He stayed strong, stayed extra long
'Til they let all the other boys out.
Now we've got a real man with an American plan,
We're going to put him in the big White House.
—John Rich, "Raising McCain"
(Please, Lowell, sue for copyright infringement.)
Talk about a Target-Rich environment: John Rich, one half of country duo Big and Rich—the perfect slogan for today's Republican Party—has penned a little ditty to support John McCain.
I don't see it on YouTube, but I'm sure it's only a matter of minutes before some version appears*. But before I've even heard those growly manly strains, I'm already gagging at the macho B.S. being used to market the Republican nominee. "A real man"? As if Obama is not? As if machismo is a pre-requisite for the Presidency?
But we can't take any chances, says McCain's pop celebrity endorser:
The entire world is looking for a way to sucker punch us.... National security is absolutely at the top of the list of issues. That's why I think John McCain is the guy to keep us safe. [John Rich, quoted in Beth Fouhy, "Country Star John Rich Wants Fans 'Raising McCain,'" AP via Yahoo News, 2008.07.31].
You bet, Rich. Keep preaching fear. That's what being a real man is all about.
For all the apparent creative artistry of his little musical endorsement, Rich might do just as well to strum Stephen C. Foster's classic "Little Mac! Little Mac!" an ugly little campaign song for General McLellan's run against Lincoln. (Note: Dems, be embarrassed: this song was for our party's guy in 1864.)
Compare this country cud to the will.i.am composition from January—you know, the one that has gotten over 8 million hits on YouTube? Where Rich captures the essence of modern GOP politics, the seemingly paradoxical combination of macho bull and fear-mongering, will.i.am captures the essence of the Obama campaign: hope, inspiration, and community. Where Rich gives us doggerel, will.i.am takes words from the Democratic nominee himself, words delivered in the face of a surprising defeat (remember the New Hampshire primary), and sets them to music to rally supporters to keep fighting the "chorus of cynics" to make their "unlikely story" come true.
Roll out your video, Mr. Rich. Fly the fear, the flag, the fighter jets. You'll never match this poetry:
...we will remember
that there is something happening in America,
that we are not as divided as our politics suggest,
that we are one people,
we are one nation.And, together, we will begin
the next great chapter in the American story,
with three words that will ring
from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea:
Yes, we can.[Senator Barack Obama, speech to supporters following the New Hampshire primary, 2008.01.08]
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Update 2008.08.01 10:37 CDT: Folks looking for free downloads, rejoice! PP's on top of things, posting an mp3 of the Rich McCain song. As party music, it's not bad, but it's still mostly rhythm and volume trying to compensate for slick, formulaic pop-country. Save PP's bandwidth: click here to listen to the song on the Madville Times podcast!
I saw Big and Rich when they made a video in Deadwood. There they were, up on the balcony of the Franklin Hotel ...
ReplyDeleteHey, pop singers supporting McCain? That's cool.
Perhaps now you would like to comment on the lyrics to Ludacris' Obama song?
ReplyDeleteDRK
On Ludacris, I defer to the Obama campaign itself:
ReplyDelete"As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he doesn't want his daughters or any children exposed to. This song is not only outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain, and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our children with the values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics."
Don't expect the McCain campaign to acknowledge the artistic paucity of Mr. Rich's genre. Expect more macho BS at the Buffalo Chip Campground on Monday....
I just love how Cory makes all Republicans out to be rich snobs in their McMansions, but tell me, who has raised the MOST money in this campaign? Barack Obama has eclipsed John McCain in fund-raising by Millions and Millions. So who really has the money, but not the rich guy image? And I believe Cory was a Republican prior to the "change".
ReplyDeleteObama is looking for anything that he use to play the race card, and then he claims that the Reps are racist. He did the same thing to Bill Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro, and others during the primary. And you think he is trying to unite people? He is claiming that we need to reparations to Blacks and Native Americans. He is playing the "the rich aren't paying their fair share in taxes" clip to create more class warfare. He is in favor of more freebies to the, in his opinion, poor and wants me to pay for it. He is dissing the U.S. during a speech to Germans. Yeah, he's the great uniter all right. You have to look behind the hype and really look at his words.
ReplyDeleteOh, and as far as Ludacris goes, there is an old saying that you will know them by their words. Well, judging by his words, he is not a "talent" worthy of respect, I don't care how much he sells. And Obama has praised him and called him a good friend before. Another case of poor judgment, especially as it comes to letting his girls listen to this music. Even though Obama claims he doesn't let his girls listen to his raps with the bad words, come on now. Did he cover his girls' ears during Rev. Wright's rants too; oh, forgot,Obama never heard those either!
ReplyDeleteanybody is better then that facist imperialistic george dubbya bush.....just keep that in mind..either way we improve....
ReplyDeleteAnon 09:36: on campaign fundraising, go see this interactive graph on donor demographics. Sure, anyone running for President will get money from rich folks (poor folks are too busy buying groceries to contribute much to politicians). But (if I'm reading the graph right) Obama has gotten almost 50% of his big campaign war chest from small donors ($200 or less); McCain has gotten just about 30% of his campaign money from such donors. McCain has a clear advantage among donors writing bigger checks. Obama's leading in campaign fundraising because more people, rich and not-so-rich, are willing to put their money into his campaign. Draw your own conclusions from that about Obama's ability to unite people and inspire them to action (without the macho BS of Rich's McCain song).
ReplyDeleteSo let me get this straight... a pop singer or Hollywood actor roots for Obama and they're okay... a country singer roots for McCain and it's, in your words, "Macho B.S."
ReplyDeleteIsn't there a bit of a double-standard there, my friend?
No double standard, jackrabit1: I'm evaluating the two very different texts, not the nature of celebrity endorsement itself. Rich says his candidate is a "real man" who will "keep us safe" from countries just waiting to "sucker punch us." will.i.am resorts to no such macho BS or fear-mongering, just gives us Obama's message of hope, aspiration, and community. Those are two very different messages warranting two very different evaluations.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I'd definitely prefer that someone write a song for McCain that calls Hillary a "b*tch" and makes jokes about people becoming paralyzed. Ludacris is a class act all the way.
ReplyDelete