers to Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance's criticism of prominent Democrats as "childless cat ladies."

White Dudes Rally Behind Harris, Urge Resistance Against 'Make America Great Again' Movement

In the days leading up to the gathering, critics mocked "White Dudes for Harris," suggesting the participants would be soft and weak men.

"This will be the most Beta gathering in history," one critic wrote on social media.

Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged White men to look at the bigger picture and to stop thinking of themselves as victims.

"I would just say this to the White men of America, this idea that when other people get, we lose, that when other people benefit, we just get left behind," he said. "That is absolutely not true."

Actor Josh Gad, who said he cried while standing over his child's bed when former President Trump was elected in 2016, took a swipe at the Republican National Convention and the list of celebrities who attended.

"They have Kid Rock, Kevin Sorbo and a dolphin aficionado, and we have the Hulk… Luke Skywalker and Mayor Pete (Buttigieg). That's pretty dam cool," said Gad.

The event comes amid a larger effort by Democrats to mobilize White voters, who have been increasingly drawn to the Republican Party in recent years. A recent poll by the Pew Research Center found that 67% of White Americans identify as Republicans or Republican-leaning independents, compared to just 33% who identify as Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents.

The "White Dudes for Harris" event is an attempt to address this trend by appealing to White men who may feel alienated by the MAGA movement and who are looking for an alternative to the current political landscape.

"We are not going to let the MAGA crowd bully other White guys into voting for a hateful and divisive ideology," said Rocketto. "This is about standing up for what we believe in and for the future of our country."