Barack Obama sealed the Democratic ticket last night after beating New York senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton to the number of delegates and super-delegates needed for the party's presidential nomination.
"Tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another -- a journey that will bring a new and better day to America," Obama announced to a rally in Minnesota as U2's "Beautiful Day" played.
Not only does this mark the end of an intense run for the party's ticket between the two Democratic candidates, one that seemingly almost tore the Democratic party apart, but it also marks Obama as the first African-American to take the Democratic nomination for president.
Could his taste in music have helped? Some of the musicians who have supported the Illinois senator in his run for the nomination include Arcade Fire who played a benefit in Ohio, and fellow indie rockers M.Ward and Bright Eyes who led a rally for Obama in Nebraska back in February.
On the mainstream front Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am and Pete Wentz made appearances in Obama's "Yes We Can" music video plug, along with other celebs. And three surviving members of the Grateful Dead reunited to play a benefit for Obama in San Fransisco. And there is more...
I'm not saying that Obama won cause of the diverse range of musicians that supported him (it was his message of change), but you gotta admit it might have helped ;)
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I wasn't pleased with the "Beautiful Day" choice, but otherwise I have been happy throughout his campaign
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Inclusion of the Black Eyed Peas and Pete Wentz would almost make me NOT want to vote for him.
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haha I have to agree with Contrabandwidth! But, in all seriousness, I think it probably did help quite a bit with getting the younger demographic interested in him.
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Well there's the middle aged pot smoking demographic...
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let's not forget to mention the Decemberists lending him some musical accompanyment as well... his music selection did not hurt, but I'm with CBWidth, etc about Wentz & the Black Eyed Peas.... and with U2 to a degree
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If he panders and gets the newest American Idol winners endorsement, I may just give up on politics all together.
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He's a politician, so pander he must.
I'll be honest, I've heard lots of talking from the Obama campaign, but not much substance. My vote is still up for grabs, and I probably won't vote for any front-runner. :P
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I'm thrilled! But if he puts Hillary on the ticket, I'll probably be voting Indie.
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Voters influenced by the candidates' musical taste/connections? What was it Churchill said about the best argument against democracy...
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It's a tough call, music snob or political idealist? Musical idealist? Ah...I'm just a snob all around...
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But Churchill himself was a Norwegian death-metal fan. At least that's what I heard...
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I think he produced Celtic Frost's debut album before moving on to politics, Mike. Used to poke that cigar at them through the booth window when he didn't like something, if I recall...
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"We shall rock on the beaches, we shall rock on the landing-grounds, we shall rock in the fields and in the streets, we shall rock in the hills. We shall never stop rocking!" - Winston "Big Winnie" Churchill
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I'm not American, I've not even been paying a lot of attention, but I would probably say that his choice in music didn't sway a lot of voters - I mean, how many voters know about his favourite bands, and how many of them see it as a significant factor in what he stands for or who he is?
Don't get me wrong, I love music, and am very interested in politics, but I know a LOT of people that disagree with me musically yet share the same political views. Thus I think that his choice in music probably won as many voters as it alienated, so I would probably conclude that his musical choices were insignificant overall.
I'd like to think that it was irrelevant what music he likes, what is relevant is what he stands for and what he can actually DO for the world...
OK, I have just been to the pub, so feel free to take my rambling thoughts as just that...
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Mike - Churchill is a favorite of mine, so you got me thinking, and I looked up a quote. There is no humor here, but apropos to our (the US) situation in the Middle East: "Let us learn our lessons. ... Never believe any war will be smooth and easy or that anyone who embarks on that strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events… incompetent or arrogant commanders, untrustworthy allies, hostile neutrals, malignant fortune, ugly surprise, awful miscalculations. ... Always remember, however sure you are that you could easily win, that there would not be a war if the other man did not think he also had a chance. " As quoted in This Time It's Our War (2003) by Leonard Fein in The Forward (July 25, 2003)
Too bad far too few on the Hill remembered that quote BEFORE we got involved...
Incidentally, I admire Churchill so much that I seriously considered naming my son Winston, before I settled on Miles. Though, I'm fairly certain my (soon-to-be-ex) wife would not have allowed Winston anyway.
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But Churchill also recommended using chemical weapons against ""against recalcitrant Arabs as experiment"....
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To disable, not to kill, Joxley. In the 1920s, people were still pretty naive about chemical weapons.
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Now, he would recommend the Chemical Brothers to disable recalitrant Arabs...
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With a heavy bass beatdown!