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.
why would anyone vote for a music jerk?
WOW! That is excellent and exciting. Extremely well done. Thanks for the link.
America Rising. We will take our country back.
SUPER VIDEO BUMP!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkeoj6UFVTk
I met him a few times in Bloomington, early 80s. He seemed like a voice for small-town America back then, but quickly sold out to became just another limousine liberal sneering at the commoners. He doesn’t mention (or sing about) his roots any more, and I doubt anyone in Seymour would pee on him if he was on fire.
But like I said, we have a lot of arrogant morons in Washington nowadays, and he might be an intellectual giant in those circles. Don’t forget, Obama was above average intelligence in the Senate.
Because we are living in a horror reality show (Truman Show anyone?): "'American Idol' elects a President".
This unfortunate show began in November, 2008 and is still running (but I like the dropping 'Nielson' ratings).
John Hall, leader of 1970s-era wimp-rock band "Orleans" is an ultra-liberal Rat who represents a moderate upstate New York district (Poughkeepsie area, I think).
Hall's anti-American Nazional Socialist credentials are in fine working order, and Hall was assisted by another celebrity idiot in his initial campaign (and perhaps since then too): ex-New York Ranger goaltender Mike Richter. Richter is a big-time enviroNazi who has been rumored as a Congressional candidate himself, possibly from the hoity-toity upscale SW Connecticut district.
Yeah, right. A guy who considers Obama and Biden to be insufficiently leftist is just what Indiana voters are looking for right now... /sarc.
- JP
PHALEASE!
This liberal would be our worst nightmare.
I have heard some of his comments on politics. he makes Hillary or Bill Clinton look like staunch conservatives.
“Because we are living in a horror reality show (Truman Show anyone?): “’American Idol’ elects a President”.”
Never seen it and don’t even know who puts it on.
Some more info for you:
CIA OBAMA Coverup Treason Trial set for May 14-19, 2010
So says the highly educated African American minister: (watch the videos below)
Rev. James David Manning, Ph.D.
The Manning Report Mon-Fri 12-3 www.atlah.org
Author: The Oblation Hour
watch this video first
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WedxY61d60
watch this video second http://www.veoh.com/videos/v187772093A3tzX4H
Hoax? or Real? From my research and that of many others, this appears to be real.
Still on dial up...please give synopsis of videos.
John has been smoken for years....pot smokin. Brother took the rap, was sent up.
These videos which constitute an 8-part lecture with slides presented by former FBI Head in LA, Ted Gunderson (1979, retired; since retirement has been doing investigation into Satanic incidences). Mr Gunderson contends that there is rampant Satanism that has being practiced among the rank and file of the CIA, this has been so for the past 2-3 decades, and it is intensifying.
The Satanism involves a lot of sexual abuse of children as part of Satanic cult rituals. These children are very young, aged 2-4 years old (3 year-old male is most desired victim). The cult members are associated with those who run daycare centers. The children are taken out by tunnels underneath the daycare centers and taken to facilities that either remain underground or are in buildings that are near the first building, but are a distance away. The rituals go on during the day while the parents are working at their jobs and the toddlers are in the care of the daycare staff.
Mr Gunderson estimates that 100,000 children per year in the U.S. are involved in such rituals.
Also, there are adult, child, and infant sacrifices occurring. Between 50,000 and 60,000 adults disappear in the U.S. each year. Mr. Gunderson has investigated many such instances. He says that the Jon Bene’ Ramsey case (the little girl in Colorado who was in Beauty pageants who was killed in her own basement on Christmas about 10 years ago had the earmarks of a pedophilic satanic killing.
The book i mention in the opening paragraph is instrumental in understanding the Satanic cult (”Magick in Theory and Practice”). It is important to read because it spells out in 12 sections each of the theories and goals of this satanic cult movement. This cult has been a political force in America since 1772 (at least), even before the Revolutionary War.
“If Mellencamp was able to run, I think he would win it— hands down.”
“He’s left but I don’t see him as the type to be bought off or be corrupt.”
“I think he would be more old-school Dem. jmo”
He’s a blithering idiot. He talks about foreign policy, but yet admits he knows nothing about Pearl Harbor.
“Mellencamp has recently said that Obama and Clinton are not liberal enough.”
“THAT is FREAKING FRIGHTENING!!!”
EXACTLY this guy is a complete moron. He hangs around IU, donates money, and get’s an honorary brainwashing-degree.
At least Bayh could be somewhat pushed around by the citizens when it came to the health care bill (yeah I know he was going to vote for it), but this guy will help push a radical agenda no matter what.
The people of Indiana rejected Socialism and Bayh knew he was toast. The people of Indiana BETTER PAY ATTENTION to what Mellencamp believes in.
They’re called Hoosiers not Indianans.
“I heard him interviewed a couple of years ago and came away thinking he was Sean Penn’s long lost twin brother...”
That’s funny you say that, because I met someone that went to JM’s house and they said Sean Penn was there.
No joke.
Politicians in particular like the theory of hard-working Indianans. Governor Evan Bayh used it on a quiz show ("Bayh Shows he's a Hoosier Quiz 'Kid'") where he explains the term "hoosier" as deriving from the canal builder, Samuel Hoosier, who "favored workers in Indiana and they became known as Hoosiers." With politics and state pride in his heart, Bayh continued, "We'd like to think it's synonymous with good workers."
In sum, "Hoosier" is a nickname and "Indianan" would be the proper terminology.
“In sum, “Hoosier” is a nickname and “Indianan” would be the proper terminology.”
Like I said, They’re CALLED Hoosiers not Indianans.
Thanks for you time. ;-)
One more thing.
If you live in Indiana and call someone your fellow “Indianan” you’re going to get laughed at.
From the same article:
“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.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.