Presidential Groove: Weekend Update

Headline story:

The biggest music-related Presidential campaign story thus far has been the Obama/will.i.am video.

So, no surprise there is a John McCain parody video.

Even two.

Hillary Clinton has her own video response.

Other big stories this week:

Barack Obama wins a grammy for Best Spoken word album.

Tom Scholz from the band Boston asks Mike Huckabee to quit playing "More Than A Feeling".

Campaign theme articles:

An interersting and amusing article about campaign songs, and how the lyrics of the songs don't match the intent.

Clinton has regaled her backers with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "American Girl", doubtless to evoke the image of a patriotic, down-home candidate.
But the lyrics tell an altogether different story of seeing a dream slip away: "God, it's so painful/ Something that's so close / And still so far out of reach."

Another article on theme songs used in this campaign.

(Clinton) offered nine songs to vote on, but many overzealous readers supplied their own suggestions, including Elton John's The Bitch is Back, Foreigner's Cold As Ice and The Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil.

Assorted articles from this week:

Pitchfork ran an article on John McCain's daughter and her music bloggery.

Songwirter/satirist Tom Lehrer endorses Obama:

I asked Lehrer if there was anything he'd like to add, in this chat, about the current president. After a bit of pause he said, "Just tell the people that I am voting for Obama."

Wonkette reports that Paula Abdul endorses a female for President.

Wonkette also featured this picture of Barry Manilow fans for Hillary:

Have a good week.

Weekend Update

Top Ten Recent Stories

• Merle Haggard was on the Bill Maher show and said that he was disappointed that after he wrote "Let's Put a Woman in the White House" that Hillary went to Nashville to get other songwriters to write songs about her. Merle also joked about Hillary going on Willie Nelson's bus.
• Stevie Wonder campaigned for Obama in California
• The remaining members of the Grateful Dead were reuniting to campaign for Obama.
• A video put together by will.i.am of the BlackEyed Peas, and featuring Herbie Hancock, Common, John Legend, and Nicole from the Pussycat Dolls was a huge hit. The video which combined Obama's speech with music and sung vocals got 1.9 million views.
• Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth supports Obama
• The Beatles support Obama. Well, if Elvis supported Duncan Hunter...
• Speaking of the Beatles
• Arlo Guthrie is supporting Ron Paul
• John Mellencamp tells John McCain to quit using his songs. You'd think that making campaign appearences with John Edwards would have given some clue where Mellencamp's allegiances lie.

and lastly, the biggest music-related story of the last two weeks..

• In case, you didn't see it on every major news outlet, Obama Girl didn't vote for Obama. In fact, she didn't even vote at all.

Presidential Groove: Mike Huckabee

Who?: Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR)

Musician supporters: Ted Nugent

On the Record:

Mike Huckabee plays in the band Capitol Offense, which has opened for Grand Funk Railroad, Percy Sledge, REO Speedwagon, .38 Special, and Willie Nelson.

Wikipedia adds this: Capitol Offense is a cover band that plays a mix of classic rock, Motown, country and blues. The band intentionally shuns the trendier hit-makers, preferring older tunes that have stood the test of time. "We don't try to play trendy stuff," Huckabee has said of his band's musical tastes, "nothing without a long shelf life." Early on, all of the band members played only Gibson guitars, and did so "proudly", according to a note Huckabee sent to the company in 1999. However, as of July 2007, Huckabee actually sported a black and white Fender bass during his campaign stop record store performance

Mike Huckabee says his latest music purchase was Evanesence.

Huckabee says of the Rolling Stones: "..the Rolling Stones have had the lasting power because even after all these years - Keith Richards has probably been dead for several years and doesn’t know it - they continue to make the greatest music and put on the most amazing shows.” and from the same article we are told During his tenure as the state’s leader, he gave the Stones’ guitarist a full pardon from a reckless driving offense that had occurred years before.

Mike Huckabee inspired this awful theme song.

Will Mike answer my question "What music are you currently listening to?": Of all the candidates, Mike gets the highest praises for his musical background, so I was hoping for an answer from the Huckabee camp.

However, we got an "Out of Office Reply" addressed to Dear Friend, and started "Thank you so much for taking the time to write Governor Huckabee. Your email is very important and we are interested in, and value your opinions, suggestions and concerns.We will make every effort to respond to specific policy questions not addressed on our website in a timely manner." and ended "if you would like to make a contribution, click on the Contribution tab – every little bit helps. Thanks so much for writing."

However, we never did get a real answer.

So, that's it- all the major candidates done- Thanks for tuning in

Presidential Groove: Alan Keyes

Who?: Former Ambassador Alan Keyes (R-MD)

Musician supporters: n/a

Alan Keyes On the Record - Alan doesn't list any favorite musical artists on his MySpace page, but he is apparently a big Star Trek fan. Who knew that?

On Michael Moore's television show, "The Awful Truth", Moore got Keyes to mosh at a Rage Against the Machine concert.

Will Alan answer my question "What music do you listen to?": I was hoping to get an answer from Dr. Keyes, but did not get a response.

Presidential Groove: John McCain

Who?: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

Musician supporters: n/a

John McCain On the Record -

McCain famously sang "Bomb Iran" to the tune of the the Beach boys' "Barbara Ann".

He also famously points out he wasn't at Woodstock.

McCain oddly is on the record as a big fan of the group ABBA. This article asks McCain what's on his iPod and he says "“Dare I say ABBA. Everybody says, ‘Ehhh, ABBA.’ Why is that? ABBA was the largest selling (recording act ever). Nobody likes them but they sold more records than anybody in the history of the world, including the Beatles. But everybody hates them. (But) you’re a no-class guy if you like ABBA. Why does everybody go see ‘Mamma Mia?’ Hypocrisy! Rank hypocrisy! I’m not embarassed to say I like ABBA, ‘Dancing Queen.’”
More from McCain. If elected, “the background music would be ABBA in the elevators all over the White House.”"

This blogger suggests a couple of Cuban campaign songs. I think he's being saracastic, but the music is good.

This blogger uncovers the secret of McCain's hold music - Melissa Manchester.

McCain's daughter suggests that he listens to Lauryn Hill.

Will John answer my question "What music do you listen to?": I was sorta hoping for an answer from the Straight Talk Express, but no dice. Perhaps, he is too busy surging up the polls, perhaps too embarrassed by his love for Swedish pop. In any case, the McCain website is very explicit in stating that you can send in questions, but John is very busy and probably won't answer. Which he didn't. Which is why he does not get our endorsement.

Presidential Groove: Mitt Romney

Who?: Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA)

Musician supporters: Romney has picked up endorsements from the Osmonds, Pat Boone, and Randy Owen from the band Alabama..

On the Record:

On Facebook, Romney lists his favorite musicians as: Roy Orbison, The Beatles, The Eagles, The Kingston Trio, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, Clint Black, and Garth Brooks.

Romney has inspired this song, which parodies Adam Sandler's "Hannaukah song" as it relates to Mormons.

Probably the best thing to come out of Mitt Romney's election run (it certainly wasn't his Iowa finish) is this:





Will Mitt answer my question "What music are you currently listening to?": Mitt hasn't fared very good in the first few contests. I suspect it's because he won't answer our e-mail. The Romney website asks a lot of questions even before you can submit a question. Well, I gave them all they wanted to know, and still no answer.

We do not give Mitt Romney our seal of approval.

Presidential Groove: Wayne Allyn Root

Who?: Wayne Allyn Root, Libertarian candidate for President, businessman, author, television producer, but probably most famously known for his Sports Handicapping operation.

You've probably heard the name during breaks on the Jim Rome Show. If you don't know the name, then you've probably seen his face on FoxNews or CNN.

Wayne is running as a self-made millionaire who wants to bring that skill to the White House. In other words, like Ross Perot, only with a better head of hair.

Musician supporters: n/a

What I assume is on his personal music player: I just always kind of pictured Root listening to Sports talk radio 24/7.

Will Wayne answer my question "What music do you listen to?": We got a personalized answer from Root, and we print that here in full:

This is Libertarian Presidential candidate Wayne Allyn Root.

Here are your answers. Please point out to your friends and viewers that I'm the youngest Presidential candidate- with a teenage daughter (15) and 3 young kids (7 years old, 3 years old, and 2 weeks old). And yes, I still occassionally watch MTV and listen to rock music! Good luck with your project:

What music do I like?Rock Occassionally Opera

Favorite singers and bands?All-Time:Creedance Clearwater Revival U2 Bon Jovi Rolling Stones Guns & Roses Springsteen

Opera:WagnerLuciano PaverottiAndrea Bocelli

Contemporary:EvanesenceThe Killers Maroon 5 Citizen Cope One Republic Foo Fighters; Once in a while- Toby Keith (country)

What is on my i-Pod?The Killers Maroon 5 Citizen Cope One Republic Bon Jovi John Fogerty Evanesence Luciano Paveratti Andrea Bocelli Toby Keith

This has been an interesting project that i have done, and I am used to getting no response; so I really appreciate Wayne taking the time to answer me back. He gets the full endorsement from us here at Presidential Groove.