Posted on 04/06/2009 10:30:19 PM PDT by Schnucki
Up until now it had been a mutual love affair.
As the campaign for the American presidency gathered pace last June, Bob Dylan lent his support to Barack Obama, telling The Times that his candidacy was “redefining the nature of politics”.
In return Mr Obama described the singer as an icon, and boasted of having “probably 30 Dylan songs on my iPod”, including “the entire Blood on the Tracks album”.
But in an interview to be published on Dylan’s website today, the hero of 1960s counterculture seems to have cooled on the prospects of the recently elected American leader.
Asked if he thought that Mr Obama would make a good president, the singer said that he had no idea. He added: “Most of those guys come into office with the best of intentions and leave as beaten men.
“Johnson would be a good example of that . . . Nixon, Clinton in a way, Truman, all the rest of them going back. You know, it’s like they all fly too close to the Sun and get burnt.”
In a question-and-answer session with the music journalist Bill Flanagan to promote his new album Together Through Life, Dylan dismisses politics as “entertainment . . . a sport. It’s for the well-groomed and well-heeled. The impeccably dressed. Party animals. Politicians are interchangeable. Politics creates more problems than it solves. It can be counter-productive. The real power is in the hands of small groups of people and I don’t think they have titles.”
The singer’s comments seem to be a far cry from those he made in an interview with The Times last June, when he talked of his hope that Mr Obama could pioneer change in America.
“Right now America is in a state of upheaval,” he said. “Poverty is demoralising. You can’t
(Excerpt) Read more at entertainment.timesonline.co.uk ...
I’ll reflect on Bob Dylan’s musing about politics right after I get through dissecting Joy Behar’s sculpted thoughts and Oprah Winfrey’s learned postulations.
Dylan is apolitical regarding parties. Though he is certainly someone who watches keenly what goes on.
Except Bob Dylan actually is a meaningful observer of events. And also responsible for a boat load of Americana himself.
...if he wants to write a song, fine...otherwise, personally, I don’t give a %$#* what he thinks. I didn’t care when he liked Obama, I don’t care now.
*Dylan ping*
He left out one, who did not leave a beaten man.
Thats nothing compared to some of the anti-Obama country/ western songs coming out. Very popular at major truck stops.
If this is true, why do we continue to import it into this country?
That’s fine. I don’t care much either. But comparing him to Joy behar would be like comparing John Wayne to the queer on Will and Grace.
He supported Obama - he is as stupid as a post.
I guess all those monks are wrong.
No, he didn’t.
Exactly. Now he is trying to sell songs. My, how the ‘mighty’ have fallen.
June 5, 2008
Bob Dylan says Barack Obama is ‘changin’ America
His 1964 track ‘The Times They are a-Changin’ became the anthem for his generation, symbolising the era-defining social struggle against the establishment.
Now Bob Dylan - who could justifiably claim to be the architect of Barack Obama’s ‘change’ catchphrase - has backed the Illinois senator to do for modern America what the generation before did in the 1960s.
In an exclusive interview with The Times, published today, Dylan gives a ringing endorsement to Mr Obama, the first ever black presidential candidate, claiming he is “redefining the nature of politics from the ground up”.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4076339.ece
Ambivalence or worse from cultural icons is something he won't be able to stomach.
Wrong.
Do not trust the MSM that would love nothing better than for you to believe Dylan is a Obama guy. He said a few nice words about the guy, back when he was an unknown.
Here’s the real skinny.
http://www.rightwingbob.com/weblog/archives/4842
Sounds stupid to me:
June 6, 2008
“Well, you know right now America is in a state of upheaval.
“Poverty is demoralizing,’’ he said. “You can’t expect people to have the virtue of purity when they are poor. But we’ve got this guy out there now who is redefining the nature of politics from the ground up — Barack Obama. He’s redefining what a politician is, so we’ll have to see how things play out. Am I hopeful? Yes, I’m hopeful that things might change. Some things are going to have to.”
[Bill Flanagan] What’s your take on politics?
[Bob Dylan] Politics is entertainment. It’s a sport. It’s for the well groomed and well heeled. The impeccably dressed. Party animals. Politicians are interchangeable.
[BF] Don’t you believe in the democratic process?
[BD] Yeah, but what’s that got to do with politics? Politics creates more problems than it solves. It can be counter-productive. The real power is in the hands of small groups of people and I don’t think they have titles.
Noticed that, didja? Yes, he did. And as always with Dylan sometimes the things he doesn't say are as significant as the ones he does. A lot of very bright people got caught up in the vacuous "change" promise because they are optimists, dreamers, idealists...idiots. Maybe a little of all of those. The best of the lot will be the first to reconsider.
"Flew too close to the sun." An interesting metaphor.
And subsequently, a couple weeks ago...
[Bill Flanagan] What’s your take on politics?
[Bob Dylan] Politics is entertainment. It’s a sport. It’s for the well groomed and well heeled. The impeccably dressed. Party animals. Politicians are interchangeable.
[BF] Don’t you believe in the democratic process?
[BD] Yeah, but what’s that got to do with politics? Politics creates more problems than it solves. It can be counter-productive. The real power is in the hands of small groups of people and I don’t think they have titles.
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