Posted on 02/17/2010 3:05:13 AM PST by BIOCHEMKY
The guy who put populist politics on the charts with a song title "Pink Houses" John Mellencamp performed at the White House last week, as part of a program titled: "In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement."
The Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame member sang the song "Jim Crow" with veteran folkie Joan Baez -- as well as a terrific song version of "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" -- on a night that also featured performances by Smokey Robinson, Natalie Cole, Yolanda Adams, the Five Blind Boys from Alabama and Bob Dylan, among others.
That was powerful company, but Mellencamp was up to it.
For the past quarter century, he has been penning and performing smart, often very political songs -- focusing on the farm crisis, economic hard times and race relations. He's been a key organizer of Farm Aid and other fund-raising events for good causes, and he's been a steady presence on the campaign trail in recent years, appearing at the side of numerous Democratic presidential candidates, including Barack Obama.
So, could Mellencamp perform in the U.S. Senate?
Could he be the right replacement for retiring Senator Evan Bayh, D-Indiana?
Forget the blah-blah-blah about celebrities in politics. We crossed that bridge decades ago.
The question is whether this celebrity makes the right connections with this state.
Mellencamp certainly has the home-state credibility. Few rockers have been so closely associated with a state as Mellencamp with Indiana.
Mellencamp has a history of issue-oriented political engagement that is the rival of any of the Democratic politicians who are being considered as possible Bayh replacements.
And Mellencamp has something else. He has a record of standing up for disenfranchised and disenchanted working-class families in places like his hometown of Seymour, Indiana.
In other words, he's worthy of the consideration that has led to talk of a "Draft John Mellencamp" movement. In fact, he might be just enough of an outlier to energize base votes and to make independent voters look again at the Democratic column.
Mellencamp's not making any campaign moves.
He's a savvy player who has been around power politics for a long time -- he counts Bill Clinton as a pal -- and he's smart enough (and humble enough) to know that the leap from rock star to senate candidate is a long one.
But John Hall, the songwriter and leader of the band Orleans, is now a two-term Democratic congressman from New York.
And the Republicans have run more than a few actors for jobs like senator, governor and even president.
Notably, President Ronald Reagan's 1984 reelection campaign wanted to use the song "Pink Houses" at campaign events. And John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign did indeed use it, even as Mellencamp explained that the Arizona senator might not fully "get" the point of the song about working families living on the backroads of America.
So Mellencamp has already crossed some partisan and ideological lines.
That's more than can be said for most Senate prospects -- be they Democrats or Republicans.
The author uses the term Indianans to explain what he means by “hoosiers.”
That’s all you need to know.
Dr Whashisface uses the term “Indianans.”
Case closed.
“For well over a CENTURY AND A HALF the people of Indiana have been CALLED Hoosiers. It is one of the oldest of state nicknames and has had a WIDER ACCEPTANCE than most.”
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My original quote says what they’re CALLED. And that’s what they’ve been called for 150 years.
“The author uses the term Indianans to explain what he means by “hoosiers.””
What HE “MEANS”? I didn’t know the good old Dr. was the one who started a 150 year old nickname! /SARC
CASE CLOSED.
Hardly.
It’s the proper English ending to describe a person from a location.
Ohio - Ohio an
Kansas - Kans an
Indiana - Indian an
Therefore, it is correct usage.
Also, synonymns enrich our lives, don’t you think?
It’s not about proper English; It’s about CULTURE. I’m sorry you missed that.
Put that in your Thesaurus.
You’re also about informing folks when you think they’re wrong.
I appreciate the effort, so I thought I’d give you some extra info so you are right the next time you take that route.
“You’re also about informing folks when you think they’re wrong.”
“Hoosier is the OFFICIAL DEMONYM for a resident of the U.S. State of Indiana. Although residents of MOST U.S. states typically adopt a DERIVATIVE of the state name, e.g., Indianan or Indianian, natives of Indiana NEVER USE THESE DEMONYMS.”
I just demonstrated that it’s not wrong. It’s a perfectly proper use of the English language, which is why it appeared in the paper I cited.
Show me something that demonstrates that “Indianan” is not permitted to be used.
Again, it’s Culture; not English.
It’s the official name. That’s all you need to know.
For your use, it would be an “unofficial” use per definition of the word.
-Which would mean “not formal”
-Which would mean “not proper”.
Therefore, it’s not proper to use the word ‘Indianan’.
“Mellencamp has recently said that Obama and Clinton are not liberal enough.”
That’s just crazy. I like his early music, but his style changed somewhere along the line and not for the better, IMO.
I,m with you o that won.
LOL! Birds of a feather and all that hooey. The two of them together with combined IQ's likely barely reach out of the single digits......
I heard he died.
“That’s simply wrong. Indianan is proper and is used.”
[Quote]
“The OFFICIAL name for citizens of the state of Indiana is the HOOSIERS. The name Hoosiers derives from the nickname officially adopted by the State of Indiana over 150 years ago when a group of state representatives chose to henceforth be known as the “Hoosier State.” While the exact origin of the now well-known term is not precisely known it is believed that the word has been around since at least 1830.”
unofficial
adj
1)not official or formal
Hi, CC. Hope you had a good weekend and Sunday.
YOU: No it ain’t.
ME: Yes it is.
Does that just about cover it?
:>)
Oh I had a great weekend actually.
Come on. You know it’s fun.
:-)
It is for YOU HOOSIERS!
Us Buckeyes are still OhioANS (and none of us argue about it. :>)
:-B
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