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After the summer of love, Bob Dylan backtracks on Barack Obama
Times Online (U.K.) ^ | April 7, 2009 | Patrick Foster

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 ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dylan; first100days; hopecrash; obama
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To: Beowulf9
Jesus was poor, too.

Yes, and for sure, he didn't have to be.

81 posted on 04/07/2009 2:17:08 AM PDT by Razz Barry (Round'em up, send'em home.)
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To: scott says

Please add me to the Dylan ping list. Thanks!


82 posted on 04/07/2009 2:20:47 AM PDT by GodBlessRonaldReagan (Refugee from the World of Doomed Olsens)
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To: eclecticEel
Bob must not know that there are people out there who refuse government help because they believe it's receiving stolen property. I'm sure he's one of those who think people living in tents should be forced into shelters.
83 posted on 04/07/2009 2:26:24 AM PDT by Razz Barry (Round'em up, send'em home.)
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To: Schnucki

So Dylan is another word man who fell in love with Obama’s words. Words that he probably didn’t even write. Have you ever seen such suckers? I love words too, but the measure of a man is not what he says or writes, but what he does. The only thing I needed to know about Obama was that he voted “NO” four times on the Born Alive Infant Protection bill. Nothing he could say after that would ever change my mind about him.


84 posted on 04/07/2009 2:47:38 AM PDT by giotto
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To: upsdriver
I am guessing his critics are much like Rush Limbaugh’s critics. They never actually listened to him.

That 'un gets the don-o

BIG CEEGAR!!!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

85 posted on 04/07/2009 2:48:51 AM PDT by don-o (My son, Ben - Marine Private First Class - 1/16/09 - Parris Island, SC)
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To: Schnucki; pissant

“You know, it’s like they all fly too close to the sun and get burned.”

At least he knew it wasn’t due to manmade global warming.


86 posted on 04/07/2009 3:21:40 AM PDT by Canedawg (Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny- M. Levin)
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To: hope
He shammed himself years ago in trying to predict where salvation comes from. He almost had it...then he recanted.

Prove it. Never mind. You can't. Here's a verse from "Thunder on the Mountain" which is on his Grammy award winning "Modern Times" of a couple years ago.

Everybody's going and I want to go too
Don't wanna take a chance with somebody new
I did all I could and I did it right there and then
I've already confessed – no need to confess again

87 posted on 04/07/2009 3:25:19 AM PDT by don-o (My son, Ben - Marine Private First Class - 1/16/09 - Parris Island, SC)
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To: kcvl
Actually, he married her.

And so what?

88 posted on 04/07/2009 5:45:22 AM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down their level, then beat you with experience.)
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To: upsdriver
I got Obama beat by 126. I have 156 Bob Dylan songs on my iPod, more than any other artist.

You beat me too, I only have 132.

89 posted on 04/07/2009 5:47:04 AM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down their level, then beat you with experience.)
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To: upsdriver

Ditto.


90 posted on 04/07/2009 5:47:56 AM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down their level, then beat you with experience.)
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To: americanophile
"I can't think of a single living entertainer whose views on politics I would find worth listening to...but that's just me."

"If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are. Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around reading the Washington Journal."

"Besides,when I read the list of people who are supporting Kerry, if I wasn't already a Bush supporter, I would have immediately switched. Linda Ronstadt? Don Henley? Geez, that's a good reason right there to vote for Bush."

91 posted on 04/07/2009 5:54:18 AM PDT by Hatteras
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To: Lurking in Kansas; upsdriver; Electric Graffiti

Ya’ll got me beat. I don’t own an Ipod and probably never will.


92 posted on 04/07/2009 6:57:39 AM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
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To: Schnucki

Shut up and sing.


93 posted on 04/07/2009 7:32:32 AM PDT by hdbc (1/20/13 End of an Error.)
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To: pissant

You need to join the 21th century, old-timer.


94 posted on 04/07/2009 7:36:37 AM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down their level, then beat you with experience.)
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To: Lurking in Kansas

Nah. electronic gadgets are for kids.


95 posted on 04/07/2009 7:38:36 AM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
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To: pissant

Says that guy posting from his computer. :)


96 posted on 04/07/2009 8:03:21 AM PDT by Mr. Blonde (You ever thought about being weird for a living?)
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To: pissant
...electronic gadgets are for kids.

Exactly... I'm an over 50 year old kid.

97 posted on 04/07/2009 8:08:16 AM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down their level, then beat you with experience.)
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To: scott says

May I please be added to your Dylan ping list?


98 posted on 04/07/2009 8:12:56 AM PDT by Swede Girl
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To: pissant

Thanks for this link!


99 posted on 04/07/2009 8:22:45 AM PDT by Swede Girl
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To: Chunga

Then we must of course aid O in completely destroying himself and going insane.


100 posted on 04/07/2009 9:26:45 AM PDT by annieokie (i)
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