I always assume that country music stars are Republicans. So many of them have been and I guess still are. And I think because of Toby Keith's post 9/11 song, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, I assumed he'd be for John McCain. I suspect a lot of his fans did too. But according to this piece on Huffington Post, he praised Obama and said he was a Democrat. Asked while promoting his new movie "Beer For My Horses" about the role of patriotism in the current presidential election, Keith replied: "There's a big part of America that really believes that there is a war on terrorism, and that we need to finish up.I wonder what, if any, effect that will have on country music fans, especially those in the South. I don't honestly expect that Obama will carry a solid South. In fact, I suspect we won't take Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, West Virginia, or Arkansas. Probably not North or South Carolina either. Georgia would be in play if Sam Nunn were the Vice Presidential pick, but I don't think that's going to happen (famous last words).
"So I thought it was beautiful the other day when Obama went to Afghanistan and got educated about Afghanistan and Iraq. He came back and said some really nice things.
"So as far as leadership and patriotism goes, I think it's really important that those things have to take place. And I think he's the best Democratic candidate we've had since Bill Clinton. And that's coming from a Democrat."
But Virginia is definitely in play. I think Tennessee might be and something like that could tip it. If Keith can organize some other country musicians to do a benefit at the Grand Ole Opry, the image and sound bytes on national television would be good for picking up a few votes in the rural Midwest, which could tip Ohio, as well as some border Southern states. And beside Tennessee, I still believe Florida is in play because it's such an atypical Southern state. And who knows which other state in Dixie may surprise us. After all, an upset, by definition, is the state you never in a million years thought would flip. It's the one that surprises us all. Just as Toby Keith's startling statement today surprised a lot of pundits.
5 comments:
Toby Keith has always been a Democrat and has said so on several different occasions. Some of the leftist reaction over his song "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" (such as from the Ditzy Chicks and from the late Peter Jennings) did tick him off qwuite a bit, however. Toby Kieth has gone to entertain the troops several times and supports them in victory. He generally does not hang his politics on his sleeve, however.
Tim McGraw is also a big-time Democrat supporter, so I presume his wife, Faith Hill, is as well.
So you don't listen to country? ;)
Actually, I used to listen to couuntry music all the time when I lived in New York. I used to frequent The Lone Star Cafe in lower Manhattan, which got some quite good country acts.
My husband, who is from Tennessee, was never a country fan. Nobody in his family is despite the fact that they lived in rural, middle Tennessee. They were jazz fans. Go figure.
You seem to know a great deal about country musicians - are you a fan?
I have to wonder if Toby-whose stuff I regularly purchase-would have popped out with this is his more recent stuff were selling better.
Yep, cynical of me, I know...
Karen,
Doesn't everyone know this stuff? LOL
Seriously, yes, I do listen to country. My main favorite group is Sugarland, who, I have found out, may be performing at the Democratic Convention as well. :(
My sympathies ISo.
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