Dolly Parton’s Death Prompts Rare Bipartisan Outpouring From U.S. Political Leaders
· Time
The death of country music legend, actor, and philanthropist Dolly Parton has prompted a rare moment of bipartisanship, with tributes pouring in from both sides of the political aisle.
Visit raccoongame.org for more information.
Parton, who died at the age of 80 on Tuesday, was widely loved and celebrated around the world and leaves behind a life that touched the lives of millions of Americans.
“Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place,” read a statement shared on Parton’s social media page.
Read More: Dolly Parton Dies at 80
President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags at the White House and other federal facilities to be flown at half-staff through Sept. 1.
Trump called Parton an "amazing" person who and "to lose her is like to lose her a member of the family."
"She wasn't a very political person," Trump said during a live radio interview Wednesday morning with conservative host Glenn Beck.
Despite her grand public presence and persona, Parton often chose to stay out of political discourse.
“Everybody knows I don't do politics because my mother was a Democrat, my daddy was a Republican, so I'm a hypocrat,” she joked in 2017 when asked on Fox & Friends why she had not joined Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s anti-Trump remarks at the Emmys.
“I've got as many Republican fans as Democrats, and I don't want to make any of them mad at me, so I don't play politics. Plus, I'm an entertainer, I don’t usually voice my opinion in a situation like that,” Parton added.
Parton reiterated her apolitical stance during an interview with ABC's David Wright in 2018, where she again repeated, “I'm not being political.”
“I don't do politics. I'm not getting into any of that because I have a lot of fans out there, and I don't want to offend anybody,” she said.
When pressed to answer questions about Trump, who at the time was just over a year into his first term as President, Parton said: “I have my opinion about everybody and everything, but I learned a long time ago: Keep your damn mouth shut if you want to stay in show business.”
“I'm not in politics. I'm an entertainer,” she said.
That broad appeal was reflected in tributes from across the political spectrum.
How Democrats are remembering Parton’s advocacy
Major Democratic figures have cast Parton as a progressive figure who advocated for minority rights through her music, philanthropy, and public comments.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats and is a leading voice of the progressive movement, said Parton “was one of the great entertainers of our era” whose “music and humanity touched millions.”
“She was not only a talented musician & songwriter, but a lifelong philanthropist and advocate for literacy, education, LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare and disaster relief,” he said.
Despite Parton’s desire to remain politically neutral, her reputation as an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights stems from both her public comments and her work.
When asked in an interview aired in 2009 with Joy Behar whether she supported gay marriage, Parton said: “I always say, sure, why can't they get married? They should suffer like the rest of us do.”
At the time, the statement was politically significant, with same-sex marriage not becoming legal nationwide in the U.S. until 2015 and the issue still a source of intense political division.
Again in 2016, Parton underscored her support for the community, saying: “I do not believe that we should criticize and judge other people.”
“I think we should be accepting and loving. We are all God's children. We are who we are, and we should be allowed to be who we are,” she told Larry King during an interview.
Similarly, Tennessee Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jerri Green said Parton was one of "Tennessee's finest," noting that Parton "always used her platform to lift others up."
"She was also an unapologetic advocate for the most marginalized, including our LGBTQ+ neighbors. The world is brighter and better simply because she existed,” she added.
Asked in 2023 about Tennessee’s anti-trans legislation, Parton said she wanted “everybody to be treated good,” described the queer and transgender people in her life, and said their identities were as intrinsic to them as hers was to her.
“That’s who they are. They cannot help that any more than I can help being Dolly Parton, you know, the way people know me. If there’s something to be judged, that is God’s business. But we are all God’s children and how we are is who we are,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.
Former President Joe Biden also reflected on Parton’s legacy, describing her as “an American original” who “was an inspiration to millions” and “a relentless advocate for women and for equality.”
Rep. Ro Khanna of California said Parton “chose to continue her life pursuing the arts, and pushing boundaries to advocate for inclusion, women’s rights, children’s literacy, and more.”
The Country Music Hall of Fame credits Parton and her female contemporaries with revolutionizing country music through their “strong feminine stances.”
In 1995, Parton began her Imagination Library project, which sent an age-appropriate book to children in the U.S. every month until they turned 5. The program has since expanded to multiple countries around the world and delivered more than 300 million books to over 3 million children from all backgrounds.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called Parton “an extraordinary person and an irreplaceable champion of the working class.”
How Republicans are honoring Parton as an American icon
On the other side of the political aisle, Republicans have sought to highlight Parton as a symbol of American and Appalachian identity.
“Today our nation lost an American icon. Dolly Parton stood on the global stage for many decades and helped define the cultural image of our nation,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “Dolly was an Ambassador for American music and entertainment. She will be missed, but her legacy will continue.”
House Republicans, in a statement, described Parton as an “unmistakable voice” and “joyful presence” whose “deep love of country made her a national treasure.”
Parton was one of 12 children and was raised in poverty in rural Tennessee amid church music and a strong extended-family tradition. Rather than leaving the region behind, she invested heavily in East Tennessee with the opening of the Dollywood amusement park, which became a major tourism and employment engine, while the separate Dollywood Foundation funded scholarship opportunities.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said that all Tennesseans feel “the loss of Dolly Parton.”
“Dolly’s life and career are forever woven into Tennessee’s music, culture, and history. Her extraordinary talent, generosity, and love for the Volunteer State (the nickname for Tennessee) touched hearts around the world and will continue to inspire generations to come. Tennessee will forever be grateful for Dolly,” she added.
Rep. Diana Harshbarger, who represents East Tennessee's 1st Congressional District, where Parton was born and raised, said the singer “never forgot where she came from” and praised her ability to appeal to people across the political aisle.
“She was so apolitical. She did not want to be on one side or the other, and that made people love her,” she said. “She remained true to who she was, she was a genuine person. She was authentic as all get out, and nothing could sway her.”