[conservative in nyc]

Some info on what will be "featured" at the Republican National Convention. Thankfully, not much of Hollyweird will be there. Well, we don't want them anyway!

[Linux4Life]

I hope they play up the tradition American themes, including Gospel Music.

[jolie560]

..."gospel- and country-music performers..."

Good--no replays of the music of the 70s and 80s, like at the DNC

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Oh-oh. Too much "Up with People" potential.

I think the thing that would be useful innovation for the Republicans is not more wholesome glitz, but brevity. Younger viewers/voters are not going to sit still for all the "Idaho...the great state that grows more potatoes than..." BS. Make the evenings short and to the point - and then in 2008 - hold the first virtual convention and dispense with the balloons, confetti and bullroar.

[plain talk]

Gospel and country is fine but I hope they spice it up with some rock and roll.

[zarf]

God, if they invite any of these nipple pierced, "hip" contemporary Christian bands I'm gonna barf.

How bout an Alice Cooper performance ? He could set a fundamentalist Arab on fire during prime time?

[Lunatic Fringe]

And so the party hired Mr. Breeden, a former president of the Gospel Music Association renowned in the Christian music industry, to help produce a show

Oh... I can't wait.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[12 Gauge Mossberg]

The GOP needs to "jazz up" their convention with some good conservative speakers.

[Iowa Granny]

Finally, Mr. Breeden said he found himself competing with the many parties that are being held by politicians, elected officials, lobbyists and corporations. Many have booked performers who might otherwise have appeared at the convention. He said he heard there were as many as 400 parties organized for convention week.

Well Shucks! I am a delegate at large. I haven't been invited to 400 parties!

I've received more than a dozen invitations.

I wonder who is snubbing me?

[zarf]

Oh great, a Christian entertainment coordinator!!

You can see this one coming a mile away:

[cubreporter]

And.... we don't NEED THEM EITHER!! Who wants them anyway? Use the ordinary Joe and the rest good politicians.

[Yossarian]

..."the supporting cast will include gospel- and country-music performers,"....

---

Oh, man - I hope this is a disinformation campaign being put forth while they run secret rehearsals with ZZ Top & Kid Rock....

(If not, well, I guess it's better than James Watt's fav Wayne Newton knocking out "Danke Schoen"!)

[ride the whirlwind]

Well, I for one am looking forward to this. The GMA/Dove Awards shows are pretty well done, what I've seen of them. I think they'll have some decent stuff.

[Gunder]

I don't get Ron Silver. I thought he was a far lefty. Did he only come around on the war... or has he gone through a larger shift in perspective?

[Koblenz]

I hope it's not too heavy on country or gospel. Not that I dislike that type of music, I just think it makes the Republican party look, well, out of the mainstream. Good speeches, with good ideas, will go a lot further than some country singer that most Americans have never heard of.

Think the convention will feature either of these artists?

Sixpence None the Richer. Played for Perry's inauguration in Texas.

Amy Grant. Played at George Herbert Walker Bush's birthday party.

[GeronL]

Instead of just a big curtain behind the podium there should be two tall columns to remind people of the towers.

[IowaHawk]

For those of you playing at home:

Democrats: Clueless NPR folkies and lite rock cocaine casualties from 1981

Republicans: Branson schlock merchants and county fair headliners

[southernnorthcarolina]

I assume that the members of the Eagles are liberals, but nonetheless at least one of their songs has very conservative-sounding lyrics. Clinton's campaign organizers made Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" a campaign anthum of sorts in 1992; perhaps the Bush/Cheney team should consider the Eagles' "Get Over It":

I turn on the tube and what do I see
A whole lotta people cryin' "Don't blame me"
They point their crooked little fingers at everybody else
Spend all their time feelin' sorry for themselves
Victim of this, victim of that
Your momma's too thin; your daddy's too fat

Get over it
Get over it
All this whinin' and cryin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it

You say you haven't been the same since you had your little crash
But you might feel better if I gave you some cash
The more I think about it, Old Billy was right
Let's kill all the lawyers, kill 'em tonight
You don't want to work, you want to live like a king
But the big, bad world doesn't owe you a thing

Get over it
Get over it
If you don't want to play, then you might as well split
Get over it
Get over it

It's like going to confession every time I hear you speak
You're makin' the most of your losin' streak
Some call it sick, but I call it weak

You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin' everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass

Get over it
Get over it
All this bitchin' and moanin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it

Get over it
Get over it
It's gotta stop sometime, so why don't you quit
Get over it
Get over it

[Wolfhound777]

What they need to do is come out all business like with real solutions. Leave the "pompous showmanship" and fluff to the dims and hollyweird. The DNC was abominable and if the GOP just comes out meaning business and getting their talking points out to the public without all the distractions, I think it would server them better.

[sevry]

Country and gospel are really great. But I still think it wouldn't hurt to put Nugent and a few others on stage. I'd like to see what he can do with his cover of Painkiller, these days. Just doesn't seem to have the same political interest as, say, McBride singing Hannity's bump (which was really not about the country, anyway, but abuse). Make a good Monday night concert.

I see they did put Michael Reagan at the podium. But I don't know if it's prime time. Be nice to see if they produced a package with Nancy and her thoughts, sort of what was done with Lady Thatcher at the DC funeral. I would expect if they also produce a Reagan piece that Nancy would also actually be there. Hope they manage to misplace Prescott's pass.

[t_skoz]

late night r&r ping